Ronin

Rating:
Summary: Great movie and nice but unspectacular DVD production!
Review: I really like this movie. Ronin is about a group of spies/mercenaries who are seeking work in the post-Cold War world. Robert Deniro plays Sam, an American who is clearly an experienced player in the espionage world. Sam gets hired by Deirdre, an attractive Irish woman who is looking for a team of mercenaries to steal a mysterious brief case. Deirdre is played by Natascha McElhone. There are also excellent supporting performances by Jean Reno, Sean Bean, and Jonathan Price. The entire plot is shrouded in mystery as none of the mercenaries really know who they can trust. However, this is more than a cloak & dagger film but an action film as well. The action sequences are amazingly well done. This movie may contain the best car chase ever captured on film. It should be noted that all of the chase sequences were filmed with actual cars, with no computer touch ups. The action is hard core and gritty. Innocent bystanders are often caught in the fray. The only thing this film lacks is a strong love story or any sort of graphic sex. The focus is more on the goals of the mercenaries and the relationships of these hardened men. However, it should be noted that Katarina Witt does have a small part. The movie itself is a smart thriller with a gritty edge. It is certainly a far cry from a James Bond film.

The DVD production is excellent. The print is relatively clean and I didn't really notice any speckling. Much of the movie is in the shadows and the dark colors are contrasted well. I didn't notice any image wash in the shadows. The sound is nice and full, especially in the action sequences. The only possible shortcoming of the DVD production is the lack of extras. There is a director's commentary and an alternative ending. The alternative ending is insightful, but you'll certainly realize why they cut it from the movie. I would've loved to see some other deleted scenes or perhaps some comments from the actors. I probably would've given this production 5 stars if there had just been a few more extras.

On a personal note, I first saw this movie on pan & scan video tape. A friend of mine, who had seen it in the theater, raved about the action sequences. I enjoyed the film on VHS but couldn't understand the hype. I understand it now. This movie looks completely different in wide screen format and I can't say enough about what the wide screen DVD adds from the pan & scan production. However, it should be noted that this DVD contains both a pan & scan and widescreen version on alternate sides of the disk. If you're into espionage/noir type films, I cannot recommend this movie enough.

Rating:
Summary: Masterful "Ronin" pursues excellence and captures it
Review: Having recently seen and written an Amazon.com review for "Swordfish", it got into my mind to take another look at "Ronin", the 1998 action/intrigue drama cut from the same cloth as the recent Travolta film.

Directed by John Frankenheimer and written by JD Zeik and (under a pseudonym) David Mamet, "Ronin" is the epitome of filmmaking done correctly, combining smart direction, a well-crafted script, and first-rate actors. It is a spy thriller on par with the great genre films of the 60's and an equal to the best of the James Bond series. While only modestly successful at the box office upon its release, word of mouth has garnered this film a well-deserved cult following.

The film starts in the Alistair MacLean tradition, with a group of professionals (in this case mercenaries with various skills), none of whom know each other, meeting with a client who has a job for them to do. Ronin is a Japanese term for a samurai without a master, the ultimate disgrace for a warrior. The Ronin in this film, taking place in modern day France, are presumably agents without governments either because of their own hidden failures or perhaps because the end of the Cold War leaves them with a bit of a shallow resume for normal forms of employment. Thus, men and women like this find themselves forced into jobs like the one that drives the film, with strangers they don't know, for reasons they will never be told, and only the promise of enough pay for them to subsist on until the next job comes along.

The beauty of the "Ronin" script is that very little (if any) light is shed into the backgrounds of the characters involved. It is clear that the past is done with these characters, so they are blank slates for the audience, who can paint their opinions with their observations and insights as the film moves along. Eschewing the traditional path of developing characters through exposition, Mamet and Zeik craft the plot so that the main arc of the story itself reveals understanding enough for the characters. There is a plot to "Ronin", a simple McGuffin tale of desired prizes and double-crosses, but the movie isn't about that. The theme of "Ronin" is inspired by more than just the Japanese term. It is a descendant of Kurosawa's "Yojimbo", where Toshiro Mifune's Sanjuro throws a stick on the ground as a way to decide which direction he will go. That way will find him great adventure and danger but, in the end, there will just be another crossroads and another stick. "Ronin" is a modern-day meditation on the same type of figure.

Frankenheimer directs it all with great verve and panache, including a number of car chase sequences that leave the viewer with mouth agape. Rounding out the supreme professionalism of the film is one of the best ensembles to ever grace the genre. Leading the pack is Robert DeNiro as "Sam", and accompanied by an international who's who including Jean Reno, Stellan Skarsgård, Jonathan Pryce, and Michael Lonsdale. With all the pieces in place, "Ronin" is both a great film and a classic of the genre. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Widescreen and Fullscreen !
Review: This movie is awesome between the car chases and shoot outs it offers everything an action movie enthusiast could want. Plus, the movie comes in both widescreen and fullscreen aspect ratios. So if you feel like watching the movie in fullscreen rather than letterbox go right ahead!

