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Outstanding suspense thriller

Ransom succeeds spectacularly in maintaining tension throughout when Mel Gibson and Rene Russo's son is kidnapped by Gary Sinise. The psychological confrontation between Gibson's character and Sinise's character is a marvel to behold. The only blemish on the film is the ending whose handling could've been improved. Nevertheless, outstanding performances from Gibson, Russo and Sinise highlight this Ron Howard project. Highly recommended, 9/10.

A superbly mounted drama from the Ron Howard files....

Director Ron Howard hit a bullseye with RANSOM, a taut and emotionally charged drama that will have you riveted to the screen thanks to a multi-textured story and some superb performances. This intense drama stars Mel Gibson as a self-made millionaire, owner of an airline, whose questionable methods in averting a strike at his airline, have indirectly led to the kidnapping of his son. Howard has a wonderful screenplay to work with where nothing is in black and white...the characters are three-dimensional here with personal agendas and hidden motivations that don't always match what their character is doing on the surface. Gibson's self-made millionaire is presented as a flawed human being who has made mistakes and is willing to admit their part in what has happened to his son and even the kidnappers aren't a cohesive unit...there is infighting and resentments among them and you're never sure if they're going to stay together and keep their eye on the prize. The screenplay brings us to what we think is the end of the story and we are left unsatisfied...or so we think. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat right to fade-out and the performances are flawless right down the line. This is one of Gibson's best performances and Rene Russo is strong and vulnerable as his wife. Gary Sinese delivers one of the slimiest villains to ever grace the silver screen as the highly intelligent but clearly evil kidnapper and Lili Taylor, Donnie Wahlberg, Evan Handler, and Liev Schrieber are quite unsettling as his crew, whose true allegiances are not always clear. Delroy Lindo also offers one of his best performances as the police officer assigned to the case and there's a brief but effective turn by Dan Hedaya as a con Gibson thinks might be responsible. Brawley Nolte, real-life son of actor Nick Nolte, plays the victim of the kidnapping. An Americanized version of a French film, this was a triumph for director Ron Howard and everyone involved. Everything works here.

give me back my son!

That lines sums up Ransom not because it's a great movie but because once youve seen it once and enjoyed it, chances are when you watch it again you wont like it. I liked Ransom when it first came out and I bought Gibson and Russo's emotions as the worried parents but this movie could have been told in 70 minutes. Billy Corgan's techno score brings life into the film. It's just too talky, ok Mel Gibson you want your son back and are willing to pay anyhing...ok give the man his kid back so this movie can end. A few memorable scenes are scattered along and there are signs of charisma in the actors but once youre finished watching this you dontknow what to think. I would recommend it just for a decent thriller. Sinise does good support work as a corrupt cop. I think Ranson tries to be more of an epic than it really is. I want to give this movie a *** because it doesnt entirely suck but I think if I popped this in the VCR right now, I'd turn it off. Once is all you need. **1/2

Ron and Mel Deliver the Goods

Ron Howard and his team have crafted a polished, tight thriller that squarely hits its mark, and I strongly recommend this as a rental. Mel and Rene deliver the dramatic goods as expected, but an unexpected high point is the Gary Sinese portrayal of a corrupt police detective and mastermind of the kidnapping. (This is not a spoiler since all the protagonists are exposed very early in the movie, a device which is required as the course of the kidnapping progresses).Caveat: Even though you know in your heart of hearts that Ron and Mel will ensure that some form of justice prevails, the scenes with the kidnapped child may be too intense for younger viewers.

Suspenseful, but too long

Some nice twists, and they are needed, because this somewhat dated thriller seems almost over about 20 minutes into it. Then the twists begin to kick in. Still, it could have used a trim. Mel is a little over the top. I can't watch anything by him now without thinking of his anti-Semitic rant. You'll be entertained by this, but you won't learn anything about anything. Also, the formatting has NOT been updated for today's wide screen TVs. In fact, it's got black lines on all four sides, not just left and right.

Not the sum of its parts

There is a lot of talent that went in to this movie. The cast is nothing to sneeze at and they do a fine job, the production is first rate and all of the elements of suspense are there. The trouble is the story itself was flat. I thought Mel Gibson, the bare knuckled business builder was going to use his wits to fight the bad guys. That major advertised premise is only a dinky part of the story. The bad guys did not seem that bad (except for Gary Sinese, they seemed kinda doofy to me) and my disbelief could not be suspended as much as the movie demanded. I'm not giving anything away here, but starting with the scene when somebody comes by to collect their reward, you know that a key screenwriter quit and a bunch of others were hired to finish this movie.

