LITTLE NIKITA
US, 1988, 98 minutes, Colour.
Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, Richard Bradford, Richard Lynch, Caroline Kava.
Directed by Richard Benjamin.
Little Nikita is a watchable, though not particularly well made, rather far-fetched espionage story. It concerns Soviet sleepers in the United States, in the San Diego area. A rogue spy is killing them off, demanding money from the Soviets. It is the era of Gorbachev and Glasnost. However, Soviet KGB wants the killer taken. An exemplary married couple are the last victims. Their son Jeff wants to be in the American air force. An FBI agent reveals the truth to him - and the expected action sequences follow.
River Phoenix is quite good, very serious, as Jeff. Sidney Poitier is his earnest self as the FBI agent. Richard Lynch is, as in so many of his later films, the perfectly repulsive villain. San Diego looks very good and is an effective setting. Direction is by Richard Benjamin - perhaps more at home with comedies (My Favourite Year, My Stepmother Is An Alien, Money Pit).
1.Enjoyable spy story? American- Soviet relationships? American families and patriotism?
2.San Diego settings, the city, the homes, the bay? The trolley to the border? Musical score?
3.The title and the focus on Jeff, everybody's relationship to Nikita?
4.The opening with Scooba: the renegade spy, the brutal murders, his character, demanding $200,000? His killing the Soviet agent on the ferry? The build-up to the confrontation?
5.Karpov: 20 years' experience, planting the sleepers, his arrival in Mexico, going into San Diego, his contacts, surveillance, the shower and Scooba's threatening him, the employment of Elizabeth and Richard?
6.Jeff and his family, working in the nursery, his ambitions to go into the air force, his friends, the interview, the meeting with Roy? The questions and his nervousness, awkwardness? Not telling his parents? Not having his licence, trying to get it back, Roy getting it? Roy's discussion, the selling of cadetships? Roy and the buying of the plant, moving in across the street? Jeff's anger with him? Talk, playing basketball? Roy's bluntly telling him the truth? His reaction, disbelief, going out, ringing Barbara, going to run away? His return? Tension at home, the argument about the clutch of his car, the money, the question of the truth? His finding the documents? Going to Roy and finding him in bed? His anger at the bar, the confrontation? At home, the truth with his parents, the phone call, going across the street, Karpov and the interview, telling him his name? Leaving the cigarette clue? In the car with Karpov, preventing him shooting Scooba? On the trolley, Scooba taking him as hostage, the end, the reconciliation?
7.Roy and his FBI work, the 20 years, the death of his partner, the file? Hostility to Scooba? His interview with his superior, getting the job, unofficially? Interviewing the cadets, the computer and the information about Jeff's parents? Meeting Jeff, with the licence, driving with him, the plant, moving in? His liking for Jeff? Trying to find out the truth? Trying to track down Scooba? Friendship with Miss Mc Lachlan, the file, the relationship? Finding the cigarette, the shooting of Scooba, following with Scooba, the trolley? Karpov and Roy shooting Scooba?
8.Karpov and his contacts, the ballet, at Roy's house, the exchange of Scooba and Jeff? The shooting of Scooba, his return to Mexico?
9.The Grants as sleepers, their American way of life? Discussions with Jeff, the plants, the irony of their hidden documents? The story of their past, the father and the black market, the training? Elizabeth and her ballet school? The fish and the bullet? The code, going to the ballet, refusing Karpov? The confrontation with Jeff, the truth? Going on the mission with the money? The chase? Final reconciliation?
10.Jeff and his ordinary way of life, his friends, going for the interview? Barbara, the drive-in (and Roy watching him at the drive-in)? The plan to run away? Barbara's refusal?
11.Enjoyable elements - but how plausible? Effective thriller? Espionage systems? American- Soviet relationships?
