La Femme Nikita (1990)

I remember back in the 90's I had the iconic Nikita poster, which had a very leggy Anne Parillaud kitted out in a little tight black dress while cocking a huge hand gun. It was one of the definitive movie posters of its day and went some way in adding to the film's overall reputation as something cool that had to be seen. Over the years Nikita has become less well remembered but it definitely remains one of the high points of the French cinéma du look movement. It follows the story of a violent drug addicted young woman, who is imprisoned for killing a police officer during an armed robbery. Recognising her skills as useful, a secret government agency fakes her death and gives her the opportunity to be reborn in a new life as a professional killer.

Directed by Luc Besson, this is a fairly typical example of his work at its best where we have an action-thriller which is elevated by an ultra-stylish presentation. It has a very glossy veneer to it, with some chic fashions and ornate locations but in amongst that it does have some grit. The central character played by Parillaud really exemplifies this, where she is moulded into a sophisticated killer but who underneath is a feral street fighter. Parillaud definitely covers a lot of ground here in a strong performance. She isn't afraid to play the character very unglamorous and annoying where required - the slinky creature on the poster is only part of the deal here! The transformation of this character is overseen by an enigmatic agent called Bob who develops feelings for his charge while reconfiguring her. It's a story-line which has definite parallels to Pygmalion. In fact, much of Nikita isn't really in thriller territory at all. Much focus is made of the relationship Nikita embarks on in the latter half of the film with a shop assistant played by Jean-Hugues Anglade, who in a neat role reversal plays a part which is typically played by women in most films of these kinds. Anglade is the good natured partner who is Nikita's anchor on reality while she embarks on her secret and deadly missions. One particularly exemplary example of this occurs in a scene in Venice where she assassinates a designated victim while having a conversation with Anglade through a bathroom door. It's scenes like this one and others where the central character embarks on her missions where the film usually peaks for me. In one of these latter sequences we are introduced to the sinister character of 'The Cleaner' in a role played by Jean Reno which was so striking that Besson based one of his next films around this idea, namely Leon (1994).

I think Nikita may be the best film that Besson ever made. The combination of an interesting central character, good concept and stylised direction add up to an action-thriller of significant pedigree. It was remade in America with Bridget Fonda in the lead role under the title of Point of No Return (1993), a film which many people seem to hate but which I actually thought was a very good alternative. So my advice would be, watch both and decide for yourself.

Fmovies: I think I probably watched this film at the wrong time. I first saw the American-language remake 'Assassin' back in the early nineties and have only just got round to watching the film it was based on, 'Nikita' (or 'La Femme Nikita' to be precise). Therefore, it's hard to accept that the French version is the original source material and not the remake. Both stay pretty much on the same story-telling path, telling the tale of a down-and-out, drug-addled young woman, killing a police officer in a burglary gone wrong, but eluding the death penalty in favour of working for a secret government agency to 'off' those who need disappearing. Yes, the plot is possibly a little far-fetched, but, if you can suspend your disbelief long enough, you'll find that it's well worth it.

What you get is the story of a tortured soul who's trying to make a fresh start of her life and yet keeps finding herself dragged back into the covert ways of the spy agency to do their dirty work. You will definitely feel for the lead and the writing is pretty solid for her and all those she encounters. It's one of those rare films where there isn't a discernible 'baddie' to take on. The 'bad-guy' (if it can be considered so) is the situation she's found herself in and her attempts to - once again - change her life for the better and truly escape the shackles she's found herself in - whether a slave to drug abuse or the government's whims.

I think the best thing about Nikita is its realism (yes, I know I've already said you have to suspend your disbelief to appreciate it, but hear me out...) - in many modern films where the lead is a female action hero who spends her time beating up dozens of burly men who stand in her way, you feel that - although cool to look at - it may not happen that way in real life. However, in Nikita she never uses her physical strength to overpower and take-down her targets. Instead, she uses her wits and deadeye with a sniper's rifle to get the dirty job done (and get home in time for tea with her new fella).

