On the podcast this time, Steven and Sean are learning how to become badass assassins so we can eventually end up falling in love with charming supermarket patrons in the Luc Besson film from 1990, Nikita.
If this isn’t the first woman-has-to-choose-between-learning-to-be-an-assassin-or-be-executed film, then it’s definitely the best of the bunch. It’s a film that not only helped create a slew of tv shows by the same name, but also surely inspired other filmmakers to try their own hands at creating a fish-out-of-water assassin story.
Considering Besson’s career, he’s probably managed that feat several times. You’ve got to hand it to him, he’s imaginative as heck. I mean, have you seen The Fifth Element? Talk about unique!
This film presents an interesting conundrum. It asks us to feel for a person who is shown to have murdered an innocent person. It says, Root for this woman who was saved from a lifetime in prison and has been taught how to kill with ruthless efficiency by a shadowy assassin school! It suggests that we should celebrate her finding love and eventually freedom from her bloody job.
Nikita, the character, isn’t what one would call a “great person.” Subjective, I know, but she does kill many people throughout this film’s running time. But can you put all that aside in favor of giving a person a second chance at life? Who knows what the best answer could be, but this is a great film for asking those questions.
(Recorded on January 26, 2022)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
Pointing Rick Dalton - Know Your Meme
Léon: The Professional (1994) - IMDb
No Country for Old Men (2007) - IMDb
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) - IMDb
The Fifth Element (1997) - IMDb
Alias (TV Series 2001–2006) - IMDb
Nikita (TV Series 2010–2013) - IMDb
