[12] Hollywood aren't the only one remaking Nikita, as this enjoyable but almost pointless Hong
Kong film shows. It's pointless, because Besson's original was the
nearest any Western director has come to reproducing the style and
pace of the best Eastern action. Shin's version tweaks the story
in several ways - the heroine is now an innocent waitress, sent
down after shooting a man in self-defence (and, admittedly,
blowing away a cop as a nervous after-reaction), and her final hit
is on the man she loves, but these have little impact on the feel
of the film. One interesting idea is using an implanted chip to
control the heroine but, save for one beautiful scene on an
aircraft, it's also sadly wasted. However, the set-pieces are
easily up to the level of the original and had it not all been
done already, it would have been heartily recommended.
C+