Sharks vs. Hacks

Bottom line to this flick is: "Better businessmen do better business". The evil protagonist in this yarn (Sinise), in the final analysis, can't do good business with the pro (Gibson). The dirty cop fancies himself a shark who has been limited in his station by the breaks. Clouded by his inferiority and hatred of his class, this loser simply can't keep up with the Trump-like entrepreneur who finally sees the game for what it is and out-does his adversary. Personal weakness and self-loathing have driven the self-styled "master criminal" to his actions in the first place. Money is just a way to keep score.Gibson, on the other hand, would just as soon have closed the deal in the first place. When he clears the fog and the emotional "baggage" of his son, his business instincts take over and he pretty much mops the floor with the amateur. Kind of a metaphor for why the world works the way it does.It is both maddening and a mark of class distinction to the villain that, from a monetary standpoint, this is no big thing for Gibson, apart from the personal issues.This should be a message to those want to play with the big boys: your opponent didn't get there for nothing.

Good thriller with entertaining storyline.

An enjoyable thriller, which spins a change on the normal kidnapping story. I think Rene Russo and Brawley Nolte had magnificent preformances in this film. However I thought that Mel Gibson at times over acted a bit. I am a fan of Mel Gibson by the way.

Overall though this is an entertaining film that is well worth watching.

loaded with suspense and tension

i liked this movie.it has some edge of your seat moments,and great acting.while the acting is credible,i'm not sure how realistic the actions of some of the characters are.there is a twist which i figured out right away,the first time i watched it.i think that's because it just seemed so obvious.nevertheless,the movie fun is fun,and thrilling,and action packed right to the end.Mel Gibson puts in a strong performance as does Gary Sinise.Rene Russo is also good,but has a small role.i also liked Delroy Lindo.i thought he was good in his role.interestingly,the Laser disc version of the film is 139 minutes,according to this site,while this version is only 121 minutes.i'm curious about the missing 17 minutes.anyway,for me,Ransom is an 8.5/10

Not as good as I expected

I also felt the story fell flat! There was so much hype about this movie. I think the acting was fine, and as a mother, my heart went out to the parents of the kidnapped child and I thought the movie showed a realistic view of what I imagine kidnappers might do to their victim. I, like another viewer, felt like Mel Gibson's character should have used his wits to battle these evil beings, rather than being the somewhat "wishy-washy" character he was. It just wasn't one of my favorites movies.

Where's the director's cut?

How can this be a special edition when they didn't bother to include the director's cut of the film? They released it on the Ransom laserdisc years ago with an extra 18 minutes added back into the film. With so many studios re-releasing movies left and right these days, maybe we'll see a another special edition of Ransom come out in the future...this time done right. With any luck it will include the director's cut that so many fans of the film want on DVD.

gripping and different

Ransom is not just another everyday action flick, this is an excellent portrayal of a man who feels his accumulated power faceless in a bizarre situation. Mel Gibson as the business tycoon who will break but not bend, gives off a brilliant performance. rene russo again scintillates in the role of the mother torn.the movie is gripping and strangely, very believable. the credit for this must go to mel gibson for being so convincing. he shows why he is one of the best actors today.the movie will appeal to viewers who like their movies fast paced and with a lot of action, but at the same time with a good plot, intelligent script and credible action. this is a rare, intelligent action-thriller, where the discerning viewer is not insulted.a credible 8!

Opie gets gritty 8/10

Old reliable Gibson stars in this slick, glossy, marginally predictable thriller by Ron Howard. Ransom will not have you on the edge of your seat, because you know NOTHING is going to happen to the kid. That doesn't stop this film from being entertaining. Mel Gibson portrays the abducted child's father nicely; making up for Russo's embarrassing screaming scenes.The supporting cast keeps this film moving, with Delroy Lindo and Gary Sinse adding a nice flavor to the film. The last 30 minutes, are what make Ransom a memorable Hollywood thriller.

Average

Mel Gibson could hardly resist doing this picture since it not only amounts to a vehicle for him, but is exactly the kind of slightly off-beat but heroic part that he likes (cf., Conspiracy Theory 1997). He does a good job although his tendency to overact is not under consistent directorial control. But Ron Howard directing Mel Gibson is a bit like Spike Lee directing Danny DeVito. (Huh?) Or how about Oprah Winfrey directing Whoopie Goldberg? Or, John Wayne directing Clint Eastwood?

Gary Sinise as Jimmy Shaker, a cop gone not just bad, but sleazy psycho bad, also does a good job although just why he is such a sickie and why nobody noticed before is not developed or even explained. Rene Russo does her best (alas) as the suffering wife and mother condemned to a dreary role of one dimension. I was thinking, how about some creative casting? Instead of Lili Taylor as the bad girl, how about having her play Gibson's trophy wife and make Russo the girl gone bad? Taylor is talented enough to pull it off with panache and Russo would be an arresting sight among the degenerates.

Ron Howard clearly worked hard to hi-tech the old ransom plot with cell phones and cell phone tracers, infrared goggles, voice-distorters, helicopters and electronic homing devices. He provides plenty of shoot 'em up and gives the tale a twist with Gibson challenging the kidnappers. He also affords us a lot of satisfying revenge stuff at the end.

