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Ronin Details

1998 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 18,955 members

David Mamet wrote this screenplay under the name Richard Weisz, as a gun for hire, much like the masterless samurai of the film's title, who roamed Japan in the 19th century, loyal only to themselves. A group of men with highly developed skills are called to a meeting in a deserted warehouse in Paris. Sam (Robert De Niro), an .. Read more

Starring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Jonathan Pryce, Natascha McElhone
Director John Frankenheimer
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller

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Ronin

David Mamet wrote this screenplay under the name Richard Weisz, as a gun for hire, much like the masterless samurai of the film's title, who roamed Japan in the 19th century, loyal only to themselves. A group of men with highly developed skills are called to a meeting in a deserted warehouse in Paris. Sam (Robert De Niro), an American, may be ex-CIA. Vincent (Jean Reno), the terminally cool Frenchman, is a mystery. Russian computer whiz Gregor (Stellan Skarsgaard) is presumably ex-KGB, and Spence (Sean Bean), a British demolitions man, and Larry (Skipp Suddith), another American, round out the team. They've been hired by the IRA, through liaison Deirdre (Natascha McElhone), to steal a briefcase of unknown contents somewhere in Europe. As the unit races from one spectacular location on the French Riviera to another, the Tec-9 reigns, the body count mounts, some Russian gangsters get into the act, and the betrayals come fast and furious. In a rare comic moment, Sam stitches up his own bullet wound, an act of tongue-in-cheek Hemingwayism, and asks a friend to finish before he passes out. RONIN features an exceptional cast, sumptuous locations, and the kind of realistic, high-coefficient-of-adversity car chases and action scenes that one expects from a director of John Frankenheimer's skills.

Starring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Jonathan Pryce, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Bean, Katarina Witt, Stellan Skarsgård
Director John Frankenheimer
Studio MGM ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 2 hrs
Blu-ray: 2 hrs
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller
Language DVD: English
Blu-ray: English
Hearing-impaired English
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: 01 Feb 2000
Blu-ray: 24 Dec 2007
Production year: 1998
Format DVD

Ronin (1998)

Or you can rent each disc individually:

  • Critics' reviews (6) of Ronin

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    This deliberately retro thriller from director John Frankenheimer resembles a 1970s European espionage caper in atmosphere and style, and bounds along at a cracking pace. While the action is engrossing, there's also a sobering political slant as Robert De Niro travels to Paris to join an international gang of criminals (including the always watchable Jean Reno) who have been hired by Irish revolutionary Natascha McElhone to steal an important briefcase. No excuse is missed for a frenzied car chase in the Bullitt tradition, or the chance to add a menacing hard edge to the deliciously convoluted plot. By the way, the word “ronin” is taken from a Japanese legend about 47 samurai who avenge the killing of their master then commit mass suicide.

    • Radio Times
  • "...An extraordinary cast of actors, all on the same formidable wavelength, match wits most impressively....Mr. De Niro shows off a brooding, hard-guy panache with its own brand of international appeal..."

    • New York Times
  • Most helpful member's review of Ronin

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  • 10 out of 11 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Twists and turns - not only the cars!

    Excellent film, I always reckon that DeNiro never makes a bad film.

    Absorbing plot, incredible car chases, characters really come to life.

    Great film.

      • MARK from Hereford
  • Most recent members' review of Ronin

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Car Chase Heaven

    two words... CAR CHASE....

    This film has the best car chase you will ever see - you have to see it to believe the stunts that are performed in these 'normal' cars, whereas in other movies would be sports cars etc. i mean, a peugeot doing a storming hand break turn in the middle of a roundabout is not your everyday viewing! and i love that there is not a word throughout the scene, just the noise of the cars and steely determination in the drivers eyes. fanblimintastic. Aside from that - fantastic movie with de niro once again proving his worth and great assistance from Reno as ever. the plot is stunning. please watch!

      • A customer from london
  • News and features

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    Death Proof - BLU-RAY Version

    McQueen's Bullitt takes poll position on car chase movie list

    • 30 Mar 2009

    Steve Mcqueen's race through the streets of San Francisco, California in Bullitt has topped another poll to find the Best Car Chase Movie. The late icon's heroics at the wheel turned the 1968 film into an instant classic - and now Bullitt has beaten 1998's Ronin and the original Italian Job (1969) as the best action-packed motor movie of all time on AOL Autos new list. The top 10 also includes Cannonball Run, Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, cult classics French Connection and Vanishing Point... Read more

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Rating breakdown

18,955 Member ratings
  • 100
1,999
  • 90
1,867
  • 80
4,450
  • 70
3,867
  • 60
3,402
  • 50
1,558
  • 40
880
  • 30
454
  • 20
336
  • 10
142

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    • Ronin - BLU-RAY Version
    • Blu-Ray: £11.03
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    • RRP £22.79 (you save: 52%)
    • David Mamet wrote this screenplay under the name Richard Weisz, as a gun for hire, much like the masterless samurai of the film's title, who roamed Japan in the 19th century, loyal only to themselves....

    • Ronin
      David Mamet wrote this screenplay under the name Richard Weisz, as a gun for hire, much like the masterless samurai of the film's title, who roamed Japan in the 19th century, loyal only to themselves. A group of men with highly developed skills are called to a meeting in a deserted warehouse in ...