Rating:
Summary: So what color IS the boathouse at Hereford?
Review: Frankenheimer reminds us why he is the master of filming car chases. This movie was only a moderate hit in theaters, but if you have a large-screen TV and a good sound system you will reap the rewards of this film's action scenes at home. This is one of the few intelligent espionage thrillers of recent years. But the absolute highlight of this DVD is Frankenheimer's running audio commentary. He launches into exquisite detail about the production of this film, and it is all interesting. The man really loves his high performance cars and drivers! DeNiro, as usual, is perfect. Watch for a small but pivotal role by Jan Triska, previously seen on American screens as the would-be assassin in Milos Forman's "The People Vs. Larry Flynt." Largely unknown to American audiences, Triska is regarded as the Lawrence Olivier of Czhekoslovakian stage and screen. Yes, I know I misspelled Czhekosl-, er... Chzeck-, Checkosl-, oh, whatever. Let's see YOU do it without looking it up.

Rating:
Summary: Ronin
Review: Intelligent well-crafted espionage adventure about several ex-cold-war operatives hired as mercenaries to steal a mysterious package for an unidentified terrorist faction. The international cast is top-notch with Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Bean and Jonathan Pryce. The story takes place in France and provides a nice departure from most action movies that are dominated by American locations.

The mercenary team is DeNiro, Reno, Skarsgard and Bean, ex-military or government employees who have been assembled though secret contacts to acquire the package for an organization with ties to the IRA. The job is dangerous in that they must take the item from an organized crime element. They are successful, but in the midst of the ambush operation, Skarsguard as the ex-KGB agent, suddenly makes off with the prize. Several double-dealing events unfold and DeNiro and Reno soon find themselves alone as the only trusting partners in the ordeal, and begin digging up old government contacts to find their betrayers. It's high adventure with plenty of fireworks and car chases, particularly the chase in Paris that's a white-knuckle ride when the pursuit goes against traffic on one of the major expressways.

An excellent action thriller that doesn't insult your intelligence.

Rating:
Summary: Superb Action Flick
Review: I take exception to the reviewer who said this film is part of De Niro's downward slide. This is a great action film, with the best car chase sequences since The French Connection, and solid performances by De Niro and Reno. I especially enjoyed the repore between the two.

To those who think De Niro is in a downward spin, I loved his performances in Analyze This and Meet the Parents. It shows a side of him not seen since Midnight Run, my favorite De Niro flick. To those who thinks he has sold out for the box office, comedy performances are never recognized as being as difficult and challenging(ie, Kevin Kline in In and Out), but I think shows his diversification as an actor(drama, action, comedy), he is superior at all.

Rating:
Summary: A Smart Thriller
Review: This is a great blend of both action and drama. Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno deliver great performances as freelance spies hired to retrieve a mysterious silver case. Director John Frankenheimer shoots some very realistic car chases and shootouts. In his Director's Commentary (DVD edition) Frankenheimer says the chases were filmed at speeds in excess of 100mph and he had British SAS soldiers do consulting for the ambushes and shoot-outs.

While it may sometimes bore those with very short attention spans, the acting and well written script keep the film moving even when there is no action. If you are looking for a drama with great action, you can't do much better than Ronin.

Rating:
Summary: Action for the Thinking Person
Review: Don't you wish all thrillers were this intelligent? Excellent acting, remarkable editing, and marvelous pacing make this a riveting film. The director reveals his craftmanship in his commentary that explains all the seasoned decisions he made in the production of this compelling film. As a writer, I learned something about the economy and the energy of scenes in John Frankenheimer's instructive narrative. He understands the importance of subtext and builds on that ability to create a film that is masterful in both internal and external action.

Rating:
Summary: Have you ever seen a better movie of this genre
Review: In my humble opinion, this is by far the best English movie of this genre. Attactive storyline and decent acting makes it so much better than those trying to be "cool" but eventually become stupid (One typical example: Mission Impossible 2). I am particularly impressed by the style the movie presents: desolation in turbulent lives, which make the movie excel not just for the scenes. Besides,the car race and gun fire scenes in the movie are among the highest standard. It is definitely a enjoyable experience to watch a movie like Ronin.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most intelligent action thrillers in a long time!
Review: Ronin is an action thriller for the discerning fan. Well photgraphed, crafted, and cast; everything about this film works well, especially the interaction between Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno. The car chases are unmatched, as are many of the gun fights. Callous disregard for innocent bystanders not withstanding, the "shoot-em" up sequences hold a degree of realism, from the ordnance selected by the operators, to the much of the weapons handling by the cast. The scenes under the Alexandre III Bridge and ambush in Nice are outstanding. The director also make great uses of the French locations, as the photography is superior. If you enjoy an action film where the hereos don't fire 20 mm Gatling Guns with one hand, I recommend Ronin.