... Let's get the basics out of the way, first. "Nikita" is a good film; with all of the visual flourishes and compelling mood that it seems can be found in the bulk of Besson's work. If you are coming to this review BEFORE having seen "Leon" ("The Professional") then my best advice is just to disregard the rest of what follows and take "Nikita" on its own terms. Hope you enjoy it!<br /><br />* (COMPARISON WITH 'LEON' - RISK OF SPOILERS FOR BOTH FILMS!) ... I know there is some debate amongst film fans over which constitutes the most satisfying experience. Personally; I'd have to pick "Leon". Disregarding the sex of the character, "Leon" as an enterprise is like a more 'plush' version of Besson's 1990 assassin effort. It's like a before and after snapshot; Leon's pretty much 'compartmentalized' his life - Nikita's struggling to get a grip on hers...<br /><br />Perhaps "Leon" represents the evolution of Besson's 'paternal' instinct; as he watches his own children grow. There is certainly a greater degree of patience shown from outside influences in Mathilda's case, as opposed to Nikita... The original street kid is the quintessential animal; and although we are shown what instigates her partial transformation, her support system is never quite as convincingly 'solid' as that provided by Leon and Tony...<br /><br />I suppose the tension bubbling under the surface does provide a comedic highlight; as Marco lies dreamily on the bed and coos to his supposedly 'docile' mate that he didn't know what he'd come across when he first met her - cut to our heroine assembling a gun in the bathroom... Guess what, mate; you STILL don't... ! <br /><br />Having more 'rounded' characters with less rough edges DID make it easier for me to become 'emotionally involved', though. Would Leon have opened the door for Mathilda if he hadn't been schooled by someone with perhaps similar thought processes to Bob?? In Leon we see the individual that "Nikita" would like to become by obtaining her freedom...<br /><br />Those who prefer to dispassionately study people and their actions from a distance might just retain a softer spot for "Nikita". It's certainly interesting to speculate on what motivated the changes in his later work, though... !