Nikita's setup is extremely simple, probably one of the reasons it's inspired actual knockoffs (as in the U.S. version starring Bridget Fonda, as well as the television series with Peta Wilson), as well as other efforts that owe it more than a passing tip of the hat (as in Jennifer Garner's Alias). The film starts with a bunch of drugged out youth robbing a pharmacy for a quick fix, a robbery that quickly goes awry, leaving Nikita as the only survivor. Through a quick series of intervening events, where her rampant viciousness is shown quite graphically, she's secreted away to a hush-hush French spy organization where she's trained as an assassin. The rest of the film depicts several capers she's involved in, some of them staged with some of the most visceral action sequences in recent film memory, while also showing the personal effects the killer's lifestyle has on the young woman.

Where Nikita falters a bit is in this very attempt to humanize Nikita and delve into her deep emotional wells. Anne Parillaud (the ex-Mrs. Besson) has a tough road to hoe here and does her best in the early scenes, where Nikita is basically a catatonic pit bull waiting to attack. Parillaud is somewhat less successful in depicting Nikita's makeover as a chic, supposedly Audrey Hepburn-esque seductress who mingles with the elegant set in haute couture while briefly excusing herself to go shoot somebody. Parillaud is hampered by a screenplay that never fully explicates Nikita's backstory, and which relegates the current state of the character into a weird sort of manic-depression where she's alternately jumping for joy on a Venice hotel room's bed, or breaking down in hysterical crying fits when a botched hit devolves into burning bodies with sulphuric acid in a bathtub. Because there's no real baseline of "normalcy" here, it deprives Nikita the character and Nikita the film from a stable perspective that would allow some of its emotional elements to really reach out and touch the audience. Too often Parillaud's Nikita seems like a grown-up version of Gilda Radner's politically incorrect yet undeniably hilarious autistic child character, Colleen.

That said, this is a killer (pun intended) action film, with some outlandish caper scenes that show off Besson's directorial skill to an impressive degree. Besson's wonderful fast tracking shots through various obstacle courses like a crowded restaurant are a brilliant example of overwhelming technique. However, it's to Besson's credit that these moments are never showy for showiness' sake, but seem to spring organically out of the action at hand.

Nikita benefits immensely from a host of fine supporting performances, including Tchéky Karyo as the hardnosed but ultimately nurturing government official who takes Nikita in and teaches her the assassin's way with some literal tough love. Also impressive are the legendary Jeanne Moreau as Nikita's makeover artist and Jean-Hugues Anglade as her boyfriend after Nikita is released out into the "real world." The wonderful Jean Reno steals the last part of the film as Viktor, a "cleaner" brought in to help minimize the effects of an embassy caper gone awry. Reno's coolness in these scenes is a welcome antidote to Parillaud's increasing hysteria as the film winds to a somewhat deflated conclusion.

Nikita may well have been more impactful had it relied less on supposedly caring so much about its heroine, a care that is never supported with enough real character information about the woman to elicit a real heartfelt response from the audience. As it stands, the film is a knockout action thriller with a fascinating premise. It plays almost like a live action anime at times, with a hyperbolic style that is always fun to watch and which delivers some fantastically impressive action sequences. If Nikita the character seems lost at sea in her newfound world, Besson charts an exemplary course for Nikita the film, at least in its thriller elements. Just don't expect to feel much along the way.

The Blu-ray

Video:
I wasn't blown away with this Blu-ray's 1080p MPEG-4 AVC 2.40:1 transfer. Don't get me wrong, it's perfectly fine, it just didn't seem to me to be a major visual step up from the SD DVD. Colors are a bit on the anemic side (something that is inherent in the source material), with an emphasis on green and blue casts, especially in the night scenes. There's good sharpness and detail, just nothing near reference quality.

Sound:
Luckily at least the French True HD 5.1 mix is significantly more successful, with an admirable punch and immersive quality that will impress you especially in the many action sequences. Unfortunately, the HD 5.1 English mix is a mess, with levels all over the place and some really, really bad dubbing choices. In fact if you watch the English version with the optional English subtitles on, you'll see that not only are things not translated well, some dialogue doesn't even make it to the English version. Stick with the original French track and you'll be very happy.

Extras:
Unless you consider Previews an extra, there aren't any. Another choice for this Blu-ray that leaves me scratching my head.

Final Thoughts:
La Femme Nikita has achieved a cult status that derives from its gut-wrenching action sequences and more than strange lead performance by Parillaud. I'm not sure whether this Blu-ray is enough of an upgrade to really justify a purchase, so if you have the SD version, I recommend renting this first. If you've never seen Nikita and are a fan of slam-bang spy thrillers, this new Blu-ray is Recommended.

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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet