A great movie that you can't just watch with one eye. It starts slow, laying a strong foundation, and if it's on TV, it's easy to get lost by not paying attention at the beginning. However, it's an outstanding film, exploring the characters with a huge action movie in the background.

It's visually interesting and doesn't ever let you know the things you think you need to know, but by the end you've forgotten that you wanted to know them in the first place. Robert DeNiro gives a strong performance and doesn't get lost in some of the showiness he can deliver when he's making up for a weaker story, and the supporting cast is full of familiar faces, many of which blend so well into the characters they play that, again, you can become lost in the story (although this time, it a good way).

The movie begins with a bunch of international mercenaries, five to be exact, gathering in a bistro in Paris Working only for money, their job was strictly to take intact a metal suitcase from several men-very well armed- who'll be intent on preventing them No information was given about its contents, value or purpose

An extraordinary cast of actors forms the group:

Robert De Niro, the ex-CIA agent and expert strategist; Jean Reno, the French mercenary; Stellan Skarsgard, the mysterious computer professional; Sean Bean, the ace field man; and Skipp Sudduth, the specialist in driving getaway cars

Dierdre (Natascha McElhone) is the icy Irishwoman who explains the mission, but she is not necessarily the one fully in charge It seems that the 'handler' who pulls the strings is an Irish fugitive called Seamus (Jonathan Pryce).

The film becomes tense and very exciting when one of the five members double-crosses the rest of the team, replacing the suitcase and leaving with the one they got Here appears a mysterious man- apparently in love with Natacha Kirilova played by Katarina Witt, the East German figure skater, 4-time world champion-interested in the suitcase

"Ronin" combines exotic European locations with the most sophisticated movie car chase ever filmed on a superhighway when McElhone takes her black BMW through the wrong lanes followed by De Niro in a blue FWD Peugeot

De Niro is great to watch as the tough Sam, who remains cool regardless of the peril of the operation Equally not susceptible to alarm are Skarsgard and Reno Natascha McElhone brings a chilling, glacial quality to the role of the forceful woman not afraid of anything

Frankenheimer doesn't recapture the intensity he once created in movies like "The Manchurian Candidate," and the "French Connection"

John Frankenheimer's 1998 action opus pretty much slipped under the radar on release – I'm lucky to find someone who's heard of it, let alone seen it. That's a real shame because this is definitely in the top five action movies of the last ten – maybe even twenty – years. Packed from beginning to end with twists, double-crosses, triple-crosses, tons of action from shoot-outs to car-chases, effortless cool and a great cast, this is a superb movie. David Mamet's uncredited influence is clear in some of the wicked spy stuff that De Niro indulges in – like the photographing, for instance – and the script crackles with electricity throughout. Sean Bean also turns in an extended cameo and has some brilliant fireworks with De Niro near the start – it's a definite shame that his character shortly disappears, never to be heard of again.

The film is set in France (and what with THE BOURNE IDENTITY, THE TRANSPORTER, and MAXIMUM RISK also being set in those shores, it's a safe bet that France is the place to be for any aspiring action flick) and deals with a band of hired men, required to retrieve a suitcase from unknown villains. Only problem, its heavily guarded and never leaves the wrist of an important businessman. Soon enough the film is chock full of shoot-outs at Roman ruins and two flamboyant, amazingly powerful car chases, full of stunts, incredible driving, and some quite brilliant smashes and pile-ups. The cast is great; De Niro doesn't seem to make an effort yet his charisma shines through, and this is my favourite performance of his even over the likes of TAXI DRIVER. Jean Reno is underused but effective. Add to this the beautiful but icy Natasha McElhone, the sinister-eyebrowed Pryce and a subdued turn from Starsgard as a businessman type, and you have a heck of a film well worth the watch. Extraordinarily underrated, this is one of my favourite action thrillers ever and one of the best films of the 1990s.