Nikita (1990)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Luc Besson

Writer:

Luc Besson (writer)

Release Date:

April 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

The Hit of Paris and London Has Come to America. [US Poster]

Plot:

Convicted felon Nikita, instead of going to jail, is given a new identity and trained, stylishly, as a top secret spy/assassin.

Plot Keywords:

Kill | Murder | Hitwoman | Black Dress | Venice Italy

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Anne Parillaud	...	Nikita
Marc Duret	...	Rico
Patrick Fontana	...	Coyotte
Alain Lathière	...	Zap
Laura Chéron	...	La punk
Jacques Boudet	...	Le pharmacien
Helene Aligier	...	La pharmacienne
Pierre-Alain de Garrigues	...	Flic pharmacie
Patrick Pérez	...	Flic pharmacie (as Patrick Perez)
Bruno Randon	...	Flic pharmacie
Vincent Skimenti	...	Flic pharmacie
Roland Blanche	...	Flic interrogatoire
Joseph Teruel	...	Stagiaire flic
Jacques Disses	...	Avocat
Stéphane Fey	...	Président tribunal (as Stephane Fey)

Also Known As:

La Femme Nikita (USA)
Nikita (UK)

Runtime:

115 min | Portugal:118 min | Spain:112 min (DVD edition)

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

Italian | French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Italy:T | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Old Seita factory, Paris 12, Paris, France

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

The odd looking gun that Nikita uses in Venice is a silenced Steyr AUG, an Austrian made assault rifle.

Goofs:

Continuity: While firing the weapon in the kitchen, Nikita clearly finishes the clip (the slide locks open), but in the next shot the slide is forward again.

Quotes:

Amande: Let your pleasure be your guide.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Seinfeld: The Muffin Tops (#8.21)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

The Dark Side of Time

This film is cooler than a fortnight in Antartica wearing a bikini, drinking chilled vodka with ice-packs strapped to your body.

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.