Ronin
Background Information: Ronin [Top] Ronin is a 1998 film which tells the story of a group of former intelligence agents who team up to steal a mysterious metal case. but can they keep from trying to keep it for themselves? It stars Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgård, Sean Bean & Katarina Witt. The movie was written by J,D. Zeik & David Mamet & directed by John Frankenheimer. David Mamet served as a script doctor on the screenplay, being billed as Richard Wiesz. The Writers Guild refused to allow him to get top billing for the writing credit, so he refused to allow his real name to be used. The title is derived from the Japanese term ronin, used for samurai who had no master; some of the characters in the movie are unemployed agents set adrift by the end of the Cold War. The movie also makes a lengthy reference to the classic Japanese story, the 47 Ronin. It is notable for a number of fine car chase scenes, the last being a particularly fantastic lengthy one through the streets & tunnels of Paris ; some scenes utilized up to 150 stunt drivers. Posters Of RoninEditorial DVD Review [Top] Robert De Niro stars as an American intelligence operative adrift in irrelevance since the end of the Cold War, much like a masterless samurai, aka ronin. With his services for sale, he joins a renegade, international team of fellow covert warriors with nothing but time on their hands. Their mission, as defined by the woman who hires them , is to get hold of a particular suitcase that is equally coveted by the Russian mafia & Irish terrorists. As the scheme gets underway, De Niros lone wolf strikes up a rare friendship with his French counterpart , gets into a more-or-less romantic frame of mind with McElhone & asserts his experience on the planning & execution of the job, going so far as to publicly humiliate one team member who is clearly out of his league. The story is largely unremarkable, theres an obligatory twist midway through that changes the nature of the teams business, but legendary filmmaker John Frankenheimer leaps at the material, bringing to it an honest tension & seasoned, breathtaking skill with precision-action direction. The centrepiece 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 but a pulse-quickening, kinetic dance of superb montage & timing. In a sense, Ronin is almost Frankenheimers self-quoting version of a John Frankenheimer film.There isnt anything here he hasnt done before but its sure great to see it all again.
Biography: Jean Reno [Top] Jean Reno is a French actor. Born to Andalusian parents, Jean Renos career started in French films. The Big Blue & Leon. Impossible with Tom Cruise, Ronin with Robert De Niro, while not neglecting French productions either, e .g.: The Visitors & The Crimson Rivers. Reno was also involved in the production of the second sequel popular PlayStation 2 series Onimusha, having his likeness created into the protagonist Jacques Blanc as well has providing the voice for the character.
Posters Of Jean RenoEditors Choice: Ronin, The Crimson Rivers, Empire Of The Wolves, Just Visiting, Rollerball, Wasabi, Godzilla, Leon, View DVDology Biography: Robert De Niro [Top] Robert De Niro is an acclaimed American film actor who is noted for having starred in several of director Martin Scorsese s films. Praised for his commitment to his roles, De Niro gained 60 pounds & learned how to box for his portrayal of Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull, ground his teeth for Cape Fear & learned to play the saxophone for New York, New York. Although not articulate, De Niro is generally considered a skilled observer of physical tics & details & an intense perfectionist. A graduate of the Little Red School House, De Niro made his first film appearance in 1968 in Greetings. After that, he played some major & minor roles in other films not widely seen, until he gained popularity with his role in Bang the Drum Slowly. He began to work with Martin Scorsese in the same year when the two collaborated on Mean Streets. Later Scorsese films in which De Niro has participated are Taxi Driver, New York, New York, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, Goodfellas, Cape Fear & Casino.
Posters Of Analyze ThisEditors Choice: Analyze That, Analyze This, Meet The Fockers, Casino, City By The Sea, Meet The Parents, Ronin, Showtime, View DVDology Biography: John Frankenheimer [Top] John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film director. He was born in New York City, New York. While serving as an Air Force Lieutenant during the Korean War, Frankenheimer became interested in directing. He directed service films & then began directing live television productions. He directed over 140 including one that starred Ronald & Nancy Reagan. Frankenheimer directed his first theatrical film, The Young Stranger, in 1957, but did not direct another until 1961. 1962 was a pivotal year for the young director, he directed three films All Fall Down, Birdman Of Alcatraz & The Manchurian Candidate that were all box office hits. The Manchurian Candidate is the directors best known work & was recently named as one of the top 100 films of all time. It was pulled from circulation but re-released to great acclaim in 1988. Frankenheimer directed Seven Days In May & The Train in 1964 that were also well received. However, his career took a downward spiral shortly thereafter.
Posters Of RoninEditors Choice: Path To War, Deception, Ronin, The Island Of Dr Moreau, Against The Wall, Year Of The Gun, French Connection 2, The Train, View DVDology Additional Articles & Resources: [Top] John Frankenheimer: | IMDB Filmography | Wikipedia Article * |
Robert De Niro: | IMDB Filmography | Yahoo Movies | Wikipedia Article * | Jean Reno: | IMDB Filmography | Wikipedia Article * | Ronin: | Wikipedia Article * | Link To This Article: [Top] ©2004-2008 DVDArk.co.uk * Some data on DVD Ark is derived from this GNU FDL article.
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