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Anne Parillaud, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tcheky Karyo, Jeanne Moreau, Jean Reno ... see more see more... , Roland Blanche (II) , Jean Bouise , Philippe Du Janerand , Marc Duret , Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu , Jacques Boudet , Helene Aligier , Michele Amiel , Maurice Antoni , Mathieu Archer , Jean Bedin , Michel Brunot , Patrick Buiquangda , Michel Campa , Jean-Luc Caron , Pierrick Charpentier , Patrick Chauveau , Laura Chéron , Fausto Constantino , Pierre-Alain DeGarrigues , Philippe Dehesdin , Jacques Disses , Stephane Fey , Heike Fisher , Patrick Fontana , Rodolphe Freytt , Mia Frye , Eddie Gaydu , Christian Gazio , Hubert Gillet , Murray Grunwall , Roland Gueridon , Olivier Hemon , Philippe Hernando , Iska Khan , Alexander Koumpan , Alain Lathière , Laurent Lesdema , Rénos Mandis , Jean-Marie Merchet , Petronille Moss , Jean-Pierre Pauty , Patrick Perez , Edith Perret , Eric Prat , Bruno Randon , J. Claude Bolle Reddat , Patrick Serriere , Vincent Skimenti , Pavel Slaby , Jose Steinmann , Rafael Sultan , Joseph Teruel , Gerard Touratier , Guy VanRiet

The serpentine plotline of Luc Besson's La Femme Nikita begins its 117-minute slither when punkish, psychotic, and drug-ridden Nikita (Anne Parillaud) fires her gun into a cop's face following the sti... read more read more...ck-up of a drug store, and is promptly imprisoned. She is thrown into a dank cell, then injected with a substance and told it is a lethal toxin. Instead of dying, however, the comes to in an all-white interrogation room, where French intelligence officer Bob (Tchéky Karyo), informs her that an alternate to execution exists: she can receive covert government training as an assassin. She accepts the bid, is rigorously trained, and later returns to society as a seemingly normal and gentle civilian, but falls in love with a drugstore employee while she's waiting for that first government assignment. The paradoxical concept of a young woman blossoming socially while carrying out cold-blooded murders was downplayed when La Femme Nikita was remade in America as the silly and disappointing Point of No Return, directed by John Badham with Bridget Fonda in the lead. A far less sociopathic TV-series version of La Femme Nikita surfaced on the USA cable network in early 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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80% liked it

53,160 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

42 critics

R, 1 hr. 55 min.

Directed by: Luc Besson

Release Date: February 21, 1990

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DVD Release Date: July 1, 2003

Stats: 2,012 reviews

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La Femme Nikita Tchéky Karyo in La Femme Nikita Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Jean-Hugues Anglade Jean Reno in La Femme Nikita Nikita (La Femme Nikita) Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita Nikita (La Femme Nikita) Nikita (La Femme Nikita)
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Flixster Reviews (2,012)

  • TheGame90
    January 19, 2011
    TheGame90
    A lot diffrent than the Hollywood standards. And that's good. Good acting. Good Directing. I don't know how Luc Besson does it. But he got a very chill way of directing. You feel very relaxed while you'r watching. And it was nice to see the origin of Léon. Sick of the french righ... read moret?...Sick of the french!
  • Redlats
    December 4, 2010
    Redlats
    I was disappointed. Perhaps because I used to watch the TV series, I was expecting something more like that. For some reason, the English words coming out of their mouths when they were obviously speaking French in the movie bothered me too, yet most of the time I never notice ... read moresuch things.

    This is the oldest movie where I have seen the role of a 'cleaner' - someone who comes in to clean up the mess when the original agents mess up. You have to give the director credit for the great quality of the action scenes in a 20 year old movie.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    September 24, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "There are two things that are infinite: femininity and means to take advantage of it."

