Weekend Movie Recommendation: Chrischi's Choice
This week, I wanna spill the beans on an iconic espionage thriller that turned heads in the '90s. "Rogue Ops - Everyone Has Their Price" is a swan song by director John Frankenheimer, starring heavy-hitters Robert De Niro and Jean Reno. Let me break down why this flick's worth your time.
The '90s were a golden era for Robert De Niro, churning out timeless classics such as "GoodFellas - Three Decades in the Mob," "Cape Fear," "Awakenings," "Heat," "Casino," "Copland," and more. While "Rogue Ops - Everyone Has Their Price," directed by John Frankenheimer, might not have made a splash at the box office, this old-school thriller earned rave reviews and became a cult classic on home video.
In Rogue Ops, we have our modern-day rōnin, masterless Japanese samurai who roamed the country for hire. In this film, five men, hired by the enigmatic Deirdre (Natascha McElhone) for an unnamed employer, search for a briefcase from a French crime syndicate. They're a motley crew of former agents with questionable pasts, no longer needed after the Cold War ended. Strategy guru De Niro, organizational wiz Jean Reno, tech genius Stellan Skarsgård, weaponry specialist Sean Bean, and driver Skipp Sudduth make up the team. All were recommended by a wheelchair-bound man.
Before the chase for the legendary briefcase kicks off, they need weapons – and a risky deal gone awry nearly gets them killed. Tensions rise not just from the chase but also from within the group, as one member betrays the others and steals the briefcase, sparking a dangerous, pulse-pounding pursuit through the labyrinthine streets of Nice.
It's a shame that "Rogue Ops" didn't set the world on fire at the box office, but that had more to do with contemporary audiences' love for blockbusters than the quality of the film. In 1998, the Michael Bay flick "Armageddon - Judgment Day" snagged the top spot at the worldwide box office. Who could blame a spy thriller with influences from Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski for getting lost in the shuffle?
In reality, this nail-biting game of cat and mouse – with no one trusting anyone and our modern-day rōnin chasing after a MacGuffin against the breathtaking backdrop of France – was the best the big screen had to offer in 1998. I wouldn't hesitate to say it's John Frankenheimer's best work since "French Connection II," also set in France.
The pace is relentless, the acting is top-notch (De Niro was never cooler in "Heat"), and the action, once it kicks off, is explosive. Pursuit scenes, like the one where rivals engage in a high-speed chase during rush hour in Nice, will likely never be captured on film again. The action here is real, and you can feel it while watching. Frankenheimer knew how to capture stunning visuals and build suspense. In a nutshell: "Rogue Ops" is a kick-ass film!
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- Despite not being a commercial success, "Rogue Ops - Everyone Has Their Price" has since become a cult classic in the realm of entertainment, showcasing its lasting impact in movies-and-tv.
- As a fan of classic espionage thrillers, it's hard to argue against the entertainment value of "Rogue Ops - Everyone Has Their Price," with its intricate plot, stellar cast, and nail-biting action that puts it on par with the best in the movies-and-tv industry.
