Being a remake of Luc Besson's "Nikita" (1990), this is quite an average hollywood remake of a very interesting french movie. The french original is much better in terms of direction and story, but Bridget Fonda's acting is marvellous, outstanding and considerably better than her french counterpart's in "Nikita". And this is exactly the reason to watch this movie, Fonda's performance is a thing you should definitely not miss.
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firner13 October 2003
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JamesHitchcock14 December 2007"Point of No Return", or "The Assassin" as it is known here in Britain, is, of course, a remake of Luc Besson's French thriller "Nikita", and keeps closely to the plot of the original, although the action is transferred from France to America. Some of the names, such as Victor or Amande/Amanda, are the same as, or very close to, those used in the original film, although the name of the main character is changed from Nikita to Maggie. (Besson had, for reasons best known to himself, given his heroine a masculine Russian Christian name).
Like Nikita, Maggie is a criminal and drug addict who murders a policeman during a raid on a pharmacy, a crime for which she is sentenced to death. The sentence is, apparently, carried out soon after the trial, but in reality Maggie's life is spared. (The film-makers ignore the fact that in America any death sentence is automatically subject to a lengthy series of appeals and reviews; in California, where the film is set, only thirteen people, out of nearly seven hundred sentenced to death, have been executed during the last thirty years). She is given the option of being trained to work for the Government as a professional assassin; if she refuses she will be killed and buried beneath the tombstone which already bears her name.
Roger Ebert compares Maggie to a modern-day Eliza Dolittle, the heroine of Shaw's "Pygmalion". This may seem an odd comparison, given the nature of the work Maggie is being trained to do, but it is in fact an apt one. The modern assassin must master not only martial arts, weapons skills and computer technology but also such matters as deportment, polite conversation, fine dining and the art of looking beautiful. The rationale is presumably that, as Maggie may be called upon to kill members of America's high society, she needs to know how to behave in their company. The tuition she receives is obviously effective; Maggie enters her charm school with the social graces of an alley-cat and leaves with those of a débutante. For all her poise and glamour, however, she also has the skills of a ruthless killer.
The Government resettle Maggie in Venice Beach where she poses, under an assumed name, as an IT consultant and finds a boyfriend. Occasionally, however, she is called upon to take out a target whom the Government want dead, either by delivering a bomb to their hotel room or shooting them dead in the street. At first she is happy to go along with their instructions, but begins to develop a conscience about what she is doing, and wants to leave her job.
The idea of remaking a modern foreign-language film in English and with an American setting was anathema to many purists, particularly to those (on both sides of the Atlantic) who see Europe as the home of High Culture and America as a land of vulgar Philistines who are too lazy to bother with reading subtitles. This, however, was a view which I found unfair, as "Nikita" did not lose much, if anything, in translation when it was remade. Contrary to what some might think, not every French or European film is an art-house classic; Besson's was a commercial thriller which was itself influenced by American models, especially neo-noir. Film noir, as the name might suggest, has always been appreciated in the French cinema; the influence of Besson's model on John Badham's film might be seen as France's repayment of its debt to America.
Moreover, "The Assassin" has many virtues in its own right. It makes effective use of music; there is a memorable score from Hans Zimmer, possibly influenced by David Hentschel's music for "Educating Rita". The soundtrack also features several songs by Nina Simone, a particular passion of Maggie's. (This seemed a rather conservative taste for a young woman of her generation, but the explanation is that Maggie's enthusiasm derives from her mother).
Bridget Fonda (who has clearly inherited the classic good looks of her Auntie Jane) is very good as the heroine, both as the anti-social rebel of the early scenes and the sophisticated, seductive young lady of the later ones. There are effective cameos from Anne Bancroft as Amanda, Maggie's tutor in the social arts, and from Harvey Keitel as Victor the Cleaner, the ruthless, deadpan killer called in to "clean up" when one of her jobs unexpectedly goes wrong. There is a larger contribution from Gabriel Byrne as Maggie's handler, Bob, a key role as the relationship between the two is a complicated one. At first Bob is only able to handle her by making veiled (and sometimes open) threats about what will happen if she does not co-operate, but later he grows close to her, almost like a substitute father. (She passes him off to her boyfriend as her uncle). He is sympathetic to her desire to leave her job, but his hands are tied by the attitude of his superiors.
