The movie begins with a bunch of international mercenaries, five to be exact, gathering in a bistro in Paris
Working only for money, their job was strictly to take intact a metal suitcase from several menvery well armed who'll be intent on preventing them
No information was given about its contents, value or purpose
An extraordinary cast of actors forms the group:
Robert De Niro, the ex-CIA agent and expert strategist; Jean Reno, the French mercenary; Stellan Skarsgard, the mysterious computer professional; Sean Bean, the ace field man; and Skipp Sudduth, the specialist in driving getaway cars
Dierdre (Natascha McElhone) is the icy Irishwoman who explains the mission, but she is not necessarily the one fully in charge
It seems that the 'handler' who pulls the strings is an Irish fugitive called Seamus (Jonathan Pryce).
The film becomes tense and very exciting when one of the five members double-crosses the rest of the team, replacing the suitcase and leaving with the one they got
Here appears a mysterious man apparently in love with Natacha Kirilova played by Katarina Witt, the East German figure skater, 4-time world championinterested in the suitcase
"Ronin" combines exotic European locations with the most sophisticated movie car chase ever filmed on a superhighway when McElhone takes her black BMW through the wrong lanes followed by De Niro in a blue FWD Peugeot
De Niro is great to watch as the tough Sam, who remains cool regardless of the peril of the operation
Equally not susceptible to alarm are Skarsgard and Reno
Natascha McElhone brings a chilling, glacial quality to the role of the forceful woman not afraid of anything
Frankenheimer doesn't recapture the intensity he once created in movies like "The Manchurian Candidate," and the "French Connection"
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