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Little Nikita (1988)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
3/25
3/25:
River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier in Little Nikita?
That seems like a winner only that the movie sucks. Where did it go wrong? For starters, the plot makes no sense.
What does the FBI agent need the kid for? He provides nothing of value. All the agent has to do is surveil the
parents, wait for Scuba to contact them, and make his move.
I don't know why the FBI wouldn't be interested in the now-known Russian spies (or members of the KGB) being killed
or apprehending the person doing it. Given the storyline with an improbable ending, why is the film marketed in
the United States when the topic is more suitable for the audience in the USSR? At least, they would be sympathetic
to the family of three.
Then, there's the fact that the FBI agent is doing all of the work alone. In the middle of it, he shags a
guidance counselor from the kid's school. Usually, FBI agents work in a team of two. What if Scuba arrives at the
house and the agent needs his beauty sleep because he's too tired to keep awake? Oh...that's why the computer
keeps spitting out, "Does not compute." Now, it all makes sense just like Scuba being shot in front of the
crowd on the docks with nobody reacting afterwards.
Returning to the silver screen after an eleven-year absence, Sidney Poitier may look vintage at times, but he's
totally wasted because of the illogical script. His co-star River Phoenix overacts constantly. If I could go back
in time and meet him, my advice would simply be: less is always more. They'll reteam in a more successful picture
of the same genre called Sneakers. Oddly, Little Nikita has some
traits in common with Running on Empty, both released during the same year.
All in all, you'll have a better chance of falling sleep than trying to figure out the plot of Little Nikita.