Plot: What’s it about?
John Frankenheimer has brought us too many greats to mention…The Manchurian Candidate…and Ronin surely won’t disappoint you. Frankenheimer’s study of men without a war (cold or otherwise) who drift from one job to another selling their unique skills for money. Sam (Robert De Niro) and Vincent (Jean Reno) round out the team hired to steal a closely guarded case, contents unknown. The narrow streets of Paris provide the backdrop for some spectacular car chases as they plan an ambush to recover the case and collect their money. Treachery and deceit…honor among thieves, I don’t think so…show their face and loyalties divide. Chasing the case and each other provides some explosive action around every corner and Sam and Vincent develop a trust that carries them through to the end.
The more I see Jean Reno the more I like his work (The Professional) and his chemistry with De Niro was an obvious asset to Frankenheimer’s film. Although I think the director stole the show using his experience with (and love of) auto racing (Grand Prix…the film) and skillful film techniques that I appreciated more the second time I saw it. The title “Ronin” references a famous Japanese story of the Samurai…briefly touched upon by the text in the beginning…but also The Ronin, Parts I & II made in Japan in 1941 and 1942 respectively. If you’re a film…and DVD… fan watch the movie and then watch the feature length commentary by Frankenheimer and then watch the movie again, you’ll gain a very different perspective and respect for the vision and care he put into most every scene and camera angle. I would like to recommend The Manchurian Candidate if you want a true example of a gripping, psychological thriller and a stellar cast…its out on DVD and will be in my collection soon.
Video: How does it look?
If you usually watch the Standard version of most movies, take a chance and flip this one over because the use of wide angle lenses in many scenes can only be appreciated in widescreen. The camera angles in the car chases are exciting and Frankenheimer claims there are little or no special effects to ruin the what you see is what you get in the movie…Formula One Grand Prix drivers behind the wheel don’t hurt either.
Audio: How does it sound?
You’ll hear the usual top notch 5.1 in Ronin but you get a bit more. There is some extra clean separation of sound that comes from one speaker and one speaker only that steers your attention in a specific direction. A lot of these are common sounds…doors closing, people walking and horns honking on moving cars…subtle but very effective.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This time it’s not the quantity but the quality. A nice 8 page booklet and an alternate ending are interesting but the real jewel is the feature length audio commentary where Frankenheimer takes us through every step of the movie. This commentary is very captivating, especially for the dedicated film buff and is the best one I’ve heard to date.
