Written and directed by Luc Besson, Nikita (1990) stands as a pivotal film in French action cinema and the crime thriller genre, depicting the coerced transformation of a young delinquent into a covert operative. The movie, starring Anne Parillaud alongside Tchéky Karyo and Jean-Hugues Anglade, has been available on HBO Max since January 3, 2026.
Everything changes during a pharmacy heist carried out by a gang of desperate junkies: chaos erupts, a gunfight ensues, and Nikita ends up shooting a police officer. Sentenced to life in prison, she is unexpectedly freed from her grim reality by Bob, a mysterious figure affiliated with government agencies, who offers her an impossible choice: go undercover and work secretly for the state.
What follows is a rigorous multi-year training process, rooted in discipline, emotional restraint, and mastering operational techniques. Amidst rebellions and reassignments, Nikita is gradually shaped into an agent skilled in undercover operations in the real world. For Bob, one final, crucial step remains: a high-stakes validation mission in extreme conditions, set in a busy public space where even the slightest mistake is not an option.
Released in France in February 1990, Nikita quickly established itself as a landmark in French genre cinema, drawing over 3.5 million viewers and making a notable impact internationally. Notably, the film was the first French production to cross the five-million-dollar mark at the U.S. box office (based on production and distribution data from press kits and industry reports of the time).
The film also marks the beginning of the collaboration between Luc Besson and director of photography Thierry Arbogast, a partnership that would continue across several of the director’s major works (Léon, The Fifth Element, Joan of Arc). On the musical front, Eric Serra’s score helps shape the film’s distinctive sound, echoing the main character’s internal journey while heightening the tension and suspense.
Beyond its action-packed storyline, Nikita explores a constant contrast between institutional control and the desire for emancipation, pitting training environments against "society" scenes where the heroine must learn to adopt a role in order to survive. The film will likely appeal to fans of espionage thrillers and stories of forced transformation, genres that have left a lasting mark, inspiring an American remake (Nina’s Code, 1993) and a TV series adaptation—testament to the enduring influence of the concept.
At the 1991 César Awards, the film picked up the Best Actress award for Anne Parillaud and received a total of nine nominations, highlighting its significant impact upon release. Nikita also garnered recognition at the Golden Globes, earning a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, demonstrating its international reach beyond France.
Nikita
Film | 1990
Released in theaters: February 21, 1990
Available on HBO Max starting January 3, 2026
Action, Crime, Thriller | Duration: 1h 57min
Directed by Luc Besson | Starring Anne Parillaud, Tchéky Karyo, Jean-Hugues Anglade
Original title: Nikita
Country: France
Blending elements of a crime thriller and spy film, Nikita remains a defining work in Luc Besson's filmmaking legacy: a story of transformation and control, centered on a heroine caught between survival, identity, and freedom.
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