This is one of those Hollywood remakes of a European hit in which one can visualize a committee of studio executives sitting around and saying, "Okay, we know what made the original film unique and different and fun. How can we make that same movie and do exactly the opposite?" For-hire director John Badham (Saturday Night Fever) took La Femme Nikita, Luc Besson's undeniably sexy, original, and kitschy French film about a female assassin, and translated it into The Assassin, a calculating, mechanistic American thriller with no distinctive style. Bridget Fonda gamely... plays the willowy street punk who becomes a high-society killer, but once that provocative irony is in place, the movie is pretty much a series of by-the-numbers action set pieces. Until, that is, Dermot Mulroney shows up as a love interest; but even that twist can't save this film. You're much better off with the original, subtitles and all. The DVD release has optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, production notes, theatrical trailer, optional French and Spanish soundtracks, and optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com [show more]
Based on the French film Nikita this is one Hollywood remake that is actually better than the original - its better made, has better acting and character development.
Bridget Fonda is Maggie, a girl who's made some bad choices and practically given up on life until it's about to be taken away from her. Forced to become a secret government assassin or face the death penalty she is codenamed Nina for her love of Nina Simone (the soundtrack led to me falling in love with Nina S too). Maggie/Nina begins a new life in Venice Beach. The filmography is spectacular here (and this is where the soundtrack really lifts off). Maggie falls in love with the first guy who is nice to her (the first guy who hasn't abused her or her situation) - JD, a photographer, but of course she has to keep up her missions, her secrets and the more she falls for him the harder it becomes for her. Maggie doesn't want to kill, but theres no going back.
The story appeals to both guys and girls and either sex will engage with the story.
Bridget Fonda gives the performance of a lifetime, I quickly fell for "Maggie". There are several high brow supporting actors, not least Gabriel Bryne, Anne Bankcroft and Harvey Kietel who all give great performances - Anne especially.
Buy or rent? = Buy. I've lost count how often I watched this now, but its one of those films that I still enjoy despite many repeated viewings, probably because it appeals on so many levels.
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Hollywood remake of Luc Besson's French thriller, 'Nikita'. Young punk Maggie (Bridget Fonda) kills a cop in a bodged robbery, but instead of being sent to the chair, is reinvented as a ruthless assassin, tutored by her government agent mentor Bob (Gabriel Byrne). Released into the community, she finds love with her Californian apartment's caretaker (Dermot Mulroney), but her professional obligations increasingly threaten to destroy her happiness. Harvey Keitel makes a cameo appearance as a ruthlessly efficient 'cleaner', not dissimilar to the one he plays in 'Pulp Fiction'.
Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play She is society&39;s worst nightmare A scruffy antisocial misfit she&39;s been convicted of murder and sentenced to die But a covert government agency may be able to transform her into a sleek cool-as-ice assassin Her choice learn to kill on command - or die as the courts have declared Director John Badham Certificate 18 years and over Year 1993 Screen Widescreen 2351 Languages English ; French ; Italian - Dolby Digital (51) Subtitles English ; French ; Italian ; Dutch ; Arabic ; Spanish ; Portuguese ; English for the hearing impaired ; Italian for the hearing impaired Duration 1 hour and 44 minutes (approx)
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