Gems from Ray's Video Vault 4: RONIN

CUT TO THE CHASE - RONIN

1998
Rated R (for more bullets than you can shake a katana at)
Starring Robert De Niro, Natascha McElhone, Jean Reno, & Stellan Skarsgard

John Frankenheimer, why hast thou forsaken us for so long? Just when we thought the action genre was all but abandoned, left in the less than capable hands of Roland Emmerich and Jerry Bruckheimer, a certified senior citizen steps up and shows us how it's supposed to be done. Where have you been, John, and why did you wait so long to come back? Among other things, Mister Frankenheimer just says "NO" to: Smart-ass invincible heroes, villains who can't shoot straight, borscht-swilling KGB comrades in fuzzy hats, Frenchmen in berets spouting esoteric philosophy, refined British aristocrats, teen drama actresses or foreign models as nuclear physicists, and the needless obsession with CGI when it can't touch the real thing.

No, Frankenheimer doesn't take the easy way out when it comes to the film's two (count them, TWO) signature chase scenes, both of which blow any recent action offerings out of the water (and blast MI:2's much-revered motorcycle chase into oblivion). Instead, he employed a Le Mans Grand Touring winner as stunt coordinator and destroyed dozens upon dozens of motor vehicles for our cinematic enjoyment. The thrill of blasting through the French countryside and urban Paris at 100-plus m.p.h. just can't be faked digitally. Frankenheimer knew that, and he gladly demonstrates why sometimes the traditional methods are still the best.

Other elements of realism find their way into the film, including the collateral damage of shootouts in downtown Paris (many innocent cafe patrons and tourists meet their untimely ends at the hands of the cast). No latex actor-changing face masks or satellite laser beams are needlessly interjected here, either. Instead, we are treated to an intelligent espionage thriller that surprises without being convoluted and keeps things moving without dwelling on the exotic setting for its own sake.

All that aside, Ronin sports a truly international "who's who" of acting talent. Cameos by Sean Bean and uberbabe (and okay figure skater, I'm told) Katarina Witt are added treats as well. The only weak link is Natascha McElhone, who seems a bit tentative to be the strong female lead. The acting chops and confidence of a Mira Sorvino or Gina Gershon would have worked better here, but that's just nitpicking.

The plot, and all its myriad twists and turns, revolves around a McGuffin. "What the hell's a McGuffin?", you ask. Let me tell ya. A McGuffin is any object of desire that, in and of itself, forms the basis for conflict in a story. The term was coined by the late, great Alfred Hitchcock at a 1939 Columbia University lecture. Here, the object in question is a case with mysterious contents. Everyone wants it, from the Russians, to an Irish terrorist, to De Niro's "Not-so-Improbable Missions" team.

The current handlers of the James Bond and Mission: Impossible franchises should be forced to watch this film and kiss the foot of John Frankenheimer before even signing their next inevitable sequel deal. With so much tired pap coming out of Hollywood, it is refreshing to see a veteran like Frankenheimer pull a true diamond from the rough. Will this mean more intelligent action films? Not likely, as it's far easier for the studios to sell us the more abundant coal than do a little hard work.

This is about as good as a modern espionage thriller can be. Ronin rates 9 out of 10 carat quality, and would probably get a 10 if it weren't for that McElhone shrew. Ah well, nothing's perfect. Track it down at your local video store and let me know what you think at ray@skewedperspective.com. E-mail me your review requests as well. Thanks for reading.

-Ray Rich