Anna (4 Stars)

When I watched this film in the cinema last year I accused it of being a second rate copy of "Nikita". I have to take that back after watching it again. The two films begin with the same premise, but they develop in completely different directions. That didn't become obvious to me until I got to the last half hour today. Maybe I should watch it a third time to fully appreciate it.

The year is 1987. Anna is a drug addict in Moscow who applies to join the Russian navy. Her application is intercepted by the KGB, who think she would be more suited to work as a spy. She's told that the training will last one year, after which she'll have to work for four years. After that she'll be free to do whatever she wants. We don't see her training period. The story jumps to her first assignment, and we see that she has exceptional skills. She keeps her cool, killing with calm precision. The next time I watch "Anna" I'll be sure to count the number of kills.

Halfway through the film she becomes a double agent for the CIA. She becomes the lover of both of her handlers, both the Russian handler (Luke Evans) and the American handler (Cillian Murphy). She's playing a dangerous game.

One of the biggest differences between Anna and Nikita (the characters) is that Anna is self-confident. Nikita was a skilled killer, but she was insecure in her dealings with her colleagues and her bosses. That makes Nikita more accessible as a character, but it makes Anna sexier.

The film was a box office failure, as you can see from its negative success rate. That's unfortunate. It's a film worth seeing.

Success Rate:  - 0.9

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