As a thriller, "The Assassin" is a fast-paced and exciting one, but it may also have a deeper significance as a critique of the death penalty. Maggie's development parallels that of Burt Lancaster's character Robert Stroud in "The Birdman of Alcatraz", who also starts off as a vicious, conscienceless killer and gradually grows in humanity There is an obvious irony in the fact that she is sentenced to death for murder and that her life is then spared so that she may commit further murders on behalf of the State that has sentenced her. The further irony is that it is her career as an assassin which teaches her the value of human life. 7/10 -
Violent criminal Maggie Hayward is saved from the execution chamber by mysterious Government agent Bob, and transformed into a deadly killing machine.
I haven't seen this film in years, I remembered only the key scenes, one thing I certainly hasn't forgotten, was the brilliance of Bridget Fonda, she is tremendous as Maggie, her transformation is really quite something, she impresses throughout.
It may look and feel a little dated at times, but it holds up really well, great storytelling, excellent pacing, and plenty of action scenes, there isn't a single boring moment here.
Favourite sequence had to be the moment with The Cleaner, I can't help wondering if the character inspired later films.
The film really does benefit from the incredible music of Nina Simone, the only initiation is the tapping sound at the apartment.
Gabriel Byrne is excellent, Dermot Mulroney does a fine job as the love interest.
Underrated.
7/10. -
peter0716 October 2002I thought this flick was good, and I'm SO glad that the film didn't resort to the typical Hollywood ending that other American remakes do (though it differed just a bit from the original "Nikita").
Admittedly, I'm biased in that I'm getting to be a big Bridget Fonda fan. And I agree with another reviewer that Fonda played a more likable character than the one in the French original.
Plus, the DVD's sound is great, though the picture is grainy.
All in all, a good film that doesn't deserve all the mudslinging it has gotten. -
triple828 August 2003This IS a really brutal movie-I usually don't like violence in movies but in this case the violence was sort of neccessary for the overall subject at hand. Once I got past that, I really enjoyed this in a way that surprised me because it wouldn't be the type of pic I'd usally watch.
I think Gabriel Byrne is what made this movie. He was great as Bob and the chemistry between him and maggie/Nina was overwhelming. I think this was a movie made good by the cast. I thought Fonda and Byrne were incredible.
I wouldn't call this "dreary" as much as sometimes brutal with alot of violence. Still it's a good movie, I think besides the incredible chemistry between Byrne and Fonda the story was moving and makes you want to know what happens nest.
Harvey Keitel was positively creepy as the Cleaner! There are some really-well- for lack of a better term icky scenes in the movie but the acting is first rate and holds your attention.
There are some negatives to: to much violence that seemed kind of for shock value, after awhile it becomes a bit much:ok we get the idea. The AMMOUNT of shootings, explosions etc detracts from the wonderful acting and powerful story at hand, they could have minimized the brutality A LITTLE.
Also, Gabriel Byrne and Bridget Fonda should have had more scenes together, their chemistry is what made the movie. I understand, looking at imdb comments that this is a remake and I didn't know that before, but although this movie is very engrossing it doesn't get up to 10 status. Stil, it's defintely worth seeing if you have a strong stomach and haven't seen it. -
blanche-228 June 2017This American version of "La Femme Nikita" from 1993 stars Bridget Fonda a a drug-addicted murderer who is saved from lethal injection by a government agent (Gabriel Byrne), who gives her the chance to train as an assassin. Naturally she takes it though she is very resistant.
She goes through the training and carries out assignments, but has to on the surface lead a normal life. When she meets and falls for J.P. (Dermot Mulrooney), having to keep so much of situation secret becomes difficult.
Bridget Fonda is excellent as Maggie, who is transformed into a classy killer. Gabriel Byrne gives a marvelous performance as her low-key recruiter, who winds up bonding with her. Harvey Keitel plays "The Cleaner" and he's scary as all get-out.