I do have a couple of questions though. Was his portrait of the FBI inspired by the real life FBI's fine work at Ruby Ridge and Waco? I mean at no time in this movie did the FBI do anything positive. I'm not crazy about today's FBI anymore than anyone else, but was this a fair and realistic take on how they might handle such a case? Also what was police detective Jimmy Shaker's motivation for the kidnapping in the first place? After x number of years on the force he suddenly gets a yen for a lot of money and balmy climes? Finally why doesn't he just take his cleverly and murderously earned reward a couple of days down the road instead of showing up prematurely at the Mullen place and giving himself away?

Bottom line: this picks up after a slow beginning, and there's some clever business along the way, but don't examine it too closely.

my DVD was stolen

I'm not sure about this particular DVD because after it was delivered to my house, someone took it. I didn't even get to open or watch the movie. I've seen it through borrowing from people or libraries-it's one of my favorite MEL GIBSON movies.

Awesome Thriller

Ransom is one of those few thriller's that actually works. Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) is a multi-millionaire with a loving family. Everything seems perfect in his life until his son is kidnapped. Tom is ordered by a anonymous kidnapper (Gary Sinise) to pay 2 million dollars to get him back. Tom cooperates with the police at first until the transaction is interrupted by FBI agents and the pick up man is killed. Now, Tom knows that if he pays the money, his son will be killed and must outsmart the kidnappers and get his son back.Mel Gibson does an excellent acting job, bringing both emotion and thought to his character. Rene Russo (Kate Mullen) is a bit wasted but still does what she can. . The plot is pretty good, a few holes here and there but all in all strong. Gary Sinise shows how versatile he truly is. He is cynical and disturbing as the lead kidnapper and will keep you guessing what he may do next. To me, he is one of the scarriest villains in a thriller I've seen. The plot is quite strong in my opinion and will keep u guessing until the very end.A few plot twists and a dark story line keeps it going and makes it a worth see.Ransom. Starring: Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo, and Lili Taylor. 4 out of 5 Stars.

One of the best thrillers I ever saw

Mel Gibson outdid himself in this great action drama. The suspense never let up for a second as the bad guys kept up with their threats and demands. I can't think of a better actor for the chief of the evil crew than Gary Sinise; his portrayal of a demented sociopath was sterling. In fact the acting was so good that I sometimes became a part of the play. The ending of the show played out perfectly with much realism. Seldom have I been this impressed with a film. As usual Gibson is flawless.

Great

This movie was wonderful. It was captivating I started to wash and could not take my eyes off. I called a friend to make sure she was washing it. It kept you on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next. Mel Gibson always play in some good movies.

Ransom (1996)

Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Brawley Nolte, Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo, Lili Taylor, Liev Schreiber, Donnie Wahlberg.
Running Time: 139 minutes
Rated R for graphic, bloody violence and strong language.

"Ransom" is yet another Hollywood extravaganza movie about the terrors of the crime of kidnapping - with a twist. Ron Howard ("Apollo 13", "A Beautiful Mind") directs this, for the most part, gripping story with propulsion and the ability to gain nuanced performances from a disparate cast. The result is a tightly wound spring that coils tensely until the last fifteen minutes when the film explodes. Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) is a wealthy man with a strong willed wife Kate (Rene Russo) and a son Sean (Brawley Nolte, son of actor Nick Nolte). When Sean is kidnapped by an estranged detective named Jimmy Shaker (Gary Sinise) and ransom is demanded, Tom goes before national TV audiences and doubles the ransom demand for a bounty on Shaker's life. How this turn of events of a kidnapper becoming the victim and the resolution of the kidnapping that results is the gist of the story: it is the struggle of good versus evil, citizen versus police, and calling the bluff of a dangerous man for the sake of a father saving his child.

Gibson does well as the torn father, though director Howard allows him to go a bit over the edge, acting wise. The real shiner of this film is Gary Sinise who continues to impress with the facility with which he moves through varied character parts. Russo is moderately enjoyable as the supportive wife at the side of her husband, yet Delroy Lindo is the most explosive of the excellent supporting cast (featuring Liev Schriber, Donnie Walhberg, and Lili Taylor) as the detective hot on the case. Ron Howard is clearly a director with talent and this is a cracking story, deserving of a modern update (it was originally made in the Fifties). He draws a fine performance from his cast and keeps the film exciting and taunt. Ransom, despite its flaws, is well worth checking out even if it is only to remember Gibson's good old days before he became an over-ambitious director with delusions of religious grandeur. A good cat and mouse tale that has at its core the heinous crime of kidnapping, police corruption, and family devotion.

Ransom...

...is undoubtably one of the best movies ever made. It has some of the finest acting that i've ever seen. Ron Howard did a great job directing this movie. The script is excellent: the dialogue is very good and it's very suspenseful. I have seen this movie countless times and think everyone should see it. It's a masterpiece.