Luc Besson’s stylish French action thriller stars Anne Parillaud in an intense performance with great supporting roles played by Marc Duret, Patrick Fontana and Jean Reno. The sharp script, exciting action scenes and complexly layered characters all go towards creating a memorable piece of entertainment.
With Nikita we see the same strong visual style and creative flair Besson was to use again so successfully in his huge 1994 hit, Léon. These two films established him as a world-class action maestro; one who mixes Hollywood style with French identity.
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You can find more information on this French-language movie on Wikipedia and IMDb.
As always, we recommend you don’t ruin any surprises by reading spoilers or watching this trailer:
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Title: Nikita a.k.a. La Femme Nikita
Language: French
Direction: Luc Besson
Screenplay: Luc Besson
Cinematography: Thierry Arbogast
Editing: Olivier Mauffroy
Score: Éric Serra
Stars: Anne Parillaud, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tchéky Karyo
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Eric Tcheky Leon
Wonderful Cinema 
Watched this the other day, definitely remember it more fondly than I receive it these days, although it’s absolutely everything that defines Luc Besson’s films – even today.
Great movie and one that created a genre of its own, one that English language productions have tried to follow. Brutal, but stylish violence, with an intelligent plot and thoughtful direction defined the genre and French individualism set it apart. Also responsible for the creation of one of the most memorable and well-liked assassins ever, Leon.
A terrific film that grabs you from the start, and doesn’t let go. Great performances from the whole cast, stylish set-pieces, and tremendous action too. When Besson gets it right, he really gets it right. For me, this film is better than ‘Leon’, and far superior to most US offerings in the genre. As a confirmation of just how good it is, the Americans made an awful remake, and a forgettable ‘based-on’ TV series too. Stick with the original, and you won’t be disappointed.
If you want a similar recommendation (though not as good) try ‘Dobermann’ (1997) with Vincent Cassel, and Monica Bellucci. Frantic, fun, and a little crazy.
Best wishes, Pete.
I love tips! Many thanks, Pete – I’ll try and get hold of a copy of Dobermann.