Now you will not surprise anyone with a film about an agency of spies or assassins, and for the 90s such a project was literally an explosion that could give an impetus to a new genre in the world of big cinema. It's about the Nikita project. The series about the girl from whom the ideal killer was raised became not just a hit, but a classic, which is not embarrassing to return to after many years.
Actors of the 1997 Nikita series were able to convey each image in such detail that some characters became cliché prototypes in subsequent projects. Even Nikita herself received several copies, among which a number of roles of famous Hollywood girls. In the end, the series was closed, while completing all conceivable storylines and forcing the viewer to gasp more than once from a new turn.
The heir to the original was less fortunate. The time for the exit of the project was frankly incorrectly chosen, since the segment at that time was replenished with several analogues. Actors of the 2010 Nikita series frankly did not reach their prototypes, and sometimes completely went against the original line. That same “Nikita” in many ways became the prototype of an ideal spy action movie with charismatic heroes, including a tough leader, manipulator, genius and sadist, a silent knight and many others, she had a thoughtful plot, and most importantly novelty.
Plot
The original series is called "Her Name was Nikita." At the time of release, in 1997, the project was unprecedented in scope. The series received a card blanche for costs, huge opportunities to attract extras and props. The result is an interesting and deep picture, one of the factors of popularity of which is a thoughtful plot. At the center of the prehistory of the Nikita painting is the First Division, a counterterrorism unit whose mission is to introduce and prevent attacks on US citizens around the world. The heroine was sentenced to life imprisonment in a federal prison, but Nikita gets into the organization's field of vision on time, after which her long training begins.
After several successful assignments, the girl begins to suspect that the First Division is working on its own. The series has at least three storylines. The first is the confrontation between Nikita and the iron doctrine of the organization. The girl periodically comes into confrontation with the leadership because of the brutality of the methods of regulating collisions by the Department. In addition, she enters into a friendly, and later romantic relationship with her mentor - Michael, the best employee of the agency. The third line is a romantic relationship between Chef and Madeline.
Original vs. Remake
The remake of 2010 turned out to be somewhat different. In the original, the work on the Department’s contracts receded into the background, giving way to romantic and friendly lines. In the new version of Nikita, the lion's share of screen time is allotted to the preparation and execution of orders. The actors and roles of the Nikita series have shifted towards entertainment and reputation, while in the original all the characters were extremely natural and lived their own roles.
Critics' ratings
The original series “Nikita” received praise and follow-up to 4 full-weight seasons following the premiere. Remake expected much less significant achievements. In general, critics called the second version of the series the shadow of the original, after which the project lost its gloss and the lion's share of the fans. The actors of the Nikita series, whose photos are located above, were the backbone of the original, thanks to which the project gained a permanent army of fans.
Each of the images was memorable. The chef was distinguished by iron discipline and severe temper, which for fans remained a kind of personification of the essence of the First Division. A more modern project is devoid of such an advantage and turned out faded.
Nikita (1997 version)
The main role in the first project was played by Peta Wilson. Actors of the Nikita series are almost all newcomers, for whom participation in the series has become crucial. For her fans, the actress remained Nikita from the eponymous series. The girl played perfectly at first a confused young teenager, and later a cruel and prudent killer. The transformation of the character took place against the background of the adaptation of the picture to more modern realities, and all the changes fit harmoniously into the environment of the image. Michael's interest was also not fake, since along with training in the dungeons of the First Division, the actress grew up working on herself.
Nikita (2010 version)
In the remake, the role of the main character went to Maggie Kew. There are a number of assumptions that the actress refused to fundamentally change her image, which already hit the privilege of the project for fans of the original. Critics generally held a neutral opinion, noting that the series turned out to be "with potential", but needs to add more humane notes of the main character, including a humorous component. New Nikita turned out to be a tougher, professional killer, devoid of regrets about the loss.
Michael (1997 version)
The second main character is Michael, the mentor and lover of the heroine. In the original, his role went to Roy Dupuis. A taciturn young man literally took a pedestal of a sex symbol in the project and was remembered for a long time by fans of the series as an image of a real man and a knight. At the time of the series’s release, the image of the heroine’s estranged chosen one was a step towards the trend, since this was the embodiment of masculinity in films of the last century.
Michael (2010 version)
In the remake, the role of Michael was played by Shane West, who also took part in the filming of the project "Salem". Unlike the original, the new protagonist turned out to be much more humane. It affected the series rather positively, giving the relations of the main characters dynamism and colors.
Full cast
In the original, it is worth noting such actors: Alberta Watson (Madeleine), Eugene Robert Glaser (Paul Wolfe, simply “Chef”), Matthew Ferguson (Seymour), Don Franks (Walter). In the remake, the most significant attention of the fans deserved: Lindsay Fonseca (Alex), Aaron Stanford (Seymour), Melinda Clark (Amanda), Xander Berkeley (Percy). Critics praised the star composition of the remake, providing the series a significant start. As a result, he received a sequel in the form of 3 seasons.
The actors of the Nikita series then and now are so different that they represent a confrontation between two projects: a tragedy and an outright action movie mixed with several Hollywood clichés. But if we consider the remake without reference to the reputation of the original, then we must admit that the authors got an interesting project with their own idea, partially hackneyed, but still alive. The original became a kind of standard, and Nikita became a symbol of la femme fatale and a role model for many girls.