1990 French movieRating: 17/20
Plot: The titular femme is arrested as the only survivor of her gang's burglary attempt. She's convicted as a cop killer and burglarizer, but instead of sending her to prison, they send her to a training facility where she learns to be pretty. And how to kill people. Mostly how to kill people actually. Once she graduates, she's ready to be a pretty assassin although she still longs to be an interior decorator.
What I really love about this movie is the developing paradox. As Nikita makes the transition from killer to, well, another kind of killer, she somehow becomes more and more human, learning more and more how to appreciate life and how to love. It's complex characterization, and I really liked how I never actually felt that I had a handle on Nikita. Those are usually the kind of characters who stick with you. Luc Besson directs the story with a controlled style, and although I don't think this is as good as Leon, there's still this density that places this head and shoulders above other films in the genre. You do get a little Jean Reno, and he'll always move a film up a notch or two up the ladder of cool. Or three. I don't know how these rungs work! Pushing this further up that ladder though are some terrific scenes. It's not just the action stuff either (although a scene in a restaurant kitchen is great). There's a quiet character-developing scene where Nikita looks lost as she's shopping at a grocery store that I also really like. With a crafty sense of humor, some bitchin' violence, that aforementioned coolness, and confident direction, Nikita is just really rad. It suffers a bit from a terribly dated soundtrack, a last gasp of those 80s synthesizer-filthy scores, but that's a small quibble. Je suis un essui glace!
Recommended by Cory, a cat who knows how rungs work.
Great review, with a line in French, no less (though it could mean "he savors cat fur", for all I know). I'm a little surprised and terribly pleased that you liked this so much. I love everything about this film; the style from the opening scene, her portrayal, Reno's incredible cleaner role, and the balance between cool action scenes and complex human relationships, especially with her handler. It is a foreign film that almost makes me forget it is foreign, which may be why it is my second favorite. A 19 for me, and thanks for checking it out!
ReplyDeleteForeign replacement: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"... silly title for a movie that I think you'll like.
Kelly is very amused that you are still a windshield wiper, but it should be "essuie-glace", as all of us know.
ReplyDeleteAnd then they had to do an american remake with Bridget Fonda. Surprised you'd never seen this. Great flick.
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