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

    R
    ... read moreEVIEW
    Luc Besson has been behind some of the most provocative and intriguing action films of the last 15 years, and his introduction to mainstream American cinema-goers began with 1991's "La Femme Nikita." Beginning with a drug store shootout that leaves three junkie punkers and a few policemen dead, this film is rapidly engaging and shows off Besson's violent chic. In the fray, only young Nikita (Anne Parillaud) survives, after offing a policeman who had let his guard down at a crucial moment. Facing certain death in France's court of law, she is given two choices: lethal injection, or have her execution faked, and then assume a new life as a female super-assassin/spy. A wild-raised feral child of sorts, Nikita had picked up certain skills on the street that eventually prove to be quite valuable to her government handlers, as she makes things difficult for them and especially her chief mentor Bob (Tcheky Karyo). No secret is made of his affections for her, but he tries to mold Nikita into a valuable person, and he's able to do it with the help of another agent, played by actress Jeanne Moreau, who teaches her the finer ways of womanhood. By the end of her training, Nikita has been modeled into a fine, sexy female assassin. Besson makes no attempts to sacrifice his film in the ways of Hollywood convention, and he proves that the days of female-driven action cinema are not yet dead. Parillaud is compelling, as at first, she almost seems unaware of her identity as a woman. When she isn't taking out high-powered political officials, she's romancing a kind and gentle shop clerk, who falls madly in love with her as she does with him. Lastly, "La Femme Nikita" has some of the most stylized and violent action scenes of any movie I've seen in a while. Luc Besson, with this film and much of his subsequent work, has proved he is one of cinema's most valuable personalities on the European, Asian, and American action film circuits. Also, be aware of a cameo by future Besson "Leon" (1994) star Jean Reno as Victor the Cleaner, in what is pretty much an early prototype of his role from that star-making breakthrough film.
  • lewiskendell
    August 22, 2010
    lewiskendell
    "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 an... read mored 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.
  • ceWEBrity
    April 22, 2010
    ceWEBrity
    Devastatingly flawed, lazily written and open to sexist interpretation, La Femme Nikita is nonetheless a film worth seeing for any action fan, if only for its unflappable originality. Nikita's transformation over the course of the movie is perhaps the most remarkable thing, thoug... read moreh it may require a scoop of openmindedness from its viewer. It's really hard to accept that the cop-killing dimwitted crackhead we see in the beginning of the film is capable of pulling off complex espionage missions. Logic is by no means the movie's strong point, and it's clearly fast-forwarding through its own plot to get to the good stuff, asking us to accept Nikita's three years training as a government operative in the span of five minutes. (To be fair, there are some really neat touches that sharply delineate the passage of time, but it just doesn't feel like enough.) La Femme Nikita was obviously concocted as fantasy fodder for Luc Besson. How many men get to put their wives in slinky dresses, hand them an enormous pistol, and have them shoot down waves of baddies on camera, creating an international box-office success? The man is to be envied, but it's fortunate that his interest in self-gratification at least produces a watchable result. The same cannot be said for all auteurs.

    Anne Parillaud is a fun presence, and it's obvious that she really poured herself into this role. The character really makes you work to like her, and I don't think Nikita will win over everyone, but if the bittersweet ending doesn't win you over then nothing will. She makes a strange centerpiece for the action sequences, as she's lanky and sort of awkward, almost like a prototypical Angelina Jolie. I'm not really sure if I swallow her as a trained assassin; the fact that she even survived her first gunfight in the restaurant is a serious stretching of credibility, even if she's meant to be inexperienced and out of her depth. Still, Besson's sensible direction and creativity make the ridiculousness palatable.
  • SirPant
    September 14, 2009
    SirPant
    Nikita is a brilliant film. It's Besson's first real action film and a hint of what was to come, particularly in his projects as writer/producer. Unfortunately, none of his later works have matched Nikita in its brilliance. This is classic Besson.
  • ripley7575
    August 24, 2009
    ripley7575
    Be unafraid, be very unafraid. A stunning look into the sociopathic tendencies of a misbegotten teenage criminal. Sentenced to death for the shooting death of a public servant, Nikita is offered the chance of a lifetime: Spy & Assassinate for the French Government instead. So... read more here the true story begins.
    Nikita's wonderfully deviant character very quickly shows her clever side in training-and you fall in love with her soon. The plot was thick and rich with many facets yet a deceptfully-simple starting concept. The cinematography was sketchy-but-forgivable and the screenplay was engenious if a little sparse. The ending was abrupt and could be called unsatisfying by some-but i was enthralled, entranced, and positively enebriated by the stunning characters, hairy situations,and dark undertones of this film.
    Welcome to true brilliance, Nikita, enjoy your immortality.
  • allan913
    July 22, 2009
    allan913
    It's brilliant, riveting, fast-paced and original. An relentlessly entertaining action-packed thriller. A smart and intriguining thrill-ride. Entertainment in fine form. Sexy, stylish, dangerous and excellent. Director, Luc Besson's triumph. One wickedly cool adreniline rush. It ... read morehas the action, suspense, emotion and character development that a fine film of it's kind should. A classic.
  • phubbs1
    May 22, 2009
    phubbs1
    I have only just seen this Besson original, I saw the remake yonks ago when I was but a teen and quite liked it to be honest. Apon seeing this I can see how glossy the US remake was, but its still better in afew ways....but not many. The original is much better due to the charact... read moreer driven cast which at the time were almost unknown (except in France maybe), it gives the film a much more realistic feel that big name Hollywood stars cant deliver. The action is slicker and has a graphic novel adaptation feel about it with great cam angles and gun pov's, its all pure Besson and if you've seen his other action flicks you will like this for sure hehe

