Ronin [DVD]

Told proficiently, “Ronin” is an action/thriller about a group of renegade criminals for hire, a gang of international professional thieves and killers, without allegiances to country or cause. Deirdre, a mysterious Irish woman, organises a crack team for one high-risk job - to steal a valuable case of unknown contents. The team consists of an ex-CIA officer, a former European intelligence officer, a skilled driver, a top electronics expert and a weapons specialist. The five don’t know, like or particularly trust one another but must work together to get the job done. Director Frankenheimer, somewhat of an expert in the field of car chase sequences, flexes his knowledge here with spectacular rides through the narrow streets of Paris and Cannes. Pyrotechnics, rolling cars, shootouts and a minor love interest make “Ronin” a fairly standard crime movie with some very impressive stunts. International cast includes: Robert De Niro, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Jonathon Pryce and Jean Reno. Script is by David Mamet (The Winslow boy, Hannibal, State and Main) working under the pseudonym Richard Weisz.