[.ca] Ransom

Amazon.com Essential Video:
When it comes to ramping up to vein-bursting levels of tormented anxiety, Mel Gibson has a kind of mainstream intensity that makes him perfect for his heroic-father role in director Ron Howard's child-kidnapping thriller. When you think of Ransom, you automatically think of the scene in which Mel reaches his boiling point and yells, "Give me back my son!" to the kidnapper on the other end of several torturous phone calls. Trapped in the middle of any parent's nightmare, Mel plays a self-made airline mogul whose son (played by Brawley Nolte, son of actor Nick Nolte) is abducted by a close-knit group of uptight kidnappers. But when a king's ransom is demanded for the child's safe return, Mel turns the tables and offers the ransom as reward money for anyone who provides information leading to the kidnappers' arrest. Thus begins a nerve-racking battle of wills and a test of the father's conviction to carry out a plan that could cost his son's life. The boy's mother (played by Rene Russo, reunited with Gibson after Lethal Weapon 3) disapproves of her husband's life-threatening gamble, and a seasoned FBI negotiator (Delroy Lindo) is equally fearful of disaster as the search for the kidnappers intensifies. Through it all, Howard maintains a level of nail-biting tension to match Gibson's desperate ploy, and the plot twists are just clever enough to cancel out the overwrought performances and manipulative screenplay. Ransom may not be as sophisticated as its glossy production design would suggest, but it's a thriller with above-average intelligence and an emotion-driven plot that couldn't be more urgent. Adding to the intensity is a superior supporting cast including Gary Sinise, Lili Taylor, and Liev Schreiber as the kidnappers, who demonstrate that even the tightest scheme can unravel under unexpected stress. Remade from a 1956 film starring Glenn Ford, Ransom is diluted by a few too many subplots, but as a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, it's a slick and satisfying example of Hollywood entertainment. --Jeff Shannon

loaded with suspense and tension (4.5.5):
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 a 4.5/5

Pass the time:
ENOUGH with the "cat and mouse" expression! Anyway, this is another "Hollywood" movie. Very unrealistic, many times during the movie you will be thinking "that would NEVER happen". The beginning of the movie we see dad and son play around, laugh, and and have fun, as if that is a typical every day for them. (Who hasn't seen that 20 times before?) This DVD was given a special edition, but I am unsure why. The featurette is boring, 3/4 of it are clips we've just seen from the movie. Overall, sure it's mildly entertaining if you can ignore how unbelievable it is.

Mercy:
Slick psychological thriller about the high-stakes cat-and-mouse game between a ruthless businessman and the kidnappers holding his son for ransom. Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) is the self-made head of a major airline who wears his aw-schucks affability like a suit of silk chain mail. When his boy (Brawley Nolte) is snatched by a gang of mercenary lowlifes, His true nature comes to the surface: Ignoring his tearful wife (Rene Russo) and the seasoned FBI agent (Delroy Lindo) assigned to the case, Mullen starts messing with the kidnappers, convicing that only he has the cojones to get his son back. Until the disappointingly conventional ending, in which the dad and the head baddie (Gary Sinise) go it mano a mano on the streets, this dark drama--based on a 1956 Glenn Ford picture of the same name--negotiates its narrative twists and turns with professional aplomb, even daring to make the hero an arrogant schmuck. As is often the case, the scumbags are far more interesting than the good guys, perhaps because they're not played by stars cocooned in suffocating personas.

MUDDY OLD NON-ANAMORPHIC DVD-DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!:
The order page describes this DVD was anamorphic widescreen. It is not. Amazon refuses to make things good. We definitely would not have bought it. Now, we're stuck with it after having sold our original copy for next to nothing. We would have rated this a zero but it wouldn't let us. Two thumbs down to Amazon. I think a class action suit is in order against a business that has no class where their orders are concerned.

MARVELOUS MEL-O-DRAMA:
RANSOM is probably Ron Howard's most fully realized film to date. Howard helms a tense, literate script, without letting its potential maudlin come through. Mel Gibson, who has "ruined" his career with the 350 million dollar+ gross of THE PASSION OF CHRIST (Notice tongue in cheek, folks) shows us what a powerfully commanding actor he can be. His role as the tortured, yet committed, father is beautifully performed. Mel doesn't parlay his looks into establishing his popularity. The Australian is a very good actor, and in some ways, has never been recognized for the fact. Rene Russo is amazing, too. Starting off in a cool, I've got things under control aura, she melts into a desperate, crazed, and passionate woman who loves her husband dearly, but can't believe he's risking their son's life. Gary Sinise once again brings a mercurial sense of villainy to his role as the mastermind behind the kidnapping, and his coldhearted murders only enforce his psychosis; Delroy Lindo as the head FBI agent gives a sturdy, tense and compassionate portrayal; Lili Taylor is devastating to watch as she crumbles under the pressure of her part in the kidnapping, but her cold hearted willignness to kill the little boy is frightening; Liv Schrieber and Donnie Wahlberg as the brothers are convincing, in view of their relatively little time on screen. I liked this film a lot because it touched my emotions in the way a thriller of this type should. Nail bitingly good, it's one of Gibson and Howard's best works.