Skip to main content

RONIN Blu-ray Review



RONIN. Noun, historical. A samurai who no longer serves a daimyo, or feudal lord.

From director John Frankenheimer (SEVEN DAYS IN MAY, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE) comes RONIN, a pulse-pounding, action-packed crime thriller featuring an all-star cast headlined by Robert De Niro (TAXI DRIVER, HEAT) and Jean Reno (LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL).

On a rain-swept night in Paris, an international crack team of professional thieves assembles, summoned by a shady crime syndicate fronted by the enigmatic Deirdre (Natascha McElhone, The Devil's Own). Their mission: to steal a heavily guarded briefcase from armed mobsters, its contents undisclosed. But what begins as a routine heist soon spirals into chaos, with the group beset by a series of double-crosses and constantly shifting allegiances, and it falls to world-weary former CIA strategist Sam (De Niro) and laconic Frenchman Vincent (Reno) to hold the mission together.

A latter-day return to form for Frankenheimer, the film evokes the same gritty milieu as classic 70s crime fare like The French Connection, in addition to anticipating the early 21st century trend towards more grounded, realistic action movies, exemplified by the likes of the Bourne franchise.

Arrow Video is proud to present Ronin in a brand new, cinematographer-approved 4K restoration, allowing this jewel in the crown of 90s thriller cinema to shine like never before.



FEATURES

- Brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative produced by Arrow Video exclusively for this release, supervised and approved by director of photography Robert Fraisse
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p)
- Original English 5.1 audio (lossless on the Blu-ray Disc)
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio commentary by director John Frankenheimer
- Brand new video interview with director of photography Robert Fraisse
- Paul Joyce documentary on Robert De Niro
- Ronin: Filming in the Fast Lane, an archival behind-the-scenes featurette
- Through the Lens, an archival interview with Robert Fraisse
- The Driving of Ronin, an archival featurette on the film's legendary car stunts
- Natascha McElhone: An Actor's Process, an archival interview with the actress
- Composing the Ronin Score, an archival interview with composer Elia Cmiral
- In the Ronin Cutting Room, an archival interview with editor Tony Gibbs
- Venice Film Festival interviews with Robert De Niro, Jean Reno and Natascha McElhone
- Alternate ending
- Theatrical trailer
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacob Phillips

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet illustrated by Chris Malbon, featuring new writing on the film by critic Travis Crawford

SPECS
Format: BLU-RAY
SKU: AV098
UPC: 760137035381
Street Date: 08/29/17
PreBook Date: 07/11/17
Label: Arrow Video »
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run Time: 122 mins
Number of Discs: 2
Audio: STEREO
Year of Production: 1998
Director: John Frankenheimer
Actors: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno
Territory: US
Language: English
SRP: $39.95

Pre-order at MVDshop.com or on Amazon

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Explaining the Ending of MULHOLLAND DRIVE

David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive remains one of the most haunting and enigmatic films ever made. It operates like a riddle that refuses to be solved, luring the viewer into a world where time, memory, and identity dissolve into one another. What begins as a mysterious, almost whimsical Hollywood fairy tale gradually transforms into a psychological nightmare. By the end, it’s clear that what we’ve been watching is not a mystery to be unraveled but an emotional landscape, the mind of a woman caught between fantasy and despair. The film tells the story of two women, Betty Elms and Rita, whose lives intertwine after Rita survives a car crash and loses her memory. Betty, a bright and optimistic aspiring actress freshly arrived in Los Angeles, takes her in. Together, they embark on an investigation into Rita’s identity, which unfolds like a noir detective story bathed in dreamlike light. Everything about this world feels heightened: Betty’s charm, the coincidence of events, and the ease with w...

Explaining the Ending of No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men is a tense, spare, and philosophical thriller that upends traditional narrative expectations. While it contains the elements of a crime drama—drug deals, hitmen, shootouts—it refuses to follow a conventional path. By the time the film ends, the central conflict seems unresolved, the villain walks away, and the protagonist we’ve been following disappears offscreen. To understand the film’s ending, one must look beyond plot and consider its themes: fate, violence, moral decay, and the erosion of order in the modern world. The Narrative Setup The story begins with Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a Vietnam veteran who discovers a drug deal gone wrong in the Texas desert and makes off with $2 million in cash. Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a remorseless hitman, is sent to retrieve the money. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), a weary and introspective lawman, tries to make sense of the violence unfolding around him. At first glance, the film appears to set up a c...

Dracula (2026) Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Plot Details

Dracula (2026) Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Plot Details Vertical has officially announced that DRACULA (2026), the latest reimagining of the iconic vampire myth, will be released exclusively in theaters nationwide on February 6, 2026. Written, directed, and produced by visionary filmmaker Luc Besson, the film promises a dark, operatic take on one of cinema’s most enduring legends. Dracula (2026) Cast and Creative Team Besson’s Dracula (2026) stars Caleb Landry Jones in the title role, joined by an impressive ensemble that includes Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu, Guillaume de Tonquedec, Matilda De Angelis, Ewens Abid, and Raphael Luce. The film is executive produced by Mark Canton, Dorothy Canton, Ryan Winterstern, and Philippe Corrot, further cementing the project as a major cinematic event. Dracula (2026) Plot Synopsis Set against the brutal backdrop of the 15th century, Dracula (2026) begins with profound personal tragedy. After witnessing the savage murder of his beloved wife (Zoë B...