Very exciting film, violent, and fast-moving. Fonda seems to be retired now - she is a very appealing actress and handled the role beautifully. -
RosanaBotafogo3 September 2022I like these old but still current, Bridget Fonda, as Maggie is transformed into a professional killer - perfect and seductive - with a mission: to eliminate elite victims. In unadable, well -adorable wrath and violence, female protagonists with personality Strong, rebellion, dirty mouth and charm, Interesting and profitable... She has a chance to save her life, learning to kill for a secret agency, otherwise she will be executed as justice determined... Good plot, gave a wrap in the middle, but gained strength in the end and plot twist, an old man of respect, interesting and profitable... Good...
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kahnwiley-839-4960811 September 2021This movie is pretty much a shot-for-shot remake of the French film "La Femme Nikita" by Luc Besson. I'll say right off the bat that I strongly suggest watching that one instead, since they are virtually indistinguishable but this one is just a clone, a (not so cheap) imitation.
As with many foreign films that are remade for American audiences (like "Let the Right One In," "Funny Games," or "Infernal Affairs"), I'm often left feeling hollow after viewing both versions. The original was, well, original, which is why it gained international acclaim at the time, opening doors to Luc Besson for productions like "Leon" and "The Fifth Element." With this Americanized repeat, there's nothing added, no extra twist, no real reason to remake a perfectly good first film, other than the fact that Americans don't like to read subtitles. It's no wonder Luc Besson refused the offer to direct; seems pretty boring for an artist to make the exact same movie again within five years of the first.
Don't get me wrong, it's a perfectly watchable film, but I'm not liable to give it any credit beyond that since the whole thing was lifted from a movie made only a few years before this. Bridget Fonda is solid, and makes the transition from despicable junkie to government assassin pretty believable. Gabriel Byrne, of course, does well in his role, but I think this character has a very limited range compared to that of which he is capable. Dermot Mulroney is easy on the eyes but his character is not particularly memorable.
Good action, a little romance, and Bridget Fonda kicking ass. Plus a small role for Harvey Keitel at his peak, fresh off of "Reservoir Dogs" and "Bad Lieutenant." The shootouts are pretty par for the 90's, with squibs exploding everywhere and the usual shots of the protagonist diving through the air in slow motion. At the time, the role-reversal of having a female spy/assassin as the lead was pretty unique, but nowadays, of course, that is not so uncommon at all.
Summary: totally watchable, but totally unnecessary. -
tommy686012 September 2009A terrible Americanized re-make of a decent Luc Besson film ("La Femme Nikita"). Luc's film is better since it doesn't rely on the graphic violence for the plot to be made and the storyline is more believable with the actions scenes being more plausible. The fact that any originality in "The Point Of No Return" is lacking made this film even more the worse. Now don't get me wrong here, Bridget is a decent actress, but never in all the years has she really stole my thoughts as to being top notch. To be honest, she just has that adorable girl look that does OK as an actress (she had a big legacy to follow anyway, considering her aunt and father).
But the script in this disaster did her an injustice in any event, since it was downright awful. No director and especially an actor, could have worked doing ad-lib with this script (Badham isn't really that good of a director in the first place). The stunt scenes were so implausible as to be laughable, they should leave those kinds of scenes for the James Bond type movies since they fit in well with that genre.
I need not say anymore, as I am not trying to be negative as much as realistic; I simply couldn't think of even one positive at all. -
US thriller finely directed by John Badham about a violent junkie who becomes undercover assassin . Exciting and stirring movie that was formerly adapted in French style by Luc Besson , dealing with an once-amoral street urchin become into a gorgeous woman of sensitivity and depth . A gang of armed drug-addicts break into a shop to try and steal drugs to fuel their habit and then takes place a bloody tour of force . However, the police arrive too fast and all addicts but one are killed . The hardened criminal (Bridget Fonda , role previously acted by Anne Parillaud and Bridget was cast after Jodie Foster and Winona Ryder turned it down) , a punk-junkie sociopath acts with consistence violence , even in police custody and is given a life sentence . Having killed a cop when the theft gone awry is condemned to death row but she is reprieved by a strange organization . After being drugged by her captors she wakes up to find that she has been spared in order to train her as a government assassin . However, top-secret agency official (a Svengali alike ,Gabriel Byrne , interpreted in the French version by Tcheky Karyo and Antonio Banderas was considered for the role of Bob) arranges a stage , so she can be elaborately trained as phantom killer and subdued into obedience in order to enroll in a governing finishing school. After a dramatic transformation in which she is trained in etiquette , she is allowed to leave and start a new life for herself . On her eventual release she turns into a sophisticated girl thanks to an old lady (Anne Bancroft , role also acted by Jeanne Moreau) . As a cover, she gets a new identity and with a new beau , all the while carrying out agency-mandated assassinations. And with a wonderful house-mate, a broad-minded, gentle boyfriend (Dermot Mulroney , previously performed by Jean Hugues Anglade) . The two fall in love, but that complicates jobs. His good influence extends to breeding her a conscience that puts love over business, alas unlike agency. However, she begins to discover that there is more to life than she previously thought and soon begins to wish she could escape from her obligation. But the government aren't so easy to evade .
