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Ronin
Directed by John Frankenheimer Cast: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha Mcelhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Bean
Story by J. D. Zeik
Screenplay by J. D. Zeik and Richard Weisz
DVD, Rs. 499
There are many reasons to love “Ronin” — from the top-notch cast to the super intelligent plot, from the mind altering twists and turns to the moody palate, from the exquisitely photographed locations to the absolutely breathtaking
adrenalin-fuelled car chases. And over and above all this there is Robert De Niro as a hard-boiled action hero quite like Sam Spade or one of those types — leather coat and all, looking cool as ice as he grimly clutches the wheel in one of the afore mentioned car chases.
Ronin is a samurai who is shamed as he has lost his master. The movie has modern-day Ronin – agents of various organisations that are now defunct. They are freelance mercenaries working for the highest bidder.
A beautiful Irish lass, Deirdre, assembles five tough guys Sam, Vincent, Gregor, Spence and Larry to get a mysterious steel case. The case contains something that the Irish, the Russians and other assorted baddies want.
Sam, played world-weary insouciance by Robert De Niro and Vincent, (Jean Reno) strike an easy camaraderie born out of respect for the other’s skills which makes the film also one of the smartest buddy films. There is betrayal and deceit at every corner and the men do not trust anyone — not each other or their beautiful employer.
The movie works perfectly as an international thriller—from the muted hues (the extras were specifically told not to wear bright clothes) to the twisty lanes of Nice where one of the spectacular chases are filmed.
The film also works as a wonderful character study, where one wonder with the characters at the motivations of the other. The dialogues tell a story in a laconic manner.
And the cast is stellar. You have De Niro and Reno sharing the shorthand of two professionals. There is Sean Bean full of bluster whose bluff is called right at the beginning. Stellan Skarsgard is the techie, ex-KGB Gregor, who might have an agenda of his own and there is also the cherubic Jonathan Pryce playing Seamus, the shadowy director of operations while Natascha Mcelhone — she of heavy-lidded eyes plays Deirdre.
While the car chases will make a race driver of us all, the silences in between are as effective. It is one of the in-between silences, that we meet the doctor with the fascination for samurai. We see his painstakingly created models, his loneliness and also hear the best line in the film when De Niro, after supervising a graphic removal of a bullet from his side says: “If you don’t mind I am going to pass out.”
There are just two extras— an audio commentary by director Frankenheimer and an alternate ending. The alternate ending would also have worked but the film is fine as it is as well.
MINI ANTHIKAD-CHHIBBER
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