‘Ronin’ Is an Underrated Action Classic | The Rewatchables Podcast

‘Ronin’ Is an Underrated Action Classic | The Rewatchables Podcast | The Ringer

Рет қаралды 30,146

4 жыл бұрын

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan never walk into a place they don’t know how to walk out of after they rewatch the 1998 action thriller ‘Ronin,’ starring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, and Natascha McElhone.
Subscribe to our channel: therin.gr/5te1wFL
CONNECT
Shop: theringer.com/shop
Website: theringer.com
Twitter: / ringer
Facebook: / ringer
Instagram: / ringer
KZfaq: / @theringernba

Пікірлер: 144

@mediasawdust2458 4 жыл бұрын

"You ever kill anybody?' "I hurt somebody's feelings once."

@lilpenny1982 26 күн бұрын

Draw it again!!

@gf4670 4 жыл бұрын

The whole samurai definition a the beginning of what the title means is actually relevant to understanding the context of the movie and the time it came out. Europe in the 90s was sort of flooded by a wave of unemployed ex military and intelligence operatives after the Cold War who started taking jobs as mercenaries, personal security for the wealthy and politicians in the new political and economic climate, gun dealers, and organized crime. It's sort of integral to that whole wave of spy action movies of the past 25 years to understand that situation and Ronin's influence in the genre, as they talk about with Bourne, et al.

@TheyCallMeBruce13 4 жыл бұрын

Hilarious that Bill completely missed this very obvious connection. I mean, good god.

@gf4670 4 жыл бұрын

@@TheyCallMeBruce13 Yeah, I thought it was obvious. It's a weird title and not something everyone would know. It gives context to who those people are and why they're there.

@uchidaoginome 3 жыл бұрын

Ronin is fantastic! The subtleties of the script...the way Mamet references the Cold War as, "The late unpleasantness." or when someone that betrays someone else says to them on the phone, "I'll find somewhere where I can tilt the field in my favor." Or how about when two people from the crew meet and one asks the other, "Are you labor or management?" And Mamet, under the pen name JD Zeik I believe, leaves one of his calling card lines in here too, so you know it's actually him. If your a Mamet fan, you knew the line when you heard it. Thus movie is but just well-written, it's smartly directed! But just the action scenes, the shot composition for scenes of the team simply walking a around Paris and doing reconnaissance or even sitting in their safehouse or hotel room just talking let's you experience the actors being in the environment and any shot/reverse shot moments aren't cut to shit by some kid that used to edit music videos. No! Scenes are allowed to breathe, to live and there's even a few slyly funny moments in the script. This movie kept me on the edge of my theater seat and the plot and dialog popped as much as the action! I went to see it two days later and enjoyed it just as much. Classic!

@rbaldino 2 жыл бұрын

Exactly. Thank you.

@thanevakarian9762 2 жыл бұрын

Lmao yeah

@vincentho3792 4 жыл бұрын

I remember Ronin as one of the few films where Sean Bean didn't die

@TequilaToothpick 2 жыл бұрын

He actually dies in a deleted scene lol

@joemckim1183 2 жыл бұрын

@@TequilaToothpick Deleted scenes aren't canon. But he doesn't die in The Martian.

@bigchiefbc 4 жыл бұрын

This HAS to be apex mountain for Natascha McElhone. She had this and the Truman Show in the same damned year.

@joemckim1183 5 ай бұрын

Californication also but otherwise you're correct.

@keeganshigh 3 ай бұрын

Not grammatically.

@SamTorontoRealEstate 4 жыл бұрын

Chris on Sean Bean killed me. I'm just gonna be walking around the house and saying "almost bit of a raspberry jam back there. Got the swag. Kept the money. Job well done"

@allamaraine8066 Жыл бұрын

“That’s a fact!”

@johndor8772 Жыл бұрын

They smoked alot

@maxsteele4555 4 жыл бұрын

I've never considered this underrated. To Live and Die in L.A. is underrated.

@tylerinnes3178 4 жыл бұрын

big facts the alternate ending for to live and die in la is wack

@MacaulayConnor 4 жыл бұрын

I've never considered this underrated. Three of the best car chases of all time are in this movie. Listen to the audio commentary, it is very educational and interesting.

