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From: teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU (Thomas E. Billings)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: LA FEMME NIKITA
Summary: r.a.m.r. #00963
Keywords: author=Billings
Message-ID: <1991Apr8.123214.11877@cbnewsj.att.com>
Date: 8 Apr 91 12:32:14 GMT
Expires: 6 May 1991 13:00:00 GMT
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                           LA FEMME NIKITA
                  A film review by Thomas E. Billings
                   Copyright 1991 Thomas E. Billings


Synopsis:
Nikita, a violent young woman with a drug problem, is sent to prison.
There she is recruited by an unnamed French intelligence agency, and
given a new life, and a new job -- as an assassin for the (French)
government!  A violent drama that varies from unbelievable to gripping.
Overall, a very good movie.

France (English subtitles), color, 1990, approx. 118 minutes.
Director/Writer:  Luc Besson

     Nikita is a 19-year old woman with serious problems.  She is a
junkie and a thief.  One day she and her friends are robbing a drugstore
to get drugs.  Things go wrong; the police arrive and a bloody shootout
follows.  The ultimate result of this is that Nikita ends up in prison,
serving a life sentence.

     Nikita is deliberately given a drug "overdose" by prison officials
and she officially "dies."  Nikita awakens from her "death" to find she
is being held by French Intelligence officials.  She has a choice: work
for the government as an assassin, or go back to her grave -- this time
for good.  This begins Nikita's new life, working for the government.
After a lengthy training period, the story continues as Nikita is
returned to the outside world to begin her work as a killer; but is she
actually ready for life on the outside again?  Can she have a personal
life, while working as an assassin?

     Given the storyline of the film, I was concerned that it might turn
into a "woman exploited by big, bad guys" story.  Although you do have
some sympathy for Nikita by the end of the picture, you won't forget her
depiction from the first part of the picture: a hateful, drug-addicted,
young woman who is prone to acts of uncontrollable, extreme violence,
and who kills without hesitation.  The film does not glamorize, or 
victimize Nikita.  Instead, Nikita is the "victim" of her own violent
actions, and her own wrong choices in life.

     The production values of the film are high, and some of the acting
is very good.  The actress who portrays Nikita (Anne Parillaud) is
excellent.  However, some of the things that happen in the film seem
rather unbelievable.  For example, the way some of the covert activities
are accomplished is dubious; one would think that an assassination for
political purposes would be thoroughly planned (to avoid risk of
discovery) and would not have any last-minute uncertainties.  These
complaints are minor, however, and do not distract from the action or
enjoyment of the film.

     Overall, I thought the film was very good (certainly worth
considering), because of its interesting story line and the fact that 
it does not glamorize Nikita.  One caution: the film is very violent.

Distribution.  Scheduled to open Friday, 4/5, in San Francisco (AMC
Kabuki 8 Cinema); in its first U.S. release.  U.S. distributor: The
Samuel Goldwyn Company.

Reviewer contact:  teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU