Point of No Return

"The government gave her a choice. Death. Or life as an assassin. Now, there's no turning back."

1993 1h 48m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 775

ActionCrimeThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Hardened criminal Maggie Hayward's consistent violence, even in police custody, ends in the execution chamber. However, top-secret US government agent 'Bob' arranges a staged death, so Maggie can be elaborately trained as a phantom killer and subdued into obedience.

“The government gave her a choice. Death. Or life as an assassin. Now, there's no turning back.”

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Cast

Bridget Fonda
Maggie Hayward
Gabriel Byrne
Bob
Dermot Mulroney
J. P.
Miguel Ferrer
Kaufman
Anne Bancroft
Amanda
Olivia D'Abo
Angela
Richard Romanus
Fahd Bahktiar
Harvey Keitel
Victor the Cleaner

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Badham
Writers: Alexandra Seros, Luc Besson, Robert Getchell
Languages: French, English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

33 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Badham, shot by Michael W. Watkins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hans Zimmer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Frank Morriss shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Bridget Fonda and Gabriel Byrne and Dermot Mulroney carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The government gave her a choice. Death. Or life as an assassin. Now, there's no turning back.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0107843 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Badham directs. Michael W. Watkins behind the camera. Hans Zimmer scores. Frank Morriss cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in French, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

133 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, English.
3Directed by John Badham, shot by Michael W. Watkins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Hans Zimmer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Frank Morriss shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Bridget Fonda and Gabriel Byrne and Dermot Mulroney carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "The government gave her a choice. Death. Or life as an assassin. Now, there's no turning back.".
8IMDB entry: tt0107843 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 8 themes, including "death penalty", "assassin", "washington dc, usa", "new orleans, louisiana".

The technical file

Cinematography: Michael W. Watkins
Original score: Hans Zimmer
Editing: Frank Morriss
Production design: Philip Harrison
Costume design: Marlene Stewart
Makeup / hair: Toni-Ann Walker
Sound: Franklin Jones Jr.
Stunt coordinator: Mic Rodgers
Runtime: 108 min · 1h 48m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $30,038,362
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Point of No Return (1993)

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John Badham

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Community reviews

What people are saying

tmdb8726522013-01-20
★ 2/10
Don't waste your precious time. Watch the original directed by Luc Besson. I couldn't really enjoy this 1993 remake, knowing the so much better original from 1990.
John Chard2015-08-26
★ 6/10
New Dawn - New Day - New Life. Point of No Return (AKA: The Assassin) is directed by John Badham and written by Robert Getchell and Alexander Seros. It stars Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Dermot Mulroney, Anne Bancroft and Harvey Keitel. Music is by Hans Zimmer and cinematography (Panavision/Technicolor) by Michael Ferris and Michael Watkins. When drug addict Maggie Hayward (Fonda) kills a policeman in cold blood, she is promptly sentenced to death by lethal injection. But maybe there is an out? A chance to work for the government? Why so serious? A remake of Luc Besson's Nikita, this was always going to suffer the usual remake taunts of why bother? Was it necessary etc? Point of No Return is a good honest action movie, it has style to burn, nifty photography and likable leading actors. The action is well staged and thrilling - and Hong Kongish in style, and bubbling away in the writing are themes of identity, absent parents and a delicately off-kilter oedipal angle. The Nina Simone soundtrack is terrific, while Zimmer works around Nina's songs with an aural assuredness that grabs the attention. It doesn't push any boundaries, and although it has been noted in some neo-noir circles, it is only a borderline entry in that style of film making. But if kinetic is a good word for you, and ultra violence gives you a shot in the arm, then Bridget and her guns are definitely worth a first date at least. 6/10