Point of No Return

Based on Luc Besson’s Nikita, Point of No Return follows a criminal (Bridget Fonda’s Maggie) as she’s forcefully placed into a government program designed to create elite assassins. It’s a rather irresistible premise that’s employed to erratic yet mostly compelling effect by Badham, as the director, armed with Robert Getchell and Alexandra Seros’ screenplay, delivers a briskly-paced thriller that benefits quite substantially from Fonda’s engaging turn as the initially far-from-likeable protagonist – with the actress’ ingratiating work here matched by a seriously eclectic supporting cast that includes, among others, Miguel Ferrer, Anne Bancroft, and Gabriel Byrne. There’s little doubt, as well, that the presence of several top-notch action sequences, including Maggie’s first assignment as a newly-minted killer, goes a long way towards perpetuating the compulsively watchable atmosphere, and it doesn’t hurt, either, that the movie boasts an engaging romantic subplot revolving around Maggie’s burgeoning romantic relationship with Dermot Mulroney’s J.P. The viewer’s interest does, admittedly, start to flag in the buildup to the picture’s violent final stretch, although the introduction of Harvey Keitel’s captivating Cleaner character proves effective at paving the way for a satisfying and unexpectedly engrossing climax – which ultimately cements Point of No Return‘s place as a typically strong effort from an impressively consistent filmmaker.

*** out of ****

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