This exciting noir-thriller is packed with thrills , tension , suspense and lots of noisy action . From start to finish the action pace is fast moving , provides fast and furious entertainment with spectacular scenes . This is a stylish and particular version of Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw , including a master played by Gabriel Byrne and his disciple performed by Bridget Fonda . Displays nonstop action and is extremely entertaining and thrilling . Some scenes are brutal and with a load of violence. Still it's a good movie, I think furthermore the incredible chemistry between Gabriel Byrne and Bridget Fonda ,the plot was moving and intense , it makes you want to know what happens after . Bridget is pretty good as the heroine who turns in violent tendencies to patriotic use , both as the anti-social rebel of the early scenes and the sophisticated, seductive young lady of the later ones ; a bitterly ironic moral evolution for a contract killer . It benefits enormously from a memorably assured performances such as Miguel Ferrer as Kaufman , Anne Bancroft as Amanda , Olivia d'Abo as Angela Richard Romanus as Fahd Bahktiar and Harvey Keitel as Victor the Cleaner . In addition a cameo by the same director John Badham as a room-service waiter . Atmospheric musical score by Hans Zimmer , though with excessive use of synthesizer . Colorful cinematography by Michael Watkins and perfectly remastered , including his cameo as last guard at the gate during the escape. The motion picture was lavishly produced and professionally directed by John Badham with his ordinary visual pyrotechnics but with no originality , being a simple copy from original film ; having directed one episode of recent Nikita series . However , Luc Besson declined the opportunity to remake his French hit Nikita. Other versions about Nikita character are the followings : ¨Nikita¨ series produced by Jay Firestone with Peta Wilson , Roy Dupois , Matthew Ferguson and Alberta Watson ; and Nikita (52 episodes, 2010-2013) with Maggie Q , Shane West as Michael , Lyndsy Fonseca and Aaron Stanford . -
ert2319 August 2006Excuse my bitterness, for I am simply envenomed after finding something horribly cliché within the film. I had thought when first viewing "Point of No Return" that it was an interesting film, the rating it garnered was as many other mediocre or decent films, but I had decided to watch further.
I could barely tolerate any of the film, my love for "La Femme Nikita" is dauntless by any film that even remotely resembles it. Having purchased "La Femme Nikita", I recommend that no one view this Americanized adaptation that is sub par at the most.
"La Femme Nikita" is an marvel of cinema with Jean Reno and Anne Parillaud, it is amazing. The first portion of the film is something that is unexpected compared to the procession of events that follow it.
I recommend burning the film if you own it, or simply watching what they had attempted to reproduce, in vain. -
preppy-312 October 1999Yes, it's a bad remake of La Femme Nikita--yes, it's overly violent and amoral (but so was the original)--yes, it's REALLY stupid, but I enjoyed it. It moves quickly, Fonda manages to give out a pretty good performance and it's certainly never boring. If you can turn off your brain, and sit through bursts of graphic violence (and a really sick sequence involving Harvey Keitel as "The Cleaner") you should be able to enjoy it. No great movie, just a really good bad movie. Critics predictably hated this movie. There's a now infamous review from the "New Yorker" magazine that's only 9 words long--"The end of French cinema as we know it." Ignore them--this is lots of fun.
