RONIN (1998) Revisited: Action Movie Review (Robert De Niro)

John Frankenheimer’s career seemed to reach its nadir when he directed the ill-conceived remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau. Still, someone in Hollywood must have been impressed by how he held that tortured project together, as two years later, he would release 1998’s Ronin, boasting an all-star cast including Robert De Niro, Sean Bean and Jean Reno. This action flick about a group of disavowed spies working as mercenaries wound up being a masterclass in action filmmaking from the director who helped invent the genre with The Train, Black Sunday, Grand Prix, and so many more. While a modest box office hit, Ronin has become something of a classic, famed for its spectacular car chases through the streets of Paris. It’s a rare foray into pure action for De Niro, who’s never been cooler than he is here, and a last hurrah for the great Frankenheimer. It’s this week’s Best Movie You Never Saw - and make sure to let us know in the comments what you think of this masterful piece of action cinema. For