---
title: "Nikita"
year: 1990
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/nikita"
fi1m_id: "nikita"
imdb_id: "tt0100263"
tmdb_id: 9322
wikidata_id: "Q743928"
fi1m_score: 76
critics_score: 74
critics_reviews: 6
published: "2026-09-13"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:51.404740+00:00"
region: "TH"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Nikita (1990)

Directed by Luc Besson · 1h 57m · Action, Thriller

## Identity

Nikita

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/nikita
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** nikita
- **IMDb ID:** tt0100263
- **TMDB ID:** 9322
- **Wikidata ID:** Q743928
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100263/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9322, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q743928

**Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 74 from 6 reviews

*In a sentence:* Anne Parillaud looks ready to bite the camera, which is a useful quality in an assassin

> Luc Besson’s assassin thriller is worth watching for Anne Parillaud, whose anger and vulnerability make its polished violence feel dangerous. The plotting is less assured, and the romance cannot always supply the depth Besson wants.

## Synopsis

Anne Parillaud plays Nikita, a woman whose survival depends on her willingness to kill. Her story moves between crime, espionage and romance, with violence shaping her life even as love offers the possibility of something beyond it. Luc Besson writes and directs this action thriller, with Tchéky Karyo as Bob and Jean-Hugues Anglade as Marco. Jeanne Moreau plays Armande, while Jean Reno appears as Victor, known as the Cleaner. At its centre is a killer whose private feelings do not sit comfortably with what she does.

## Review

Luc Besson directs *Nikita* with an enthusiasm for violence that can be exciting and a little too easy to share. There is plenty here for anyone who likes crime films sleek, fast and violent, and Anne Parillaud gives the central role enough feeling to justify staying through the less convincing stretches. We recommend it, with reservations about a plot that too often asks style to cover for improbability. Besson is interested in what love might mean to someone accustomed to violence. His film becomes less persuasive when it treats that question as already answered.

Parillaud is the reason it works as often as it does. She makes Nikita’s viciousness uncomfortable rather than merely decorative, with an intensity that keeps the role from settling into a fashionable pose. We were more moved than we expected by the hurt beneath her aggression. Her performance allows violence and emotional need to exist together without making either seem a convenient explanation for the other. Besson’s writing does not always show the same restraint.

Thierry Arbogast’s cinematography gives the violence a polished finish, and the contrast with Parillaud’s abrasive presence helps: she does not look comfortably at home in such an attractive picture. Dan Weil’s production design belongs to the same carefully styled thriller, where appearances are given more attention than ordinary life. The result is pleasurable to watch, though not always convincing as somewhere a person might live. Besson sometimes seems so pleased with how danger looks that he forgets how it ought to feel.

Olivier Mauffroy’s editing is effective at sustaining that forward drive, less effective at making the story’s changes of direction feel necessary. There are passages where momentum supplies the connection the writing has missed, and the later action is not always clear enough. Éric Serra’s music helps maintain the excitement, but cannot give the romance the weight it needs. At 117 minutes, the film has time to develop both sides of Nikita’s life. It does not always spend that time well.

Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tchéky Karyo and Jeanne Moreau help keep the film from depending on its lead alone. The supporting cast have the presence to hold their own in such an emphatically styled thriller, and Jean Reno, as Victor, the Cleaner, fits it particularly well. But the pleasure of watching strong performers does not remove the script’s shortcuts. Besson wants the romance to make the violence matter more, and sometimes relies on our willingness to be moved rather than giving the feeling enough time.

The assassin film often mistakes professional efficiency for a personality; *Nikita* at least has a woman whose feelings cannot be kept tidy. Its mixture of romance, crime and espionage gives it more interest than a simple demonstration of lethal competence. That does not make it profound, and the slickness sometimes protects Besson from having to think harder about the violence. Watch it for Parillaud, provided a forceful performance can carry you past a story that needs more work.

*Fi1m score 76, published 13 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Nikita, with praise centred on Besson’s stylish direction and Anne Parillaud’s intense lead performance. The reviews repeatedly credit her with giving the violence and polished visuals an emotional weight that the plotting does not always supply. The action and technical craft also draw approval, while several critics find the combination of thriller mechanics and romance effective.

The disagreement concerns how much substance sits beneath that style, with responses ranging from enthusiastic to mixed. Even favourable reviews note thin psychology, structural weaknesses or implausible plotting. Eye for Film sees the blend of romance, crime and espionage as a strength that keeps expectations unsettled. The Los Angeles Times is the clearest dissenter, finding a shallow imitation of American high-tech thrillers rather than a successful feminist fable, though it still praises the charismatic cast, particularly Jean Reno. No review in this selection is wholly negative.

## Straight answers

**Is Nikita worth watching?**

*Nikita* is worth watching for Anne Parillaud's fierce, wounded performance as a killer who cannot keep her feelings tidy, and we scored it 76. Luc Besson's plotting is less assured, with style asked to cover for improbability and a romance that never quite gets the weight he wants. Go in for the lead rather than the story.

