Tuesday, May 04, 2010

La Femme Nikita (1990)


"There are two things that have no limit: femininity and the means to take advantage of it."

Nikita, a convicted felon and drug user, is sent to jail for the murder of a cop. While there, she is informed that everyone in her life believes that she committed suicide, and now she has two choices: become an assassin or actually join the ranks of the dead. After sleeping on it for an hour, Nikita chooses the assassin route and trains for about three years, learning not only how to kill effectively but also how to use her femininity to her advantage.

Nikita is then released into the "real world," where she meets a man named Marco at the supermarket where he works. Life goes on as normal, and Marco believes Nikita works the night shift at the hospital; he knows nothing of her assassin life.

The film is not distinctly 80s, but given that it was made in France and that it is a spy film, such is to be expected. Some of the music in the movie does seem to have synthesizers, and it is definitely Tears for Fears-esque.

La Femme Nikita can stand the test of time because even though it is 2010, films featuring women with assassin jobs, etc. are not very common. People will always be interested in watching this type of film, which is why it is so long-lasting.

I enjoyed the film. It was interesting to see what Nikita would do in various situations, and I especially liked the scene featured in one of the clips we watched in class when Nikita attempts to complete her first mission only to find that "of course it (the window) was bricked."

Overall, I would recommend this film to anyone looking for a bit of action/thrill that is not typical of Hollywood movies. That said; don't expect a fairytale ending, either.

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