John Frankenheimer’s career seemed to reach a climax when he directed the ill-conceived remake of The island of Doctor Moreau. Still, someone in Hollywood must have been in awe of how he held this tortured project together, because two years later he would release 1998. Ronin, with an all-star cast including Robert DeNiro, Sean Bean and Jean Reno. This action film about a group of disavowed spies working as mercenaries turned out to be a masterclass in action cinema from the director who helped invent the genre with The train, black sunday, grand priceand so many others.
While a modest box office hit, Ronin has become a classic, famous for its spectacular chases through the streets of Paris. It’s a rare foray into pure action for DeNiro, who’s never been cooler than here, and a final hurray for the great Frankenheimer. It’s the best movie you’ve ever seen this week – and be sure to let us know in the comments what you think of this masterful action flick.
This installment of the best movie you’ve ever seen is written by Alex Maidy, narrated and produced (with Adam Walton) by Chris Bumbray and editing by Edward Clark. Check out the other episodes below and be sure to let us know what you think. Ronin in the comments!