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grantss9 September 2016A young woman, Maggie Hayward (Bridget Fonda), is sentenced to death after murdering a policeman during a botched robbery. While awaiting trial she is approached by a government agent, Bob (Gabriel Byrne), who wants her to join a top secret assassination team. She doesn't cooperate and is executed...or so it seems. She awakes to find herself an unwilling recruit for the government organisation. She still plays hard to get but eventually comes around. With her training done, now she has to put it into practice - killing people, all while, on the surface, living a perfectly normal life.
A largely-faithful Hollywood remake of Luc Besson's 1990 French classic Nikita. Follows the original script very closely, with some adaptations to US culture and audiences. Doesn't have the same edgy, dark atmosphere that Nikita has and is thus more mainstream. Still, a good story, well made with some good action sequences.
Solid work by Bridget Fonda in the lead role. Her transformation from anarchic, plain, tomboy junkie to cool, sophisticated, sexy killer is quite something to behold. Gabriel Byrne is great as Bob. Supporting cast includes Miguel Ferrer, Dermot Mulroney and Anne Bancroft. Ferrer and Mulroney are so-so - Ferrer a bit too over- the-top and Mulroney a bit too stoner (he seemed like he was in a Bill and Ted movie). Bancroft gives a solid performance though.
Most interesting performance was from Harvey Keitel. Not really for the performance, but for the character - Victor the Cleaner. He would reprise the role a year or so later, to much greater effect - playing The Wolf in Pulp Fiction. -
bicoastalrollercoaster5 February 2007Don't think for a moment that this film establishes, let alone delves into, the conflicts and diametrically opposing aspects found within our protagonist, Maggie (Bridgit Fonda). Instead, "Point of No Return" is all over the place, this because of the screen-scrivener's apparent use of stream of unconsciousness.
Consequently, there's no return to reality (if there was any from the start) once this train's left the station. Indeed, the film's a mishmash of conflicting scenarios: "She's a psycho!" "No, she's a tender-hearted lost soul." "She's a man-eater!" "No, she's a fragile child." "She's a seasoned siren!" "No, she's only now in the throws of first love." And, so, on and on the celluloid chugs.
See, presently, femme fatale Maggie, the "Assassin" (title in the UK), enters into training as a kill-joy for the US government. How she got to that point is truly ludicrous. And worse is fact that a third of the movie is wasted in failed attempt to establish as believable her two-dimensional "transformation" (it's maybe better to think in binary terms: "0-1" transposed into "1-0").
Moreover, Maggie, in seeking out to silence each target, kills numerous others. Talk about collateral damage. Innocent victims stack up into the dozens! And why, in the first place, is she after those targets? Except in one, truly lame, "nuclear" instance, no reason's given.
Not to be lost in translation here, however, joy can be found in the cinematography-- whether a scene be subtle/tender or full-throttle, or, for instance, in instantaneous scene swipes from the steely still to the crazed. And there's also the sure-handed talents of Fonda and Gabriel Byrne (as Maggie's handler), who provide reason for why anyone ever considering a return to this heavy-handed material. -
I've never seen the French film, Nikita, on which this is based, but it sounds superb. What drew me into this film was the presentation of the story, which focuses less on her as a professional killer and more on her humanity. In the French film, Nikita looks very forceful and aggressive. Fonda in "Point" seems more sensitive and feminine. I'm just going to have to see the French one. I'm not easy to impress and this film drew me in. Nikita must be awesome.
BRIDGET FONDA has a face one can just stare at for hours. It's a restrained performance. She plays a very conflicted character full of paradox. A proposal from her lover cause tears to well up in her eyes as she peers down the scope of her rifle at her latest target. She manages to keep a straight face when her friend is killed in front of her. She even manages a smile and says, "I never did mind about the little things." Fonda has such talent that she's able to portray pure calm with every muscle in her face while her eyes swim in terror and heartbreak.
HARVEY KEITEL is Victor, the Cleaner. His face is a stone. No smiles, frowns, or grimaces. He is heartless and emotionless. As he kills, his face remains stone cold. He says no unnecessary words. His answers are short, to the point. Superb. His performance is understated brilliance.
