thomas4cinema

The second old Luc Besson film in as many days, and one with a lot more charme and local flavor. Here, as in Leon, you also have crazy criminals, shoot-friendly burglars and ruthless police officers. You also have a certain vulnerability of the lead, however, as Nikita, the girl who turns from drug addict come murderer, becomes this special agent killing and following orders machine. She can do that, but she retains the tension of the girl who only wants to be liked and loved and who does not want to grow up. Yet she has to bear the responsibility of an unforgiving job and while she knows that dragging a man into this life will not do good to anybody, she cannot resist the temptation – and suffers from it.

Jean-Hughes Anglade has a great part here, he is completely humble and quiet, not daring to push Nikita into any direction or revelation for fear of losing her, and it is the strong composure of both male lead roles that make Nikita a great watch even today. The culminating anti-climax between the two is still one of my favourite endings of a movie ever, as they have to deal with their loss and grief.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/la_femme_nikita/