I'm glad I've watched the original. It's a decent film which blends action with genuine emotion for the characters, plus it's worth noting that it was good enough to inspire whoever greenlit its American remake NOT to change it so much that it's barely recognisable and remained true to what made it great in the first place.

La Femme Nikita is an uber-90s extravaganza from none-other than Luc Besson. The story involves a criminal given one of two choices: become an assassin or die. And that's the long and short of Nikita's story, laying the ground work for France's response to the modern James Bond films, but much more extreme and grittier deaths to it. It's a movie that was made during the 80s-90s aesthetic crossroad, the same sort of thing that Goodfellas managed to achieve when it was made a 'film of the decade' right before running headlong into a decade that gave us the likes of Toy Story, The Usual Suspects, The Matrix, American Beauty, and so on.

Nikita gets 4.5/5 stars.

La Femme Nikita fmovies. Welcome to the world where a woman can handle a gun and be as merciless and seemingly unemotional as any man. The anti- heroine, a woman named Nikita (Anne Parillaud in a performance of her life) is given a reprieve from a death sentence by government agents that want to use her as an undercover assassin. Stylish, ultraviolent, cynical but strangely engrossing - this is a must see for the fans of clever action movies.

Director Luc Besson somehow manages to keep a high level of energy and our interest - from the opening scene – a violent drugstore shootout until the very last moment.

Terrific cast include also Jean-Hughes Anglade (Queen Margot, Killing Zoe), Tcheky Karyo (Kiss of the Dragon, Addicted to Love 1997), Jeanne Moreau - the legend of the French cinema ("Jules and Jim", "Elevator to the Gallows", "Going Places"), and Jean Reno ("Leon", "Ronin")

Don't bother with the American remake (Bridgett Fonda) or TV series with the same title - see only original.

"You could say I work...for the government. We've decided to give you another chance."

I've been wanting to see La Femma Nikita for ages, as I used to be quite the fan of the TV show based on it when I was a kid. It's nice to be able to say that the movie was just as exciting and entertaining as I remember the show being.

The plot is about a young drug addict who kills a cop when she and some guys are caught robbing a pharmacy. The French government fakes her death, and she's given little alternative but to join a training program to become an agent in the government's employ. The stress of living a violent life that she doesn't want and having to keep it secret from her fiancé eventually becomes too much for her to cope with.

La Femme Nikita has several impressive action sequences, but it's more than just an action movie. Nikita transforms over the course of the story from a drugged-up junkie with nothing to live for to a capable and dangerous woman who wants control over her own life.

All in all I thought La Femme Nikita was a solid blend of assassination and drama. The heroine is probably one of the most interesting female action protagonists ever put up on the big screen, and it's hard to overstate the impact Nikita has had on other female protagonists in these kinds of movies in the last twenty years. Recommended.

Forget the awful series. Forget the even worse Hollywood remake 'The Assassin'. Remember Luc Besson's La Femme Nikita.

This has got to be one of the most stylish, moody and gripping films in existence. Luc Besson's direction is refreshing whilst the cinematography is simply stunning, particuarly the scene in the hotel where Nikita gets her first assignment. The soundtrack by Eric Serra is simply genius and actually adds something to the film...soundtracks usually seem to be an afterthought but refreshingly; not in this case.

The beautiful Anne Parillaud is perfect in the lead role (unlike Bridget Fonda) and the subtle romance between her and Tcheky Karyo is pure eloquence. The hugely talented Jean-Hughes Anglade (of Betty Blue fame) shines in this film but of all the male roles, Jean Reno (also fabulous in Luc Besson's Leon)is outstanding as the completely unbalanced Victor The Cleaner. Jeanne Moreau as Amande makes a notable appearence following years of contributions in countless films.

Luc Besson established himself as one of the leading innovative directors with this film and you can easily see why. This movie certainly rates among the top 10 films of all time.

I could pontificate about this film all day and all night but the best thing is for you to watch it yourself as a matter of priority...it is a 'must see'.

I'm off now to pursue a career in international assassinations.