Ronin (1998)

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:

Rocket Launcher | Shootout | Film Noir | Attempted Murder | Shot In The Forehead

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:

121 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French | Russian

Color:

Color (DeLuxe) (as de luxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo | DTS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #35655) | Netherlands:12 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | New Zealand:M | Brazil:12 | Brazil:14 (DVD re-rating) | 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:

One of the stunt drivers was former Formula 1 driver Jean-Pierre Jarier.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Witt is skating around the ice there is a shot of the crowd, completely packed. After that, there's a cut to Witt again, but now (only for a second) there is no one in the right side of the audience. The camera then pans left and for the rest of the shots the extras were obviously moved around to keep the appearance of a packed ice rink.

Quotes:

Jean-Pierre: At the end of the day we are likely to be punished for our kindnesses.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy (2001)

Soundtrack:

Time To Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)

The ultimate McGuffin

A pretty decent action outing for Robert De Niro and John Frankenheimer. Good photography of some of the seedier neighborhoods of Paris and other French cities. This film is quintessential De Niro, and he gets all the good lines. There is an interesting revelation at the end, which I will not reveal here. The case everyone is after, is a complete McGuffin, what Hitchcock called that plot device, the thing which everyone wants, and it doesn't really matter exactly what that is. I think that Frankenheimer may have been paying homage to Hitchcock on this, as what is in the case is never revealed. Apparently David Mamet was the script doctor on this film, and it ended up OK. I am of two minds on Mamet, having liked "The Untouchables" a lot, and disliked "Glengarry Glen Ross" and loathed "Oleanna". I also liked Natascha McElhone, who I had never heard of. She is a beautiful and accomplished actress. Some people complained about her brogue. OK, she's not Meryl Streep. But then again, who is? A lot of actors won't even try. I look forward to seeing more of her.

Oh, yeah, and some of the car chases were really, really cool, almost McQueenian.