terrible... so disappointed.

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

'Ronin (1998)' features some of the best car chases ever committed to film, with insanely fast choreography making you squirm on the edge of your seat and furious practicality compounding the intensity and danger of every moment. The usually wide frame also captures an unspoken but uneasy camaraderie, brought about by a group of disparate hired guns coming together to do their disreputable work, and a sense of 'lost soul' melancholy, aided by the wonderfully wistful but appropriately eclectic and exciting score. The picture does have its problems, though, including a generally poor pace and a late-game revelation that threatens to tear some slight holes in the plot, as well as make the already questionable thematic symbolism essentially moot - as does an exposition scene that only serves to further push the piece's already heavy-handed conceptual metaphor. Overall, though, this is an old-school action-thriller that feels pulpy and palpable and has quite a bit of meat on its bones, especially when the tyres start to spin and those chases, which are literally some of the best I've ever seen, tear across the screen. 7/10

A freelancing former U.S. intelligence agent (Robert DeNiro) tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by both the Irish and the Russians.The script was written by David Mamet (under the pseudonym Richard Weisz) from a screenplay by first-time writer John David Zeik. Director John Frankenheimer later said, "The credits should read: 'Story by J.D. Zeik, screenplay by David Mamet'. We didn't shoot a line of Zeik's script." Although probably not intentional, fans of Quentin Tarantino might see some parallels with both "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction". More likely these are just common heist tropes, however. Zeik was not just a one-off, however. He went on to work on the "Witchblade" film and television series, among other things.Some of the best parts of "Ronin" are the long, elaborate car chases. Scenes involving cars have been a specialty of Frankenheimer, a former amateur racing driver, ever since "Grand Prix" (1966). Although action sequences are often shot by a second unit director, Frankenheimer did all these himself and sometimes even rode along. While he was aware of the many innovations in digital special effects since the 1960s, he elected to film all these sequences live, to obtain the maximum level of authenticity. To further this, many of the high-speed shots even have the actual actors in the cars.Much of the cinematography is quite technical, with special shutter speeds and film stock that goes over this layman's head. What would be most noticeable to the audience, however, is the use of muted colors. The dreary effect is quite intentional, and even the extras were banned from wearing anything bright or distinct. This is a brownish-grayish world of blurred morality, both overtly and subliminally. While the star of the show is obviously Robert DeNiro, the cast is strong all around. Jean Reno is incredible and probably even overshadows his co-star. Sean Bean has limited screen time, but plays up the cocky angle, leaving us to dislike him almost immediately. Stellan Skarsgård is as strong as Reno, blending seamlessly into his role. This ensemble cast is rounded out by Natascha McElhone, who does a fine job as the leader of the crew. She is hampered a bit by a slight romantic angle the writers threw in, but still comes off strong.Reviews at the time of release were generally positive. Roger Ebert noted, "The movie is not really about anything; if it were, it might have really amounted to something, since it comes pretty close anyway." He is on the right track. The film is, indeed, excellent despite not really being about anything. It might have been improved by better establishing who the different factions were or what objectives everyone was trying to reach... but that would defeat the whole purpose in the process.Coming out in August 2017 with a new 4K scan, this is an unusual choice for an Arrow Video release. Such a film obviously deserves a good Blu-ray, so in no way am I implying that Arrow should have passed on the film. It is just interesting that a company who specializes in cult horror, obscure Japanese gangster films and other lesser-known titles would pick up something so mainstream with big name actors and a relatively recent release date. There must have been an interesting discussion in the office that day.The previous two-disc special edition DVD was already packed with interviews, commentary and more, and all of these are ported over. At the risk of creating an embarrassment of riches, Arrow not only has all these (hours of bonus material!) and the 4K scan, but an in-depth 30-minute interview with Oscar-nominated cinematographer Robert Fraisse, which is a priceless addition.

John Frankenheimer's 1998 action opus pretty much slipped under the radar on release – I'm lucky to find someone who's heard of it, let alone seen it. That's a real shame because this is definitely in the top five action movies of the last ten – maybe even twenty – years. Packed from beginning to end with twists, double-crosses, triple-crosses, tons of action from shoot-outs to car-chases, effortless cool and a great cast, this is a superb movie. David Mamet's uncredited influence is clear in some of the wicked spy stuff that De Niro indulges in – like the photographing, for instance – and the script crackles with electricity throughout. Sean Bean also turns in an extended cameo and has some brilliant fireworks with De Niro near the start – it's a definite shame that his character shortly disappears, never to be heard of again.The film is set in France (and what with THE BOURNE IDENTITY, THE TRANSPORTER, and MAXIMUM RISK also being set in those shores, it's a safe bet that France is the place to be for any aspiring action flick) and deals with a band of hired men, required to retrieve a suitcase from unknown villains. Only problem, its heavily guarded and never leaves the wrist of an important businessman. Soon enough the film is chock full of shoot-outs at Roman ruins and two flamboyant, amazingly powerful car chases, full of stunts, incredible driving, and some quite brilliant smashes and pile-ups. The cast is great; De Niro doesn't seem to make an effort yet his charisma shines through, and this is my favourite performance of his even over the likes of TAXI DRIVER. Jean Reno is underused but effective. Add to this the beautiful but icy Natasha McElhone, the sinister-eyebrowed Pryce and a subdued turn from Starsgard as a businessman type, and you have a heck of a film well worth the watch. Extraordinarily underrated, this is one of my favourite action thrillers ever and one of the best films of the 1990s.

Ronin (1998): Dir: John Frankenheimer / Cast: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Bean: Here is an action film that slaps Robert De Niro's mug on the poster with a gun aimed to fire, and it expects to hide the reality of an action film that is clearly not as respectable as it desires. Filled with action clichés with Robert De Niro leading an ensemble of freelance agents assigned to steal a silver briefcase. Trouble arises when De Niro suspects a double cross within the group. That always seems to be the case, right? Directed by John Frankenheimer with a terrific production but plot is standard and caters to action violence. Frankenheimer previously directed The Manchurian Candidate and the remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau that nobody seemed to warm up to despite Brando's wardrobe. De Niro is the sell but he isn't exactly playing a character of any great stretch. He basically heads a group of faceless fighters who will engage in combat at any opportunity. Among his teamsters are Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, and Stellan Skarsgard although none of them have anything to work with. It is purely about the action therefore the characters are merely props for action scenes. It might have been more interesting had the film examined such operations but its purpose seems to be to display a big budget and as much action as possible. Score: 2 / 10