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Ronin [1998]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Robert De Niro stars as an American intelligence operative adrift in irrelevance since the end of the Cold War--much like a masterless samurai, aka "ronin". With his services for sale, he joins a renegade, international team of fellow covert warriors with nothing but time on their hands. Their mission, as defined by the woman who hires them (Natascha McElhone), is to get hold of a particular suitcase that is equally coveted by the Russian mafia and Irish terrorists. As the scheme gets underway, De Niro's lone wolf strikes up a rare friendship with his French counterpart (Jean Reno), gets into a more-or-less romantic frame of mind with McElhone and asserts his experience on the planning and execution of the job--going so far as to publicly humiliate one team member (Sean Bean) who is clearly out of his league. The story is largely unremarkable--there's an obligatory twist midway through that changes the nature of the team's business--but legendary filmmaker John Frankenheimer (Seconds, The Manchurian Candidate) leaps at the material, bringing to it an honest tension and seasoned, breathtaking skill with precision-action direction. The centrepiece of the movie is an honest-to-God car chase that is the real thing: not the how-can-we-top-the-last-stunt cartoon nonsense of Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon) but a pulse-quickening, kinetic dance of superb montage and timing. In a sense, Ronin is almost Frankenheimer's self-quoting version of a John Frankenheimer film.There isn't anything here he hasn't done before but it's sure great to see it all again. --Tom Keogh

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Robert De Niro stars as an American intelligence operative adrift in irrelevance since the end of the Cold War--much like a masterless samurai, a.k.a. "ronin". With his services for sale, he joins a renegade, international team of fellow covert warriors with nothing but time on their hands. Their mission, as defined by the woman who hires them (Natascha McElhone), is to get hold of a particular suitcase that is equally coveted by the Russian mafia and Irish terrorists. As the scheme gets underway, De Niro's lone wolf strikes up a rare friendship with his French counterpart (Jean Reno), gets into a more-or-less romantic frame of mind with McElhone, and asserts his experience on the planning and execution of the job--going so far as to publicly humiliate one team member (Sean Bean) who is clearly out of his league. The story is largely unremarkable--there's an obligatory twist midway through that changes the nature of the team's business--but legendary filmmaker John Frankenheimer (Seconds, The Manchurian Candidate) leaps at the material, bringing to it an honest tension and seasoned, breathtaking skill with precision-action direction. The centrepiece of the movie is an pedal-to-the metal car chase that is the real thing: not the how-can-we-top-the-last-stunt cartoon nonsense of Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon), but a pulse-quickening, kinetic dance of superb montage and timing. In a sense, Ronin is almost Frankenheimer's self-quoting version of a John Frankenheimer film. There isn't anything here he hasn't done before, but it's sure great to see it all again. --Tom Keogh

Not, Alas, a Keating Biopic
Review date: 2008-09-18 Rating: 2 out of 10

This film left me with the distinct feeling of having been ripped-off. A poster featuring some very purposeful-looking criminal types, a European setting, a famous director - there initially appeared to be much on offer. The reality, however, was quite different. In this mindless mess of a movie, Robert De Niro reprises his stock `90s role of gun-toting anti-hero and, in the company of a ragbag of international B-listers, takes a trip into the heart, not of darkness, but of dullness. The basic story is, well, pretty basic. The film consists mostly of a series of ridiculous stand-offs and arguments between De Niro and the other players, who comprise a gang engaged in some kind of convoluted theft. Oh, and there are couple of car-chases - wow! Jean Reno becomes De Niro's "friend" in the course of the film and, in a scene that is baffling in its daftness, finds himself enlisted to perform a bullet extraction operation upon the great man, while the latter himself supervises the procedure from his own sick bed. The inclusion of another absurd scene, where De Niro and a rather dour Natasha McElhone pose as tourists and have a bystander take about fifty photographs of them (in order to get pictures of something that is going on behind them), defies explanation. Nor can the whole "ronin" motif be accounted for except, perhaps, as some kind of backhanded insult directed at the viewer. On the whole, a massively disappointing trip down nausea lane.

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Reviews


It's a belter!
Review date: 2008-08-30 Rating: 8 out of 10

A great story which leaves plenty to the imagination, and THAT is a refreshing change! The cast are all perfectly chosen and play their parts perfectly; from the slightly cynical but cautious and methodical de Niro character, to the female lead (Natascha McElhone) who never really seems to be in control, much as she'd like to think she is! It was also a stroke of genius in the surprises department to dump one of the main characters part way through the film.

It's a fast-paced film with superbly filmed car-chases that, for once, are actually a necessary part of the plot rather than being stuffed in because the producers wanted a bit of excitement.

Add Katarina Witt to the mix, and you end up with a movie that's worth watching more than once!

brilliant!!
Review date: 2008-08-20 Rating: 8 out of 10

What a terrific film. I started watching this late round my fiance's thinking i would probably be asleep before the end but i couldn't even shut my eyes because of how gripped i was! Not normally a fan of films about government or secret agent related agendas i wasn't really expecting much from it on that basis either but I was positively shocked by the brilliant acting and fantastic plot, only reason i wouldn't rate it five would be because even though it was great i think it would tire me out too much to watch it all over again!!

A great action film!
Review date: 2008-07-17 Rating: 10 out of 10

Robert De Nero is one of my favourite actors,and this is one of my favourite films!I think the action scenes have a hard edge to them,but I was enthralled.The gun battles are great,and the car chases are tremendous.I liked Jean Reno's rugged character,playing alongside Robert De Nero's mysterious figure.I'd certainly want these two chaps on my side,in any fight!

Timeless
Review date: 2008-05-28 Rating: 10 out of 10

I bought this DVD just because I wanted the film in the right ratio compared to when it's shown on television. Its average price is a fiver now but it's well worth it to have a 70s throwback of an action film with great car chases and other action and where the motivations of these lead characters aren't laboured over 45 extra minutes than the film requires.

It was great in the cinema and I'm glad I finally own it, though like another reviewer said, where did those ten years go?!

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Robert De Niro
Jean Reno
Stellan Skarsgård
Natascha McElhone
Sean Bean

Creators:
Robert De Niro (Primary Contributor)
Jean Reno (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 7321900574396
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2000-02-01
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 120 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1998-09-25
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)

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