journal features

movie review - Ronin

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 1999.04.30

This is a thriller about a pack of post-Cold War agents-for-hire, assembled into a lose team by someone with an Irish lilt and homicidal employers. The team's been put together to steal a case of unknown contents. The current owners of the case have their own well-armed team of bodyguards, and are in town (Nice) to sell the mystery case to some unspecified Russian clients. DeNiro plays one of two Yanks on the team, along with a Frenchman, a former Stasi freelancer, and a Brit.

It's fast, it's devoid of the ridiculous For those just tuning in.... clues the Americans usually depend upon, and it's very very good. There's a car chase at 80 kmph that scares the hell out of you, there are great settings all over the south of France, and there are more betrayals and allegances than you can follow.

Cast along with DeNiro are a European cast including: the 'cleaner' from 'La Femme Nikita' (never mind 'Godzilla'); the hero from 'Brazil'; and others from European landmark films of the last thirty years, such as the detective from 'Day of the Jackal'.

Strongly recommended.

rand()m quote

The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself.

—Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov