Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		2.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Ronin Blu-ray Movie Review

Despite spotty picture quality, the stripped-down BD-25 Ronin release proves its meddle in high definition.

Reviewed by Greg Maltz December 3, 2008

In feudal Japan, ronin were samurai warriors who lost their ties to land or to the master they served. According to the bushido code, these fallen samurai were supposed to commit seppuku, or ritual suicide. But the ronin chose to defy the code they previously swore to uphold. Instead they became drifters or mercenaries, and fought for whoever hired them. The concept of shifting allegiances among warriors who decide to live by no true code of honor is applied to modern times in John Frankenheimer's Ronin. In bold, abstract strokes and riveting action sequences, the film follows a mysterious group of operatives, including a former KGB and CIA agent, after the fall of the Soviet Union. Many nations had trained their special forces and intelligence agents specifically to help fight the cold war, but after the USSR dissolved, agencies did not have as much use for such operatives. Some of them went rogue, drawing the parallel to the ronin of feudal Japan and inspiring the script by J.D. Zeik and screenplay by David Mamet. Frankenheimer brought the story to life in spectacular fashion, but unfortunately the Blu-ray picture is a bit lackluster. Even so, its 1080p resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio make the BD import a solid choice for those looking to add a classic action title to their BD library.

In one of his best roles of the '90s, Robert De Niro plays an aging mercenary.

The story kicks off as Sam (Robert De Niro), Vincent (Jean Reno), Deirdre (Natascha McElhone), Gregor (Stellan Skarsgard), Spence (Sean Bean) and Larry (Skipp Sudduth) meet at a rendez vous point in Paris. Distrustful of each other and unclear about their assignment, the mercenaries are briefed by Deirdre, who is an intermediary to their unknown employer. The men learn they must attack a convoy and secure a silver case that is handcuffed to the wrist of a well-protected VIP. After the briefing, the mercenaries specify the weapons and equipment they need for the job. Action fans and gun collectors will be interested in their choices. Sam uses a .45 Mil-Spec 1911 handgun, a 40 mm HK69 grenade launcher, a SIG 551 assault rifle, a LAW rocket launcher, an FN MINIMI light machine gun, and a .45 SIG P220 handgun. Deirdre uses a 9 mm Jericho 941 handgun and a 9 mm Heckler and Koch MP5 submachine gun. Spence uses a HK USP handgun and a 9 mm HK MP5k submachine gun. Vincent uses a 9 mm Beretta Inox. Larry uses a Remington 870 pump-action shotgun and a nickel-plated 9 mm Taurus (Brazillian copy of a Beretta 92). And Gregor uses a 9 mm Glock 34 with sound suppressor and EOTech holosight. The gear adds a level of realism not seen in most spy thrillers. De Niro, who handles the widest variety of arms in the film, was trained in paramilitary weapons handling for his earlier role in Heat to achieve greater authenticity in such performances. It makes for some very impressive action sequences.

The European countryside and car chase scenes are also very impressive. Frankenheimer, who directed such thrillers as the original The Manchurian Candidate and Black Sunday, is a master at the genre. Whether he is filming actors sitting around a table, a high-speed chase or a landscape shot looking over the French Riviera, Frankenheimer always delivers exactly what the audience needs to see. No more and no less. He not only directs excellent action sequences but knows how to get top performances out of his actors and establishes the nature of their interactions in a believable way without significant build-up. As the mercenaries get to know each other, they develop interesting relationships. Sam and Vincent start to bond as they share the rules they’ve learned in their profession, and Vincent shares his yellow European cigarettes, too. Early in the film, Sam saves Vincent’s life by spotting a sniper and preventing an ambush. Vincent returns the favor later. Both De Niro and Reno deliver solid performances and their chemistry together is strong. After being double-crossed twice, Sam and Vincent try to put together pieces of the puzzle and find the mysterious case that has eluded them. Pursuing the case is the pretext for the film’s excellent car chase and foot chase scenes.

The two car chases in Ronin rank among the greatest in motion-picture history. The later chase is particularly lengthy and gripping, in which Sam, driving a Peugeot, chases Deirdre in an Audi through busy Paris streets. Just when it seems the action can’t possibly get more intense, Deirdre decides to escape congestion by going against traffic into a tunnel, bringing audiences to the edge of their seats if they weren't there already. Sam follows her with a perfect expression of total concentration on his face that only De Niro can deliver. The scene ratchets up even more intensity when Seamus (Jonathan Pryce), an Irish operative in Deirdre’s car, begins firing out the window at Sam, and Vincent returns fire from the Peugeot’s passenger seat. In all, the film used more than 300 stunt drivers, according to Frankenheimer. Formerly an amateur racecar driver, the director was clearly inspired to produce impeccable car chase scenes. To put the finishing touches on the chases, the sound of revving engines was recorded and carefully edited into the scenes for maximum impact. His other scenes deliver the goods, too. One near the end of the film, taking place at an ice rink, features Olympian Katarina Witt and more than 2,000 extras.

