Kidnappers snatch the son of multi millionaire airline magnate Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) and demand $2 million ransom for the boys return. Initially it seems a straight forward case of pay the money and all will be well. But with a murky incident from his past hanging heavy on his shoulders, and an overriding feeling that no matter what he does, his son will not be returned alive, Mullen turns the tables on the kidnappers. He instead now offers the ransom money as a bounty reward to anyone who finds the kidnappers, dead or alive.
Perhaps with Ron Howard in the directing chair it's no surprise to find that the premise here is toweringly safe. To a parent the snatching of ones offspring is the worst nightmare imaginable. Thus armed with a considerable Hollywood budget and a cast list not to be sniffed at for any big production, Ransom ultimately ends up as a hugely efficient thriller guaranteed to keep sane adults interested. But it really should have been so much more, for although Howard does a stand up professional job, both he and his writers are guilty of not pushing it a bit further to keep the viewers perched firmly on the edge of their seats. What saves Ransom from a standard script devoid of some much needed jolts, is the absorbing performances of Gibson as the stricken and conflicted Mullen, and Gary Sinise as the snarly on the edge kidnapping kingpin, Jimmy Shaker. Their cat and mouse game, in either direction, gives the film its dramatic edge. For although the exasperation that comes from other quarters, Rene Russo's fraught wife and mother-Delroy Lindo's (excellent) FBI team leader; does need to be played out; as does the switch back and forth to the falling apart dummies in the kidnap gang, a film of this type needs serious drama. Thankfully then, that comes in spades from Gibbo and Gary.
A great concept that is executed with almost mechanical precision from some of Hollywood's go to film makers. It just lacks a darker edge that the premise had promised, particularly in a rather redundant final reel. Still it's got some tough scenes {Gibson possibly doing the best show of believable male grief in the 90s} and its lead characters are never less than intriguing. 7/10
Perhaps with Ron Howard in the directing chair it's no surprise to find that the premise here is toweringly safe. To a parent the snatching of ones offspring is the worst nightmare imaginable. Thus armed with a considerable Hollywood budget and a cast list not to be sniffed at for any big production, Ransom ultimately ends up as a hugely efficient thriller guaranteed to keep sane adults interested. But it really should have been so much more, for although Howard does a stand up professional job, both he and his writers are guilty of not pushing it a bit further to keep the viewers perched firmly on the edge of their seats. What saves Ransom from a standard script devoid of some much needed jolts, is the absorbing performances of Gibson as the stricken and conflicted Mullen, and Gary Sinise as the snarly on the edge kidnapping kingpin, Jimmy Shaker. Their cat and mouse game, in either direction, gives the film its dramatic edge. For although the exasperation that comes from other quarters, Rene Russo's fraught wife and mother-Delroy Lindo's (excellent) FBI team leader; does need to be played out; as does the switch back and forth to the falling apart dummies in the kidnap gang, a film of this type needs serious drama. Thankfully then, that comes in spades from Gibbo and Gary.
A great concept that is executed with almost mechanical precision from some of Hollywood's go to film makers. It just lacks a darker edge that the premise had promised, particularly in a rather redundant final reel. Still it's got some tough scenes {Gibson possibly doing the best show of believable male grief in the 90s} and its lead characters are never less than intriguing. 7/10