Ronin

Jean Reno, Jonathan Pryce, Natascha McElhone

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 r...( read more  read more... )enegade, 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 centerpiece 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

Flixster Users

77% liked it

Critics

69% liked it

R, 120 min.

Directed by: John Frankenheimer

Released: September 25, 1998

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DVD Released: May 15, 2001

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Top Flixster Reviews


  • June 3, 2009
    "Your ally could become your enemy"

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

    REVIEW

    A slam-bang a... ...( read more )
  • September 18, 2008
    Lackluster espionage film that is saved by Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno. I kind of think of this as a European version of Heat, just without any real character development. DeNiro gives a classic performance in this forgettable film.

    I would like to add that this film received ex... ...( read more )
  • August 3, 2008
    A brilliant film. Smart, thrilling and explosive. Stylish, crafty and original. Spectacular non-stop action and suspense. Filled with explosive gun battles and exhilerating car chases. Action films dont get any better than this. It's a pure adreniline-rush. Excitment you can cut ... ...( read more )
  • April 14, 2008
    They really don't make them like this anymore, or those days for that matter.
  • March 2, 2008
    Interesting casting, great scenes, Sean Bean!!!!!
  • June 10, 2009
    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 warri...

Critic Reviews


View more Ronin reviews at RottenTomatoes.com
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

I enjoyed the film on two levels: for its skill and its silliness. full review

Comments


  • ktiger11
    June 22, 2008
    you have taste my friend! loved this film i'm a big fan of robert de niro
  • soharto32
    September 25, 2007
    one of a great movies i ever seen, every scenario of the film make you recall of the events happen in every corner of the world in the news as to how they plan to assassinate individuals/ and the need to have money in any ways.

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