La Femme Nikita (DVD)

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The movie is thankfully free of too many quick edits, but Besson's camera is almost constantly in motion, with long shots, overhead shots, and sometimes bizarre angles the norm. What's more, the screen is endlessly awash in moody, atmospheric colors that are as much a part of one's film-watching enjoyment as the plot or characters. In the end, "La Femme Nikita" is more than a mere action flick and even presents its viewers with some interestingly tangled moral dilemmas. The film is hardly high art or intellectual philosophy, but it's worth one's time.

Video:
Besson uses a full palette of attractive neon-flavored colors in the film. There are weird blue and green tints in almost every scene, and they transfer well to DVD. Most hues are deep, bright, and natural, providing a visual treat for the eyes. Object delineation is only about average, though, for good disc reproduction these days, and some fluttering lines are in evidence in rows of drawers and the like. Moreover, grain is almost nonexistent, even in dark, outdoor shots, the screen staying admirably clean and clear most of the time.

Audio:
The original stereo sound has been remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1, and while it is sharply focused and strongly dynamic, it does not do much for the surrounds. Dialogue is rendered well, gunshots ring out loudly and crisply, and left-to-right front stereo spread is fine. But don't expect much more than some mild musical ambience reinforcement in the rear speakers and the occasional squeal of a tire or ricochet of a bullet.

Extras:
This new edition is by my count the third or fourth incarnation of "La Femme Nikita" on DVD. The first release was a regular edition from Trimark in 1997; the second was a regular edition from MGM in 2000. The film was also made available in 2001 in a big package of six Luc Besson films. Now, the latest from MGM is a Special Edition that is the first to offer all the bonus items listed below. The bonuses, frankly, don't amount to much, but who's to look a gift horse in the mouth?

Most important among the extras is a newly made documentary, "Revealed: The Making of La Femme Nikita," which lasts about twenty minutes. It is comprised mainly of interviews with various cast members as they reminisce about and comment on the making of the film. Next is a four-minute featurette, "The Sound of Nikita," in which composer Eric Serra explains some of his music for the film. After that is a series of brief bits called "Programming Nikita: An Interactive Map," taking us into Nikita's training room, vanity room, and bedroom. In addition, there are thirty-two scene selections, a poster gallery, a widescreen theatrical trailer, several trailers for other MGM DVDs, and an advertised Easter egg.

The disc thankfully defaults to an original French language track with English subtitles, but for those who object to reading while watching, there is an English dub available, too. For the few minutes I listened to it, it sounded awful. French and Spanish subtitles are also on hand for the having.

Parting Thoughts:
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, in which case "La Femme Nikita" has been sincerely flattered, indeed. Chinese director Stephen Shin turned it into "Black Cat" ("Hei mao") in 1991; English-born filmmaker John Badham made it into "Point of No Return" in 1993; and the USA cable network broadcast the TV series from 1997-2001 (and true to Hollywood tradition, changed the heroine into a longhaired blonde). None of the remakes had the feel, the excitement, or the pluck of the original.

"La Femme Nikita" is not a high-water mark in the action genre; its premise alone is too preposterous for that. But it should keep action fans engrossed in its edgy conflicts and frictional character relationships, while holding up well to repeat viewing.

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