@TheMrbc74 10 ай бұрын

Got the swag, kept the money, job well done. Almost a bit of raspberry jam back there😂

@orlandocityUsa 4 жыл бұрын

This movie is a hidden classic

@poisonoir 4 жыл бұрын

“We are doing something...we’re waiting”.

@johndor8772 Жыл бұрын

The line that catches me

@TheWonderfuldre 4 жыл бұрын

At the time of it's release it was said that this was the best car chase since The French Connection

@1ListerofSmeg 2 жыл бұрын

This was the comment I came to see.😎👍 Great film.

@johndor8772 Жыл бұрын

The seven ups

@shaggycan 4 жыл бұрын

I would have picked Manhunter, that film is a masterpiece.

@donnypoker 4 жыл бұрын

Love Ronin. Top 5 ‘98 films. Sam is my personal fav Deniro character. I just like seeing him in a role where he’s the smartest person in the room and you root for him. Best collateral damage movie.

@The2ndFirst 10 ай бұрын

I can literally watch this movie over and over again

@Degenerate_Media 4 жыл бұрын

Ronin is definitely one of De Niro’s undderrated classics. This, along with Angel Heart & The Score

@mainchannel1566 4 жыл бұрын

The Score (saw it for the first time about 4-5 months ago) was the movie where I realized Bill was right about De Niro and his romantic partners.

@Degenerate_Media 4 жыл бұрын

Fake Name nothing wrong with chocolate!

@georgevargo9473 4 жыл бұрын

@@mainchannel1566 the big problem with the score is spa screen with Brando when for some reason Brando play it off like his Character has seem like this deeply personal relationship with De Niro's that De Niro' no sells. It was just weird.

@woodside4life 4 жыл бұрын

Fake Name LOL yeah that was awkward.

@AxeMan808 4 жыл бұрын

It has EVERYTHING to do with the concept of Bushido and trying to walk that path no longer having a master with the World still pulling on you. Edit: Self-Op: Predator 2

@ryanw6074 4 жыл бұрын

Please do The Siege as a rewatchable!

@damiandarc8643 4 жыл бұрын

Yes! The Siege is one of my favorite movies! I would also like to see a rewatch of The Last Castle.

@nsu300zx 4 жыл бұрын

Bought this DVD when it came out. This video makes me feel old.

@Tarmac76 4 жыл бұрын

"Almost a bit of raspberry jam back there!"

@curtiswashington8536 3 жыл бұрын

Lol

@shawandking 4 жыл бұрын

when there is doubt, there is no doubt.

@lilpenny1982 2 жыл бұрын

"If you don't mind, I'll pass out now" "I don't remember. That's the 2nd thing they teach you"

@pl33 3 ай бұрын

my favorite movie of all time..the director commentary with Frankenheimer on the DVD is a master class in film making..

@johnv3623 4 жыл бұрын

Great episode on a classic movie! David Mamet has a knack for intelligent action thrillers: Untouchables, Ronin, Spartan, and his military ops TV series the UNIT.

@Domo-yo4pz 4 ай бұрын

I love Robert De Nero, saw this in the bargain bin at Walmart. And feel in love with it

@ApocalypseKurtz 4 жыл бұрын

Great action film. Solid pod by Bill and Chris.

@puremercury 4 жыл бұрын

Ron Perlman actually suggests that Brando was his rock on The Island of Dr. Moreau and that Frankenheimer and Kilmer were 1) at odds; and 2) crazy. Brando supposedly yelled, "Give his lines to the guy from Quest for Fire!"

@thenightrider2121 4 жыл бұрын

Got this one on bluray recently and needed an excuse to rewatch it.

@KnicksFanTV 4 жыл бұрын

*Always thought Ronin was dope. Car chases were the best*

@johndor8772 Жыл бұрын

Ronin was a great movie. It was a European type show where deniro carried it good co star s in this

@tedvandross1984 4 жыл бұрын

To Live And Die In LA pioneered to wrong way down a freeway car chase

@specialk4006 7 ай бұрын

You guys NEED the 4K, one of the best transfers on the format.