True to the dual nature of ronin--men trained as samurai but later forgoing honor for survival and money--the film features a perfect mix of realism and abstraction in its story. Deirdre never tells the men what is in the case they are pursuing, but do they ever find out? Who is the operatives' employer and why is he in hiding? Why are the Russians willing to spend so much to acquire the case? Ultimately, the story and characteristic Mamet dialog fill in just the right amount of information to make the film brilliant. Any more or less coloring in the outlines and it wouldn't have worked as well. Like a post-impressionist work of art, Ronin does not flesh out any character or scene too much. Its more minimalist approach generates greater interest in the operatives, their motivations and actions, and what might happen next. The pacing is fantastic and Frankenheimer delivers excellent visuals throughout. One scene features the most realistic footage of a gunshot wound this side of Anton Chigurh’s removal of buckshot to his leg in No Country for Old Men. Lending further authenticity to the film is the international flavor of the cast. Bean and McElhone are Irish, Reno is French and Skarsgard's performance is brilliant as ex-KGB agent Gregor, an expert in explosives and tracking. More than any other character, his actions stimulate the plot twists and rollercoaster pacing of the film. By the end, the viewer is left wanting more.

Ronin Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The transfer to 1080p using an MPEG-2 encode does not appear to have been made from the original master. If it is a faithful transfer, the source was a bit drab and lacking in vibrancy. The picture looks as if it is covered with a veil that holds it back from the spectacular contrast and dynamic colors delivered on other Blu-ray releases. The video is also quite noisy, with a fair amount of grain and dust spots. None of these factors impact the video rating as much as a very subtle strobing or flickering coupled with vertical banding that gently effects the middle part of the screen. During the dark scenes and fast paced action, the effect is difficult to notice. But in lighter or more uniform shots without much camera movement, it is not hard to spot. Blacks are better than bright areas. Watch the aerial shot of Nice, France. Note the mottling and gentle flickering in the sky. Clearly, if brightness or contrast had been pumped up in this transfer, it would have made the anomalies even worse, so it's a good thing that the picture was kept relatively subdued.

Despite the video's shortcomings, the Blu-ray delivers better resolution than either of the DVDs made available over the years. Whether you will prefer the BD depends on your preference for color brightness versus definition. If you can live with subdued colors and a slightly veiled picture, definitely choose the 1080p. If you want the color vibrancy more pumped up, a more sterile but less detailed picture, choose the DVD. In either case you will make sacrifices. The screencaps I have provided should give a good indication of what to expect. Honestly, the picture is better than others, like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but that particular film is 30 years older than Ronin. One reason I would recommend the BD over the DVD is the audio, so don't forget to factor that into your decision.

Ronin Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

While not rising to the level of reference quality, the DTS-HD Master Audio track delivers a dynamic punch that will be enjoyed more than the lackluster video appearance. Dialog is spot-on, with good tonal cues and accurate presentation of unique vocal timbres that instantly convey the presence and personality of the different characters. Sometimes gunshots sound a bit tame--obviously when silencers are used, but often they sound subdued even without noise suppression on the firearms. The throaty, midbass of revving car engines, however, is the most realistic element of the Blu-ray release, providing more detail than the Dolby Digital track on the DVD. Watch the car chase scene after the operatives ambush the convoy. Two cars are blown up in the attack, eliciting a good LFE response. But the best audio kicks in when the driving specialist, Larry, stomps on the gas peddle to surprise the remaining cars in the fleeing convoy. The car engines and squealing tires sound rich, with adequate separation from the music. The rock rhythm lacks a real melody, and kicks in to propel the scene even harder. After the chase devolves into white-knucked speeding through French markets and dangerously skinny streets, the scene ends in an inspired symphony of explosions and automatic gunfire.

Ronin Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Move along, folks. Nothing to see here but a trailer for X-Men: The Last Stand. It should also be noted that the menus are in Japanese and difficult to navigate through trial and error. When the disc starts up, it autoselects Japanese subtitles. I had to scroll through all the subtitle options before I found the appropriate choice for English subtitles only during French dialog. Aside from that, there are Japanese and Chinese subtitles.

Ronin Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Ronin was initially announced very early on for Blu-ray release but it never materialized in the U.S. After watching the import, the reason it went missing-in-action seems evident: The picture quality isn't quite up to par. A domestic version has been re-announced for early 2009, and the initial specifications don't look promising. It is also being produced on BD-25. But hopefully it will not be the same transfer as the import. If that's what is being planned, we may see it delayed yet again, until a better master can be found to source the transfer. Some new bonus content would also be a plus. It pains me to give Ronin an overall rating of 3.5 because it is a unique, fast-paced and action-packed spy thriller perfect for demo'ing the HT system. At least it should be. Instead, the video held it back, but it's not a dealbreaker. There are some film-like qualities and good detail to the 1080p presentation. It comes strongly recommended to fans who can't wait for a better version on Blu-ray or who have never seen the film and are looking to expand their BD collections. It certainly is an amazing bit of cinema, with solid performances and riveting action. One can only hope a better transfer is soon produced domestically.