**How long is Nikita, and what is it rated?**

*Nikita* runs 1h 57m. It is an action and thriller film.

**Where can I watch Nikita in Thailand?**

*Nikita* is not on any streaming or rental service in Thailand at the moment. It is available in 11 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Nikita, and is it suitable for children?**

*Nikita* is certified 18 in the UK and R in the US, and it is not suitable for children. The violence is frequent, sleek and filmed with an enthusiasm Besson clearly enjoys, and Parillaud makes her character's viciousness uncomfortable rather than decorative. Adults who dislike stylised killing will find little relief here; it is a thriller, not a horror film, so it unsettles rather than frightens.

**How does Nikita compare to Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai?**

*Nikita* and [*Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai*](https://film.one/film/ghost-dog-the-way-of-the-samurai) are both assassin films built around a strong lead, but they move at opposite speeds. Besson's is fast, polished and violent, held together by Parillaud's anger; Jarmusch's is patient and melancholy, with Forest Whitaker given room to think and RZA's music setting the mood. Ghost Dog is the more original film; Nikita is the one for viewers who want momentum.

**What should I watch after Nikita?**

After *Nikita*, try [*Le Samouraï*](https://film.one/film/le-samourai) (1967, Fi1m 88): For more criminal professionalism, with quieter rooms and far less reassurance. Then [*Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai*](https://film.one/film/ghost-dog-the-way-of-the-samurai) (1999, Fi1m 80): An assassin thriller with room for odd routines and unhurried melancholy.

### Reviews we read (6)

- **Empire**, Ian Nathan (85/100, inferred): Besson’s slick, stylish film brought him to prominence with its ultra-cool visuals, action flourishes and a punkish assassin lead; it prioritizes surface sheen and dynamism over psychological depth. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/nikita-review/)
- **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a slick, stylish thriller that mixes hip violence and punk anomie with an old-fashioned paean to love. It is held together by Besson's agile direction and the striking, vicious performance of Anne Parillaud as Nikita. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/08/movies/review-film-a-bad-girl-who-turns-into-a-true-femme-fatale.html)
- **Time Out**, GA (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's relentlessly stylish noir-thriller elements and the memorably assured, intense performance from Anne Parillaud, which provides an emotional undertow. However, it notes occasional implausible plotting and a lack of clarity in later scenes, concluding that the film does not add up to anything very profound. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/nikita)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Michael Wilmington (50/100, inferred): The review calls the film shallow, glitzy, and ultra-violent—an imitation American high-tech thriller that tries to twist the genre into a feminist fable but remains a copy of studio work. It singles out the charismatic cast, especially Jean Reno as the “Cleaner,” for fitting the stylized, visual style. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-12-ca-168-story.html)
- **Eye for Film**, Donald Munro (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Besson for skillfully blending romantic comedy, crime, espionage and Nouvelle Vague elements into a rich cinematic experience. They highlight the strong performances, particularly Parillaud's vibrant turn, and the film's subversion of expectations through its distinctive style and genre mix. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/nikita-1990-film-review-by-donald-munro)
- **Den of Geek**, Mark Pickavance (4/5): The critic finds the film worth seeing at least once, praising its lead performance and technical elements while noting structural weaknesses. Anne Parillaud's portrayal of a woman on the edge is singled out as elevating the movie. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/nikita-blu-ray-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Luc Besson
- **Director:** Luc Besson
- **Writer:** Luc Besson
- **Cinematography:** Thierry Arbogast
- **Editor:** Olivier Mauffroy
- **Music:** Éric Serra
- **Production design:** Dan Weil
- **Costume design:** Valentin Breton Des Loys, Mimi Lempicka, Anne Angelini
- **Producer:** Patrice Ledoux
- **Cast:** Anne Parillaud as Nikita; Jean-Hugues Anglade as Marco; Tchéky Karyo as Bob; Jean Reno as Victor, the Cleaner; Marc Duret as Rico; Jeanne Moreau as Armande; Patrick Fontana as Coyotte; Roland Blanche as Interrogation Cop
- **Runtime:** 1h 57m
- **First release (Switzerland):** 21 February 1990
- **Genres:** Action, Thriller
- **Budget:** $6 million
- **Box office:** $5 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh8RoDMUUsA

## Where to watch in Thailand

Not streaming, renting or buying in Thailand at the last check.

Also available in: AT, BE, BR, CA, CH, DE, FR, GB, IT, JP, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- César Award for Best Actress 1991: César Award for Best Actress (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Le Samouraï* (1967), Fi1m 88: For more criminal professionalism, with quieter rooms and far less reassurance. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/le-samourai.md)
- *The Long Kiss Goodnight* (1996): Another formidable female lead, with sharper jokes and more unruly action.
- *Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai* (1999), Fi1m 80: An assassin thriller with room for odd routines and unhurried melancholy. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ghost-dog-the-way-of-the-samurai.md)
- *Lady Vengeance* (2005): A controlled performance and exact framing make vengeance feel painfully personal.
- *Hanna* (2011): Female survival and stylised violence, with a stranger, more disquieting atmosphere.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/nikita