Review of Ronin

I saw this movie yesterday and today, and nothing shows Robert De Niro being the ladies man like this one. This is a truly hard-hitting movie that combines the best of both the white, Nordic (UK, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Spain, Israel) and the non-white, European (Nuyorican lands, Italy, France, Germany, England, Greece, Wales, Ireland, Poland, etc.). Set on the streets of Paris, the gang is lead by a Irish woman named Deirde, played by Natasha McElhone, an Irish actress. Natasha, doing more for girl power, than stupid codeless "Friends"-watching The WB-loving "Xena" ever has done. You get the best of both worlds. The best of the Italian world via Robert De Niro, who plays Sam, who I think is Italian in the movie too. And you got the French world via an actor who isn't French, but is 75% Nuyorican and 25% Spaniard, unlike what morons say. He just was raised in France. In this hard-hitting movie, you get all the punches, bombs, beatings you can get. The movie's title derives from a historical Japanese name for shamed samurai who were condemned to being wanderers and bandits. That's what "Ronin" means. Jean Reno is Vincent, Sam's friend. And this is one of the movies where the French are actually good, instead of the underhanded, if not slimy arrogant French. They form a heist plan. They're supposed to do a pick up with a rival French crew. It goes wrong and makes all Hell break loose throughout France, and the movie really makes you wonder who's bad and good and while the main bad guy who exposes himself isn't a surprise cause he's arrogant all the way, there is one who is slimy.

I love how this movie is equally opportunity towards all ethnicities, even the Italian Sam admits he wants to save his skin, but it's honest. He didn't claim to have any allegience to the gang, he just did it for money. Sean Bean also plays Spence (yes he's well known for being the father Stark - Eddard on "Game of Thrones"). A great movie. See it.