Ronin (1998)

A freelancing former U.S. Intelligence Agent tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by the Irish and the Russians.

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

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

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	Sam
Jean Reno	...	Vincent
Natascha McElhone	...	Deirdre
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Gregor
Sean Bean	...	Spence
Skipp Sudduth	...	Larry
Michael Lonsdale	...	Jean-Pierre
Jan Tríska	...	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

Storyline

Ronin is the Japanese word used for Samurai without a master. In this case, the Ronin are outcast specialists of every kind, whose services are available to everyone - for money. Dierdre (undoubtedly from Ireland) hires several Ronin to form a team in order to retrieve an important suitcase from a man who is about to sell it to the Russians. After the mission has been completed successfully, the suitcase immediately gets switched by a member of the team who seems to work into his own pocket. The complex net of everyone tricking everyone begins to surface slowly, and deadly...

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Plot Keywords:

ronin | case | suitcase | ex kgb | irish | 

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Taglines:

How do you catch an enemy, When's he's your best friend

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and some language

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK France USA

Language:

English French Russian

Release Date:

25 September 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ронин

Filming Locations:

Allée François Aragon, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,697,641, 27 September 1998

Gross USA:

$41,616,262

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$41,616,262

Company Credits

Production Co:

FGM Entertainment, United Artists, United Artists

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Japan "ronin" not only means a "masterless Samurai", it also refers to students who haven't been accepted to a particular university. Instead, they spend a year studying to take the entrance exam again.

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Goofs

In the scene where Sam & Deidre are sitting in the Audi spying on the villa, you can see that the car steering wheel is a 3 spoked sports type which is right for that model. Later just before Larry smashes it into the Citroen outside the cafe, there is a close up of him as he comes out of a side street, you can see that the steering wheel is changed to that of 4 spoke design used on the normal A8 and not on the S8.

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Quotes

[the Dapper Gent pulls a gun on Gregor after he had already been disarmed]
Gregor: Where did that come from?
[the Gent smiles lecherously]
Gregor: I should've made you strip.

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Alternate Versions

The print of the opening titles, starting "In Feudal Japan..." before the film title "Ronin" appears on-screen, on all UK DVD releases from the 11th October 2004 release does not have the original large font that exists on the original theatrical print and TV broadcasts. Instead it is much smaller and does not feel correct especially when one knows the movie and is not consistent with the font titles used throughout the film and the end credits. The 2000/2001 UK DVD MGM original 1 disc release, catalogue number 15745DVD (EAN 5050070000207) does oontain the correct font. All subsequent UK media releases do not contain the correct font (including the Definitive Edition in steelbook packaging!)

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Fast & Furious/Adventureland/Sugar (2009)

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Soundtracks

Time To Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)
Composed by Francesco Sartori
Lyrics by Lucio Quarantotto
English lyrics by Frank Peterson
Performed by Sarah Brightman featuring Andrea Bocelli
Courtesy of Angel Records
Under license from EMI Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Great action movie, Hollywood should watch and learn from this

Every once in a rare while comes an action movie that is also a genuinely good film. This is one of those movies. What makes these uncommon movies what they are is simple: plot. No movie can compromise that and in recent years Hollywood has been doing just that to show off it's million dollar special effects and two cent story lines. This film has both pulse pounding breakneck action scenes and developed and interesting story.

The story starts when mercenaries are hired to retrieve a secret silver briefcase with mysterious contents. The mission goes awry with betrayal and we soon find out that everyone has their own motives and goals with the mysterious silver case.

The cast is good and the direction is smooth and keeps the story flowing and it'll keep you guessing right up to the very end about just exactly what is going on and who everyone is. Then, there are the car chases and they are awesome. Truly awesome and even legendary by now. Just like classics like 'Bullitt' and 'The French Connection' and goofy camp films of the seventies (like the original 'Gone in 60 Seconds') this film uses no hyper-crazy CGI in its action scenes and that proves all for the better since it is an action movie, but it cannot lose all it's credibility for the sake of some cars crashing. A thrill needs to be at least partly believable, otherwise it won't be thrilling. In fact the whole film has a more realistic feel to it with the relentlessness of the action being not over the top, but still enjoyable for fans of the genre. Then there are the characters who much more real as they don't snap wise cracks while shooting bad guys square in the head one handed with a pistol at 30 yards.

All in all, this is a very good entry in the action genre and Hollywood should take note. 8/10

Rated R for violence