    The US remake does have Keitel in it which gives it afew extra points :) I also prefer Fonda for sex appeal hehe but Parillaud is a much better actress and looked alot better with a gun, more professional looking. But then this version has the brilliant Reno as the anti 'Leon' cleaner Victor, just wish he had a bigger part, question is was he better than Keitel? hmmm tricky.

    This is similar to The Terminator in the fact its more gritty, darker and realistic than the second T2 or in this case the US remake. Again the smaller budget actually works better for the outcome, more money tends to make directors get carried away when they dont have to. More is less.
  • 76Majikat
    February 21, 2009
    76Majikat
    This film started out in one direction and then turned in complete other direction, which having not read the synopsis, was a pleasant surprise. This film, I really enjoyed, but can't quite put my finger on why? Perhaps it's the strong female lead, who is a match for any man an... read mored yet still has the ability of being a feminine beauty, maybe it's the double lifestyle shes lease or maybe it was the way she was desired.

    The film itself (although only 1990) looks fairly dated and of course is rather far fetched, but I found it a really enjoyable watch.

    Jean Reno's role was small, yet made quite an impact as the "cleaner".

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Begins with the materials of a violent thriller but transcends them with the story of the heroine's transformation. Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

[Besson] seems to like playing off the generic, though he probably thinks of it as working with the mythic, the classic. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

If Luc Besson's latest goes into absurd overdrive, it does so with entertaining finesse. Full Review

Rob Humanick
January 15, 2012
Rob Humanick, Projection Booth

A cool sensory indulgence, but irksomely lightweight. Full Review

Cole Smithey
October 11, 2011
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

[VIDEO] Before it spawned a cornucopia of television series knock-offs, writer/director Luc Besson's stylized 1990 French crime thriller set a new standard for the girl-with-a-gun movie trope. Full Review

Carly Kocurek
January 1, 2011
Carly Kocurek, Common Sense Media

Beware Nikita. Not for kids. Full Review

Peter Canavese
January 9, 2009
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

A spy version of Pygmalion, complete with perverse romance, Nikita was well ahead of the curve when it came to women warriors as modern shoot-'em-up stars [Blu-ray]. Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
July 16, 2007
Felix Vasquez Jr., Film Threat

This Besson thriller sparked many a wannabes, but it's clear this film stands on its own two feet, and kicks you in the head.

Rob Thomas
April 13, 2006
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Very stylish and wicked, but it's the magnetic title performance that makes it a classic.

Martin Scribbs
February 4, 2005
Martin Scribbs, Low IQ Canadian

Superb thriller scored to Eurotrash synth pop, La Femme Nikita sets out a whole world of espionage and violence, and engages with a wild yet sympathetic lead.

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Nikita (La Femme Nikita) Trivia

  • who played nikita in the tv show "la femme nikita"  Answer »
  • in which tv show did roy dupuis play a sexy agent?  Answer »
  • Point of No Return was an English version of this hit French film.  Answer »
  • Who leads the Movie La Femme Nikita from Luc Besson? Hint: She appears also in The Man in the Iron Mask  Answer »
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