@jeromebrousseau4391 10 ай бұрын

I really love this movie. Your analysis is spot on too! I agree with Jean Reno's apex, though I might add that his role in the 1993 french movie "Les visiteurs" is major, probably more in french culture than Leon. He was also excellent in "Les rivières pourpres, starring Vincent Cassel.

@moexus 2 жыл бұрын

what killed it in the movie was the gas pedal scenes escaping gun points, like they can't ask the to turn the engine off while at gun point.

@GymAndSun 4 жыл бұрын

Curious, why does it say Ronin (2000)? Ronin came out in 1998 and the DVD came out in February 1999, as noted by Bill?

@OPTIMUS6LTR 4 жыл бұрын

happens all the time on here i know its ment to be low budget but come on

@specialk4006 7 ай бұрын

Now I want the Speed: It Wasn't Cans Cut.

@stephanecayouette9429 4 жыл бұрын

2 great car chase movies actually bookend bullitt (1968) and the french connection (1971) and those are robbery (1967) and the seven-ups (1973). steve mcueen requested peter yates direct bullitt based on the chase scene in robbery. the seven-ups is directed by philip d'antoni who produced both bullitt and the french connection and has bill hickman again playing the baddie during the chase through manhattan

@TDotPMak 4 жыл бұрын

Wasn't The Matrix widely known as the first "great" DVD and drove DVD sales? I guess this is subjective to each person but The Matrix was my first DVD and it was mind-blowing at the time. Also, it would be cool if Bill mentioned the PS2 being a great driver for DVD adoption. That was the most affordable DVD player for the longest time since you're getting a video game system and DVD player in one machine.

@GymAndSun 4 жыл бұрын

Peter Mak both great points

@at0mly 4 жыл бұрын

The Matrix was the first torrent I ever downloaded.

@mainchannel1566 4 жыл бұрын

I thought it was Fight Club because DVD sales/rentals saved the movie from being a financial disaster.

@gf4670 4 жыл бұрын

Nah, The Matrix was super successful at the theater. Made a ton of money and everyone knew about it. When it came out on DVD, yeah, everyone bought it and it did drive sales of DVD players when they became ubiquitous and affordable because it HAD to be watched on digital. It wasn't one of those movies people discovered on DVD like Ronin and Boondock Saints and Office Space, etc. Even Bourne Identity, though it was a bit later, was a major DVD movie -- did okay at the box office but was HUGE on the DVD and rental market in 2003 at the height of the DVD era.

@puremercury 4 жыл бұрын

The Matrix was the one that got a lot of people to upgrade to a DVD player. I was in high school and working at Hollywood Video when that came out. It was a HUGE deal.

@uchidaoginome 3 жыл бұрын

Ronin is fantastic! The subtleties of the script...the way Mamet references the Cold War as, "The late unpleasantness." or when someone that betrays someone else says to them on the phone, "I'll find somewhere where I can tilt the field in my favor." Or how about when two people from the crew meet and one asks the other, "Are you labor or management?" And Mamet, under the pen name JD Zeik I believe, leaves one of his calling card lines in here too, so you know it's actually him. If you're a Mamet fan, you knew the line when you heard it. This movie is not just well-written, it's smartly directed! Not just the action scenes: the shot composition for scenes of the team simply walking a around Paris on reconnaissance or even sitting in their safehouse or hotel room talking let's you experience the actors being in the environment and any shot/reverse shot moments aren't cut to shit by some kid that used to edit music videos. No! Scenes are allowed to breathe, to live and there's even a few slyly funny moments in the script. This movie kept me on the edge of my theater seat and the plot and dialog popped as much as the action! I went to see it two days later and enjoyed it just as much. Classic!

@justaloe 4 жыл бұрын

"To Live and Die in LA" has a great car chase

@mainchannel1566 4 жыл бұрын

1:05:25 Ivana Miličević I knew who Bill was thinking of, but had to look up the name.

