Among the most admired French filmmakers of the last 30 years,Luc Bessonis no stranger to Hollywood successes and failures. The writer/director behind such popular movies asLeon: The Professional,Lucy,andThe Fifth Elementhas also taken big cinematic swings that have not fared so well with critics and the moviegoing masses. Case in point, Besson’s poorly-rated assassin thrillerAnnacame and went with very little fanfare and critical acclaim in 2019. Fortunately, the movie is experiencing newfound popularity on Netflix after joining the platform in 2024.
Sasha Luss stars as Anna Poliatova in the action thriller, a Russian fashion model who moonlights as a trained killer for the KGB. Consigned to a five-year assignment under the direction of senior KGB agent Olga (Helen Mirren), Anna becomes mixed up in a deadly cat-and-mouse game involving the CIA, double agents, secret defectors, and more. Despite being panned by critics, barely recouping its budget, and remaining one of Besson’s lowest-rated movies,Annahas quickly blasted its way to the #1 Most Watched movie on Netflix as of June 25, 2025, dethroned only byRebel Moon Part 2on April 20.
What Is Anna About?
In a plot reminiscent ofBesson’s critically acclaimed 1990 movieLa Femme Nikita, Anna retreads old ground to tell a familiar story. The plot tracks Anna Poliatova, a beautiful Russian fashion model willing to do anything to escape her abusive relationship. As such, Anna agrees to work for the KGB as a hired killer who answers to Olga, a high-ranking KGB member with secret ulterior motives.
After traveling to Paris and killing several targets, Anna’s identity is exposed by the CIA. Agreeing to operate as a double agent, Anna is tasked with assassinating the new KGB Director, Vassiliev (Eric Gordon). With her position compromised, Anna learns she can’t trust anyone, including her friends and colleagues, Maude (Lera Abova), Alex (Chris Evans) and Leonard (Cillian Murphy). Without giving away the ending, Anna’s entire mission turns out to be orchestrated from high above, and she has been both an unwitting pawn and a protected queen at once.
Critical & Commercial Response to Anna Upon Release
Despite Besson’s expertise with such familiar material,Annatook a critical drubbing when it was released in 2019. The film currently holds a paltry 33%Rotten TomatoesScore and a subpar40 Metascore, with the former’s consensus stating:
“Annafinds writer-director Luc Besson squarely in his wheelhouse, but fans of this variety of stylized action have seen it all done before – and better.”
Indeed, the most substantial gripe about the movie is that it feels too derivative and calls to mind Besson’s halcyon days in the ’90s. Most critics noted how similar the story is toLa Femme Nikita,a much better action extravaganza that was so popular that it was remade in America three years later. For example,Movie Nationdeclared:
There are a lot of irritants and clumsy touches to Besson’s latest, infuriatingly inferior version of La Femme Nikita that ruin it.
Even the critics who bestowed slight praise on Anna noted the obvious parallels toLa Femme Nikita, includingThe New York Times' Bilge Ebiri, who stated:
“Anna isn’t as stylish or gripping asNikita, but it does have its own demented charm, particularly in how it toys with structure, nesting competing narrative timelines within each other.”
Audiences Actually Like Anna (Especially Now)
Here’s where things get interesting. Despite its low rating among critics,Annaboasts an 81% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, an 81% score on PostTrak, a 77 Metacritic User Score, and holds a B+ grade on CinemaScore. These figures indicate that Anna is much more favorable among general movie fans than it is among critics. However, the movie’s financial performance suggests otherwise.
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Released theatrically in North America on July 12, 2025,Annaperformed badly at the box office. The film grossed just $7.7 million in the U.S. and Canada. Although it fared better overseas, grossing $23.9 million for a worldwide total of $31.6 million, the movie barely made back its $30 million budget (viaBox Office Mojo). The film hardly broke even and threatened to relegate Anna to the depths of obscurity. Fortunately, Anna has rapidly fired its way to the top of the Netflix movie charts in April 2024.
Anna Finds New Life on Netflix
As for Besson, the filmmaker looks to rebound with two upcoming projects followingAnnaand the ill-fated horror thrillerArthur, Malediciton, which he wrote in 2022. Besson directed a more character-driven crime drama titledDogManin 2023, and, although it fared better thanAnnaamong critics (56% Rotten Tomatoes, 45 Metascore), it’s still nowhere near among Besson’s best work.
Besson has a pair of upcoming projects in 2024 and 2025. First is a movie calledJune and John, described as a romantic thriller. In addition to the small, intimate affair, Besson has announced plans to helmDracula: A Love Tale, based on the writings of Bram Stoker. Dracula will be played byDogManstar Caleb Landry Jones, with Christoph Waltz set to play a Priest. The film is expected to be released in 2025. As fans await Besson’s next two directorial efforts, it’s nice to know that even if they fail to resonate among critics during their initial runs, they may find success later on Netflix, just likeAnna. You can watch it below:
