Ronin (1998)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

J.D. Zeik (story)
J.D. Zeik (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Your ally could become your enemy

Plot:

A freelancing former US intelligence agent tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by both the Irish and the Russians.

Plot Keywords:

Case | Russian | Suitcase | Ex KGB | Samurai

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Sam
Jean Reno	...	Vincent
Natascha McElhone	...	Deirdre
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Gregor
Sean Bean	...	Spence
Skipp Sudduth	...	Larry
Michael Lonsdale	...	Jean-Pierre
Jan Triska	...	Dapper Gent
Jonathan Pryce	...	Seamus O'Rourke
Ron Perkins	...	Man with the Newspaper
Féodor Atkine	...	Mikhi
Katarina Witt	...	Natacha Kirilova
Bernard Bloch	...	Sergi
Dominic Gugliametti	...	Clown Ice Skater
Alan Beckworth	...	Clown Ice Skater

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and some language.

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo | DTS

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | USA:R (certificate #35655) | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Brazil:12 | Brazil:14 (DVD re-rating) | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (w) | Ireland:15 | Italy:T | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Iceland:16 | Denmark:15

Filming Locations:

Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Company:

FGM Entertainment

Trivia:

A "ronin" is a samurai who is masterless.

Goofs:

Continuity: The car Deirdre drives in the final Paris car chase is an early-90s BMW 5-series. It is badged as M5, and has the correct wheels for this model. However in the tunnel scene, the dashboard shown is from a non-M 5 series, as all M models have red needles on the speedo etc, and this car has white needles.

Quotes:

Sam: Excuse me, could you tell me how to find the post office?
Man with the Newspaper: Do, uh, do I know you? No, I'm sorry, do I know you? Cause, uh, how did you know I speak English?
Sam: You got an English newspaper.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Variation 18

Car Insurance in France must be expensive ...

I picked up this DVD in Asda's a few weeks ago and seeing it had Robert De Niro starring convinced me enough to buy it. Then seeing in the credits it starred Jean Reno, Sean Bean and Jonothan Pryce too made me realise I was watching a winner here.

I wasn't wrong either, this film is brilliant. The beginning is slow and tense; dark, clear colours in the picture sets the mood perfectly. From then on most of it is pretty much action.

Five mysterious men of various backgrounds (ex-CIA, KGB etc) meet in Paris, France for a job headed by a Northern Irish woman. The job is to steal a case from a group and return the case to their as yet unknown employers. Just as things seem to run smoothly, one of them is a double-crosser.

Now for some of the best bits, the car chases. These are shot magnificently as Peugeot's, BMW's and Audi's tear through the streets of Paris. These chases are the most thrilling chases I have ever seen. And when you get chases, you get crashes. Think on-coming traffic chases and you might get the picture.

This is a must see film. 8 out of 10.