@michaelfowler3187 11 ай бұрын

The audio captured of the bmw is just amazing. I don't recall right now if it was the 535 or the m5 of that era but I recall it being one of the finest engine sounds ever recorded and so perfectly blended into the movie. Natasha looks stunning and bad ass driving it. Always thought the second Jason Bourne ripped off that scene a lot with the chase with the Range Rover or whatever - it was well done. The straight six never sounded better than in that 5 series bimmer

@sivtsevn 4 жыл бұрын

Yeap, 1998 was amazing year for movies

@styx7989 4 жыл бұрын

ronin have probably the best poursuit in a movie ever !

@johnnash297 4 жыл бұрын

Love this movie. This is Heat De Niro.

@jojoblanks9678 4 жыл бұрын

Love this movie

@michaelfowler3187 11 ай бұрын

Don't forget the suitcase swap in collateral which also has Jason Statham awright if it's on the menu

@mukainoda9453 3 жыл бұрын

Hollywood made lousy Fast and Furious 9 times ,why didn't make Ronin 's sequel ???

@bacardibum 2 жыл бұрын

i wish we could have gotten director commentary from movies in the 1930's-1960's

@petercofrancesco9812 2 жыл бұрын

I could never fully enjoy the car chase scene after a friend pointed out the cars flash their lights to communicate.

@vishishify 4 жыл бұрын

Didnt this movie come out in 1998?

@puremercury 4 жыл бұрын

The Teflon coating thing was an urban myth. The filmmakers got that wrong.

@howiemoth3847 5 ай бұрын

Car chases > Bullet '68 / French Connection '71 / To Live and Die in L.A. '85 / Ronin '98

@TomSchweda-wx4up 10 ай бұрын

I like this movie, De Niro definitely makes it.

@kwsturdivant Ай бұрын

First great DVD was What dreams may come with robin willliams

@vetoland92 4 жыл бұрын

Why wasn’t the Ferris Bueller pod uploaded?

@apachedisco 11 ай бұрын

The fight club commentary blew me away back then. Also Kevin Smith commentary I mean, come on!

@movietalker7388 4 жыл бұрын

Can u post the ferris Bueller one and also do one for Fletch? Thanks

@movietalker7388 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@19predator87 Жыл бұрын

I watched it first time and it was great 9/10

@pat7504 4 жыл бұрын

Natasha McElhone may be English but that is a truly dreadful attempt at a North of Ireland accent. Bill is so picky about Boston accents, which I suppose is understandable as that's where he grew up but he seems to think there have been 2 or 3 good Boston accents in any movie whereas any actor attempting an accent from anywhere else in the world did a bang up job!

@lilpenny1982 2 жыл бұрын

I love this movie

@ResevoirGod Ай бұрын

I feel like they missed an obvious unanswerable question. Does this movie take place in the same universe as Meet the Parents?

@ajsandhu7328 4 жыл бұрын

These rewatchables are really great. When oh when are you doing the Karate Kid? It's right up all your collective alley's.

@britt01 4 жыл бұрын

They did Karate Kid a few weeks ago.

@ajsandhu7328 4 жыл бұрын

@@britt01 Searched but couldn't find it.

@fatwalletboy2 4 жыл бұрын

Guys you need to cover "ALIENS".....👍 🎬🎬🎬

@movietalker7388 4 жыл бұрын

Do kiss of death and Fletch! Thanks!!

@rigsby1454 3 жыл бұрын

It just needs Charles Grodin

@mikesied 4 жыл бұрын

Pulp Fiction -- Apex mountain for suitcase movies. lol

@Anthonycheesman33 4 жыл бұрын

I always thought pitch black was the first DVD lol

@IbrahimHoldsForth Жыл бұрын

Eraser, haha

@erasmussen14 4 жыл бұрын

Self op nominee, "payback". Also, just a fantastic movie.

@rossl5908 3 жыл бұрын

Ronin was made 95 I thought. Great movie

@djd620 3 жыл бұрын

Did you guys not see To Live and Die in L.A.? Can't remember a wrong way on the freeway car chase scene? It's Friedkin FFS...remember him?

@SeymourDouglas 3 жыл бұрын

The apex for suitcase switches is not this movie. Frantic by Polanski with Harrison Ford easily takes that one.

@movietalker7388 4 жыл бұрын

Also 98 bulworth I think

@arthurbaker8703 3 жыл бұрын

I like Kiss of Death.