GABRIEL BYRNE has a knack for making his characters believable. He's harsh, yet sympathetic. He alone makes this movie worth watching. -
KBiker22 February 2017If someone other than Bridget Fonda had the lead, I may not have liked it as much. To me, she's an underrated actress, and at this stage of her career, she was a beauty, with a mesmerizing face you can't take your eyes from. Also, the kind of sexy/skinny bod that I'm not alone in loving in a woman.
The story was a little muddled, and Dermot Mulrooney's character was, to me, nothing but annoying. That might just be me, because I'm always annoyed by him.
But all in all, a solid 7 thriller/suspense flic, IMO. For comparison, I'd like to see the original French version, from which this was adapted. -
Fire God9 January 1999I enjoyed it. The action was done well, there was no bad acting that I noticed, it was an intriguing story, and it was well directed. I've heard from many people that the original is much better. I want to see it, but considering the fact that I've never seen a decent non-American film by American film standards, I'm not holding my breath that La Femme Nikita will be the outstanding masterpiece people are making it out to be.
Some people think that the bathroom sniper scene was just an excuse to show everyone Fonda's panty-covered ass, but in my opinion, that assumption is pretty silly. In order to keep millions of people from complaining about things like this, you'd have to wrap the female star of an action movie like a damn mummy for the whole film. When Tom Cruise and his co-stars all stripped down to their briefs in Top Gun, millions of women came flying to the movie theatres to watch an obviously male oriented action flick. When Kate Winslet exposed herself in Titanic, feminists didn't say much, because it was a great romantic story and very tastefuly done. But oh no! Put a woman in an action flick and all of these feminists become nuns! Gimme a break. -
Ruffnaldo17 November 1999Having seen the original French version ("La Femme Nikita"), makes this film an interesting piece to watch. It is not nearly as good though. "Nikita" I've given a 10. "Point of No Return" a 7. If I hadn't seen "Nikita", I don't think that "Point of...." would have appealed to me, and I probably would have rated it as a 5 or 6.
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hitchcockthelegend26 August 2015Point of No return (AKA: The Assassin) is directed by John Badham and written by Robert Getchell and Alexander Seros. It stars Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Dermot Mulroney, Anne Bancroft and Harvey Keitel. Music is by Hans Zimmer and cinematography (Panavision/Technicolor) by Michael Ferris and Michael Watkins.
When drug addict Maggie Hayward (Fonda) kills a policeman in cold blood, she is promptly sentenced to death by lethal injection. But maybe there is an out? A chance to work for the government?
Why so serious?
A remake of Luc Besson's Nikita, this was always going to suffer the usual remake taunts of why bother? Was it necessary etc? Point of No Return is a good honest action movie, it has style to burn, nifty photography and likable leading actors. The action is well staged and thrilling - and Hong Kongish in style, and bubbling away in the writing are themes of identity, absent parents and a delicately off-kilter oedipal angle. The Nina Simone soundtrack is terrific, while Zimmer works around Nina's songs with an aural assuredness that grabs the attention.
It doesn't push any boundaries, and although it has been noted in some neo-noir circles, it is only a borderline entry in that style of film making. But if kinetic is a good word for you, and ultra violence gives you a shot in the arm, then Bridget and her guns are definitely worth a first date at least. 6/10 -
MinaBak6 April 2002This is really cheap movie and Bridget Fonda and other casts make me really sick. Just watch original "Nikita". Don't watch this. If you watched "Nikita" before, You would be laughing at this movie.
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Mulder-5128 December 1999I think watching this movie is nothing else but a waste of time. If you watch Point of no Return you will loose, pointlessly, two hours of your life. Oh sorry I've done a mistake. All the above are verified taken into consideration that you have seen the original film La Femme Nikita by Luc Besson. I am saying this because Point of no Return is nothing else but a chip remake of the original one.
As far as the directing is concerned it is alike to Besson's one. In my opinion remaking a directing with the same way is something stupid. Bridget Fonda performs badly in contrast with Anne Parillaud's performance. The only actor, whose performance is comparable to the original one, is Harvey Keitel. The screenplay is the same so I have no comment to add. In conclusion I give Point of no Return 6 out of 10 or * out of ***** stars. -
LeMaudit25 July 2009(spoilers from the beginning of the movie only)
Being a fan of Nikita (the original movie), a fan of Besson's work and open-minded to whatever remake Hollywood want to make from a good story, I had some expectation for this movie; a great writer, a good director, some very good actors, what could go wrong? Well everything!
