Ronin (1998) Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Bean, Skipp Sudduth, Michael Lonsdale, Jan Triska, Jonathan Pryce, Feodor Atkine, Katarina Witt, Bernard Bloch. Music by Elia Cmiral. Screenplay by David Mamet (under the pseudonym Richard Weisz) and J.D. Zeik. Cinematography by Robert Fraisse. Produced by Frank Mancuso Jr. Directed by John Frankenheimer. 121 minutes. Rated R, 3 stars (out of five stars)
Following a morning press screening of "Ronin," the theater manager met me and a fellow critic in the lobby and asked what we thought of the action thriller. When we each said that we enjoyed the film, he took a step backwards in shock, as if we'd popped him in the head with a ball- peen hammer, then exclaimed in utter amazement, "I can't believe it! How could you...why would you...I mean, it was total crap!"
I laughed and said, "It was like sitting at home on a lazy Saturday afternoon, watching one of those old-fashioned action movies where you don't care about the plot because it's so much fun simply watching car chases and big stars shooting at each other." "That's exactly what's wrong with it," he said. "There was no substance, just clichés and car chases."
"But that was all on purpose," I countered, "The director deliberately threw in virtually every movie cliché in the book. John Frankenheimer is no dummy. He was winking at us! Besides, Robert De Niro and Jean Reno are two of the greats and watching them work together was good enough for me. " The theater manager shook his head and said, "Aw, you like those two so much that you're letting them blind your judgment. And as for all that 'winking at us' business, well, that's just not enough anymore."
We changed the subject at this point, realizing that with this particular film we would find no common ground. I've included the exchange here because, although I disagree with my associate, his point of view is valid and deserves recognition. That "Ronin" is a virtual cavalcade of film clichés is inarguable. My contention is that Frankenheimer's use of those clichés is part of his artistry.
Set in France, "Ronin" deals with a group of mercenaries hired by an operative (Natascha McElhone) to retrieve a heavily-guarded briefcase before another shadowy group snags it. The mercenaries are highly-skilled ex-government agents, ready to work without asking questions, as long as the price is right. Who are the two groups and what is inside the briefcase? It doesn't matter and that's the beauty of "Ronin."
Working from a script by David Mamet (using a pseudonym due to a Writer's Guild conflict), John Frankenheimer strips the action thriller genre down to its bare bones. These films aren't about plot, they're about plot mechanics. They're not about well-drawn characters, they're about archetypes exchanging quips. They're not about logic, they're about sound and motion set against exotic locales.
So what does he give us? World-weary soldiers and an earthy young beauty racing through gorgeous French cities. Elaborate plans in musty rooms and intricate double-crosses. Daring gun battles and high speed car chases down narrow streets and twisting mountain roads. And, most important, conversations between Robert De Niro and Jean Reno.
De Niro and Reno compliment each other in grand fashion, first as wary coworkers and later as comrades who bond under duress. As American ace strategist Sam, De Niro is efficiency personified; a seasoned agent who knows the importance of maintaining his cool no matter how dire the situation. He also chooses to keep his background to himself. Asked if he has every killed anyone, he allows the tiniest hint of a smile as he answers "I hurt somebody's feelings once." Jean Reno plays Vincent, a French procurer and facilitator who radiates calm as he goes about his business. Regardless of his actions, you sense that this is an inherently decent man.
In keeping with the motif of minimalism, the rest of the cast are rough sketches, with each exhibiting only one identifying characteristic. That's fine, since De Niro and Reno provide all the character required for a film like this. Their exchanges are punctuated by hair-raising car chases and elaborate set pieces. High points include a night time battle near the Seine, a sly reconnaissance mission at the Majestic Hotel in Cannes, and a climatic stand-off during an ice show. Frankenheimer douses each set piece with classic movie clichés: billboards telegraph upcoming scenes and there's a fruit cart on every street, just waiting to be overturned during the next chase sequence.
What does it all add up to? For me, it was a refreshing visit to the good old days of charismatic actors engaged in intricate, exciting and pointless bedlam. For my theater manager friend, it was a maddening example of all that's wrong with contemporary cinema. If you're so inclined, check out "Ronin" and decide which one of us was right.
© 1998 Ed Johnson-Ott
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