by Films and cars used to have a love affair that had cooled off a bit during the 80s and 90s. But in 1998 John Frankenheimer, one of the most beloved directors among car enthusiasts thanks to the revolutionary GRAND PRIX (1966) gave the car chase as more than just a cheap thrill a brilliant comeback. With RONIN, Frankenheimer made a spiritual successor to Friedkin’s THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971) (with FRENCH CONNECTION II already directed by Frankenheimer), and American classics like BULLITT and VANISHING POINT. Frankenheimer blends the car chase with character-driven acting and fascinating sets to shoot one of the most complex action movies of the 90s.
Ronin were masterless samurai in feudal Japan, making a living, as mercenaries or assassins. And while mercenaries weren’t in short supply throughout European history, both the film’s title and definition of its characters can be understood as an ambiguous reference. The most American genre of all, the western, was heavily influenced by Japanese samurai films, particularly those directed by Akira Kurosawa. RONIN in turn draws from films of the 70s, blends in elements of the western and adds a fresh approach to action films. A group of mercenaries is recruited to steal the epitome of the MacGuffin, a briefcase with unspecified content. And Frankenheimer is clever enough to take a funny stab at this when Sam, played by a brilliant Robert De Niro, explains in detail that knowing facts such as weight, dimensions or potential explosives in the briefcase are in fact crucial.
The cast is one of RONIN’s greatest assets. Natasha McElhone as Deidre supervising the operation on behalf of her boss is superb, as is Sean Bean as Spence, the typical loud-mouthed cowboy bragging about his exploits to compensate for his obvious shortcomings. Skip Sudduth is Larry, the designated driver making a lot of the action happen when he races the getaway car through narrow streets, alleys and mountain roads. Sudduth performed the majority of his stunts himself, a feat he cannot be credited enough for. But the best acting definitely was executed by DeNiro and Sean Reno as Vincent, a Frenchman who befriends Sam. Reno is smart and capable but controlled while DeNiro takes advantage of the prejudice that Americans, and cowboys or gunslingers in particular, are hot-headed. Even when he seems upset, he’s always in control of the situation. DeNiro and Reno have great chemistry while depicting noble criminals and it that lead to some fine dialogue adding to the dense atmosphere.
Everyone’s your brother until the rent comes due.
Vincent
Atmosphere is key in RONIN, with sets wonderfully chosen. Frankenheimer shows Paris from one of its unpolished sides, that is picturesque in a far more refined manner than the over-used monuments. When Larry takes the Audi S8 for a spin through almost anonymous Paris streets at night and at great speed, we understand that Paris is scenery, not the main attraction. The driving certainly is. And showing great driving in film has always been a challenge. Frankenheimer finds the ideal balance between plot and action, so the driving makes you yearn for sore instead of less. Just like the sets in Paris, at the French Riviera and mountain roads, the plot is sore of a means-to-an-end rather than a defining factor. Which would’ve been alright, if RONIN wouldn’t feel just a tad too long particularly around the climax. Had Frankenheimer maintained the same amount of density and pacing he deployed at the film’s beginning, there would be hardly anything to criticize. Maybe the often-praised Stellan Skarsgård as Gregor, a German computer specialist playing foul, who actually overplays what is expected of a German stock character with a lack of emotion until ultimately a bore.
One of the defining scenes and next to the action certainly one of the best in the film, comes when Son and Vincent retreat to a friend’s home to regroup. Jean-Pierre (Michael Lonsdale), an old friend of Vincent’s, builds models in his pastime, interestingly one that depicts samurai in battle. This allows for numerous conclusions to be drawn, one of the most significant certainly Sam’s realization that, despite all their skill and good work, they’re hardly more than pieces on a chess board, servants to a master, nevertheless. Despite the action-driven story on surface, RONIN is far more dense than you might expect at first glance. With great camera work and subtext it’s certainly a film worth revisiting for more than just the brilliant car chases.
With RONIN, John Frankenheimer made a great comeback to classic cinema with a fresh approach and ideas. At the same time, it’s both reference and testament to the evolution of cinema from Japanese film over western to French cinema and character-driven films back to American classics. And it’s also the return of the gunslinger adapted to the challenges of postmodern society and, ultimately, cinema. Ronin set the foundation for the revival of the car (and car chase, or race) in film around the millennium, culminating in blockbusters such as THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS or GONE IN 60 SECONDS, surpassing them even before they were made.