Don't hear me wrong. I have nothing against Hollywood remakes of foreign movies. I liked a lot True Lies for example, which have not much in common with the original French movie except roughly the underlying story. But it was fun and entertaining.
First I was surprised to watch the beginning of the movie almost identical frame by frame to the French movie. Okay, why not. As I said I'm open-minded. The first scene, where Bridget Fonda Character Nina is supposed to kill a cop in cold blood well we don't see it. It is suggested only because she is later condemned to death for murder. Why? Is it too harsh to see a female kill a cop!? It makes no sense to cut that that's the whole point! Second noticeable scene again almost identical frame by frame to the original after being beaten by a cop, Nina ask for a pen to fill her confession and she is supposed to strike the pen through the cop's hand as a revenge. Well, she asks for a pen all right smiling and that's it. Nothing more! Too violent? Come on Third major scene She tries to escape, and when cornered his captor his supposed to put a bullet in her leg to calm her down. Well, she took the bullet all right as we discover a bandage later but we don't see the scene happened in the remake! Again, is it to difficult for the audience to see someone take a bullet in the leg!!?? Last scene before I collapsed when her karate instructor asks her to keep her guard high and try to hit him, she immediately slap him in the face in the original movie. That's the character. Not playing with the rules, unpredictable, and hitting the guy by pure surprise. But instead, I painfully watched Nina doing some silly karate movements, then when the instructor became suddenly and conveniently distracted she hit him. It makes no sense at all that way!!!!
What a joke! It is not that this movie was badly played it is just that after a while I was thinking that I was watching a censored version of the movie I liked. Because it was a copy almost frame by frame, but all the punch that made the scenes and the story interesting where missing. Censored by people that had really no idea of what they where doing to a very original and very well written story!
That was too much for me, a complete waste of time. I stopped watching the movie after this karate scene, completely disgusted. Now those are small spoilers as you still have a whole lot of stupid movie to digest if you really feel up to it. But if you want my advice, clearly, watch the original! -
Ja_Nina3 April 2004The English version of the French movie La Femme Nikita. I think it is quite well done, and I enjoyed it.
A druggie girl kills a cop and is sentenced to death. She is given the "opportunity" to live, if she does what they say, and becomes an assassin. To the rest of the world she died.
She is determined, and she doesn't play well with others, but if she doesn't start playing their game, she really will be in her grave.. I'm not giving away any more.
But I would recommend it, it's worth seeing. Especially if you like Bridget Fonda, who kicks arse in this movie. -
redkiwi17 June 2001A junkie who is sentenced to death for murder has her death staged and is hired by a secret government agency as an assassin on the basis that she takes the job or is killed.
She then goes and kills some people, falls in love with a bloke who doesn't know what she does but gets to meet her colleagues, Harvey Keitel shows up as a 'cleaner' and Bridget Fonda wanders around in tight clothes.
Well, at least that bit was good!
All in all rather silly, but in terms of harmless films to sit down and watch on a Saturday night, it's bearable enough.
At least some of the action scenes were good, and the female star was particularly enthralling ;) -
stephen70016 February 2008I can understand the need for Re-makes of movies but the general aim is to try to improve on the original this remake is so bad it ruins the entire story. The Assassin is a low budget remake intended only to reap money from people unfortunate enough not to know about the original or too Arrogant to watch a foreign film or those who may mistakenly believe The US version is always better. Am so glad i saw this on free TV i was amazed to see such a bad remake given the usual high budget of US movies ( ie US version of The Ring is better than the original).
The acting is worse, script is bad and unbelievable (original was believable and near flawless, And shot on location in Europe) One example is shooting multiple rounds from a bolt action rifle without reloading ! - In La Feme Nakita she uses a Steyr Automatic rifle. Action is badly done - the original has fantastic action and effects and is well researched and likable characters. While the Assassin's hi profile b-grade actors just seem to drag it down even further.
Watch the Original La Femme Nikita it rocks. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100263/