@puremercury 4 жыл бұрын

Natascha couldn't have been Jess in Made like Famke was, though.

@MrOctober44 Жыл бұрын

0:20 seconds

@blakewu1375 Ай бұрын

You guys claim to be such Heat fans, and yet you didn't notice that in Heat's final foot chase scene, Pacino was huffing and puffing so hard as he ran that you fear he might collapse with a heart attack, whereas De Niro was running easily, nice strides, perfect form? WHAT movie were you watching, man? You got it completely REVERSED!!! Go back and watch that scene again. It'd have been my nitpick for Heat, which I also love and worship, that based on their running, there was NO WAY IN HELL Pacino could've caught up to De Niro at LAX.

@shaggycan 4 жыл бұрын

PS Katerina Witt still a smoke show.

@johnnash297 4 жыл бұрын

What a machine of a body.

@aliasno.4andover644 Жыл бұрын

David Mamet's dialogue ruined it for me.

@omrr387 2 жыл бұрын

Funny how ive seen a lot of critics say this movie just has cool car chase scenes. When this movie is about two undercover agents working together to take down a criminal. When in the beginning of the movie you would think they are just there to get a pay check for a suitcase. De niro's and reno's characters knew each other all along and kept that a secret staying true to the way the CIA works. That alone makes this a great movie.

@IbrahimHoldsForth Жыл бұрын

didn't seem that way

@mjm5081 4 жыл бұрын

Greatest Car Chase Movies: 1. Bullitt 2. The French Connection 3. Driving Miss Daisy

@Bryan8329 3 жыл бұрын

Short Time

@uconnapharm 3 жыл бұрын

1) Bullitt ; 2) The French Connection ; 3) To LIve and Die in LA ; 4) The Seven-Ups ; 5) Ronin

@pl33 3 ай бұрын

Carrie?

@Sonic_MK7R 3 жыл бұрын

The movie is from 1998 clowns

@Anthonycheesman33 4 жыл бұрын

John wick steals from the raid not this movie lol

@TheyCallMeBruce13 4 жыл бұрын

John Wick pulls from a lot of eastern cinema. Sure The Raid, but I think John Wick is a lot more like a lot of John Woo's stuff. It's awesome, either way.

@SECRETARIATguy224 5 ай бұрын

Ronin isn't from 2000.

@ClaraMBreen 4 жыл бұрын

Dude, DVD was the future? What? Ronin DVD had pan and scan and widescreen....only DVD releases had that stupid shit (why would ANYONE want to own both?). Laserdiscs are just dismissed. Why? Because the two commentators never owned a player. You know what was released on laserdisc before Ronin? Star Wars the definitive collection with all three original star wars films unedited or how about the amazing criterion laserdiscs for both raging bull and taxi driver not to mention Fincher's Seven which had a settings so you could alter the contrast on the screen and experience the film the way that Khondji (the DP) and Fincher wanted to experience it. The lists goes on and on. You know why DVD's took over? Because they were smaller and you didn't have to turn them over in your player. That's it.

@asufluffhead Жыл бұрын

No, the movie just sucks and I wanted to like it for years and even owned it on VHS.

@at0mly 4 жыл бұрын

Come on Bill, Meet the Parents is trash and it's not even a little funny.

@athenian221 4 жыл бұрын

Well you're not allowed in the "Circle of Trust" then.mkay.

@btran213 Жыл бұрын

ur nuts its a classic

@josephamato2031 4 жыл бұрын

The car chase is the only thing people talk about. You guys need to pick real classics to talk about.

@woodside4life 4 жыл бұрын

Such as?

@ClaraMBreen 4 жыл бұрын

No, it isn't. The film has a couple of good car chases and a great cast. But, it's a mess.

@Byronik 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing cast. Lousy movie.

@MacaulayConnor 4 жыл бұрын

I've never considered this underrated. Three of the best car chases of all time are in this movie. Listen to the audio commentary, it is very educational and interesting.

@joemckim1183 4 жыл бұрын

A lot of great shootouts also. DeNiro with a bazooka was great.

@coling657 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. Definitely not an underrated movie. Some of the best acting in a movie and great writing.