Ronin

what's in the box? I saw this film when it was in the theaters. I tend to watch it at least once a year. This has to be one of the best thriller/spy/action flicks I have seen. The conversations are intelligent as is the entire film. They don't try to spell everything out for you but instead offer the benefit of the doubt that the viewer is in fact using his or her head. The violence in the film is done only when necessary and is not over the top by any means. Very refreshing for this type of film. Each of the characters has a past to which the film refers either directly or indirectly, but they do not go into too much unnecessary detail with these things. This all makes the characters seem real. These are real people. Many films have car chases, but this is the first time in years that I actually enjoyed watching one. the drivers looked like they were driving and they looked as though they were trying to avoid a crash. I will say this about the two chases, after multiple viewings these can get old. I'm not a fan of car chases, but I do recall liking the ones this film the first time I saw it. There are many good actors in this film. I recognized most of the main characters as having been in other really good or great films. What was especially refreshing was that the actors gave us believable characters. I know I keep mentioning the characters, but I found this to be one of the main strengths of this film; something very very lacking in most. Robert DeNiro is a great actor, but often times we only get to see that Mafia personality that has haunted his career since the Godfather days. DeNiro is someone that can really transform himself when needed. The first time I saw this film, I did not who Sean Bean was. But he got my attention in this film. Everyone in this film turned in an outstanding performance. The filmmakers chose to concentrate on important aspects of the story and stay away from using too many gimmicks. The story does not get sidetracked by an unnecessary and unbelievable romance, nor the usual empty sound byte of a character's past and not-so-hidden demons. Instead everything is alluded through their mannerisms, through knowing statements made to each other. We can see glimpses of each person's character and personality while the film continues through the heart of the story. I think it is beautifully handled. Love this film

I just watched this again because it appeared on Prime. What a great movie it is. This is a spy movie for adults, even more mature than a Bourne movie. Robert De Niro gives a wonderful, understated performance. His character is tough as nails, but also obviously vulnerable in the way only a seasoned actor can be. As you watch this, contrast it with a James Bond film. Bond inevitably smirks through every scene, De Niro in Ronin, on the other hand, looks like he's constantly nervous about his surroundings. Sure, it's not as "cool," but it sure brings you into the world of the film. I remember seeing this when it first came out in theaters and enjoying it but not being as impressed as I was with this most recent viewing. Sometimes a film grows on you over time, and that's certainly the case here. There are a couple moments that I don't like, but they are very minor. I can recall two instances where the director set up a scene by flashing to some object before the object became relevant, and in both cases the forward flashes struck me as a bit clumsy. The "wrong way" sign is the more egregious of the two accompanied as it is by a surge in the music that doesn't quite work. The "wrong way on the highway" chase scene is very good...but it's impossible to do a better chase scene like that than the one in To Live and Die in L.A. (Special Edition) . But Ronin is overall a better movie than that one. The acting is top notch throughout. You expect greatness from Robert De Niro (and he delivers) and Jean Reno (who is also tremendous here). Sean Bean is perfect, and Stellan Skarsgard is a revelation. I believe this was the first time I saw him on film and he brings a tremendous presence to the screen. There will be a few scenes that stick with you after watching this. The "reflex" scene, the "ambush with a cup of coffee" scene, the "home surger" scene, and "post surgery discussion" scene where the film gets its title. That last is actually a very polite interrogation as Michael Lonsdale tries to figure out if he's about to be murdered by the man whose life he has just saved. The subtext is everything in this film. Even if you don't grab it the first time, chances are the scenes will linger with you. Maybe I thought it was a little too sure of itself on the first viewing, but with reflection I've come to realize that yes, it is that good.

Great DVD and happy to add to our DVD collection.

Fast service. New product. Only it was one of a set of 3 dvds which were available at 799/-

100 % OK Goede verzending en besteld item beantwoorde volledig aan de beschrijving van de verkoper ( uiterst tevreden ) :-):-):-)

Ronin came along at a time when the spy genre was finding its second wind. 007 had bombastically come back to screens, Mission:Impossible was reimagined for the movies in a fine romp, whilst The Saint proved that Val Kilmer was NOT Simon Templer. And then there is Ronin. A film that could not have been more different than the fun, and naive films of the same genre. Right from the moment we hear Elia Cmiral's score, we know this isn't going to be a fun breezy romp, but a slick, old school reminder on how said films were perceived in the 70s. Hard hitting with its visceral car chases, and unapologetic of its violence and of its, frankly, ridiculous plot and Macguffin, Ronin should have been a welcome reminder that mixed the hard bitten post Cold War mentality with the star stunned international caper romps of the 60s. Instead Ronin became a film that was perceived as a dark and cynical, totally the opposite of action romps like Tomorrow Never Dies and was no small surprise it had difficulty finding its audience. I remember first seeing Ronin on opening day in September 1998, and right from the outset this was a film that stood apart from other blockbusters of the era... Dark, minimalist, unapologetic, beautfiully shot, and brilliantly paced... Ronin was the perfect antidote to the likes of Armageddon and Godzilla. However instead of wowing audiences, the film was pulled out of my local cinema a week later to make way for Spielberg's overrated war epic Saving Private Ryan. Thankfully home video was a mainstay and the film found its audience soon enough. Ronin was always a controversial choice on DVD and Blu-Ray, with the first pressings of each format in the late 90s and late 00's leaving a lot to be desired with a terrible soundtrack for the former and a gaudy cheap picture quality for the latter. Arrow Video (I'm still surprised they have released this film) thankfully brings the film to the upper echolon's it deserves, with a brilliant DTS-HD soundtrack that was used in the original blu-ray release, and a 4K transfer that leaves previous presentations of 90s classics out in the cold. The picture quality is superb and I really doubt it would be impoved. Dark settings and shadows are beautifully realised, the muted colours are natual and never crushes the image. Grain is obviously evident due to the fact that this was shot on celliloid and actually emphasis the gritiness of the film and I'll take even grain over DNR anyday of the week. The extras (with the exception of a few interviews) have been ported over from the MGM 2 disc edition DVD released over 10 years ago, and its great to see them here finally on blu ray. Ronin really is a strange character of a film, sure it harkons back to some of the action films of the 70s, but it also anticipates the return of the said cynical, hard hitting films of the past as would be exemplified by The Bourne Identity. The initial Bourne trilogy may have been a phenomenon that rewrote the rules of the genre, but Ronin tried to do it first.

Todo perfecto

Très bien