Editorial Reviews and
DVD Information about
Ransom (Special Edition)
Product Description
When a wealthy executive's son is kidnapped, he takes matters into his own hands in an effort to rescue the boy.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 10-JAN-2006
Media Type: DVD
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
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Customer Reviews for
Ransom (Special Edition)
Wow!!
Ok, not too many times does a movie come along and have me wondering what the heck is going on.
RANSOM took me by surprise. Yes, it's a contrived "we have your kid, you want him back, you pay" plot and storyline. But, it's how it is played out that makes this movie good entertainment.
Now, no "fictional" movie is ever going to depict real life. But, suspend the "reality" for the movie and you go along for a wild ride. Tom Mullen (Gibson) is an airline executive, built the company from the ground-up, and will do anything to protect it. Kate (Russo) is his wife, who obviously has seen the ups and downs of their life, but has honored her "for better for worse" marriage vows. Then, they have a talented and bright child Sean (Brawley Nolte) who isn't too neglected and seems to have adequate child/parent time with each parent.
In what we should expect to happen, does indeed happen, the child is taken for ransom. But, it's in the how and the who that really grips us. He is taken from a public place which shows the kidnappers as thumbing their nose under everyone, and shows us we are too complacent in our feelings of security in public places, even during the day.
Det. Jimmy Shaker (Sinise) is the ring-leader, and I think his identity coming out sooner is to me part of the whole riddle and scheme of the movie, after all, he has no motive....well he does, but we will get to that later. He seems to be functionally insane. He can function in public, do his job and then he's a psycho on top of it all. How else can you do what he did??
After a botched "money drop" attempt, Mullen finds himself in a situation where he ponders "would paying the money really insure my son's safe return"? And he's right. We know it wouldn't. And he attempts to convince his wife that it's not about the money, it's about getting their son back alive. Once the kidnapper has their money, they have no reassurance if the boy will come back alive, which is the whole point behind paying the ransom, now isn't it?
So... since it's all about money, why not turn it into a bounty? Which is what Mullen does. Who wouldn't turn in someone they know for $2 million? Which is what he is counting on, and Shaker didn't. Now Shaker has to keep calm (which he can't do, since his scheme is coming apart at the seems along with everyone he's around) and he's going beserk, while everyone else is trying to abandon the plan.
And Shaker doesn't like people "bailing" on him. Can anyone say "psycho"?
Shaker decides to give in, and gives the child back alive, killing all his co-horts in the process. But, it's when his greed gets the better of him he gets found out. Had he followed the plan, likely he would have been sipping margaritas in Mexico, but he had to have to money early and pays the ultimate price. Apparently his meds didn't kick in to save his brain or his life.
Yes, Mel Gibson might have over-acted as the father. But since it's fiction who are we to argue with that? I did enjoy the balcony scene where for a moment we thought he was going to jump. After all, he thought he'd killed his son. I was hoping he wouldn't jump, then again Shaker wouldn't have won either, but it didn't happen, which was a good thing.
Rene Russo was wonderful as the mother, she had a more realistic charm in the role, but likely wouldn't have faired as well against Sinise.
Gary Sinise was wonderful in the movie as far as the crazy bad guy. He stands out more so in the movie since you're wondering what the heck set this guy off. He can play bad guys just as well as good guys (which is why I just love him in CSI: NY).
As Shaker is talking/rambling on, we realize one thing, the motive. He wonderfully explains his motive--he saw criminals everyday getting off by buying their way out of trouble. Mullen had recently done so with the Jackie Brown deal. Since Mullen didn't mind paying to stay out of jail/prison, then why not pay to get his son back?
Brawley Nolte did a wonderful job as Sean, and it does tug at your heartstrings to see how he was treated and then when he recognizes his kidnapper's voice.
Donnie Wahlberg did a wonderful job as the only friend the kid seemed to have in the whole ordeal, and made him a promise that was eventually carried out.
The rest of the cast were wonderful, and I wish I could remember all the actors in this movie.
The FBI were portrayed as neutral, they were trying to help the Mullens get their son back, while the father decided to take things into his own hands. At least it stayed away from "the FBI saved the day" plot. The movie played out on it's own, and could have been directed by anyone. The cast seemed to compliment each other.
If you have DVR (and you're not paying any extra to record it), record it from a movie channel once, if you like buy it; if not, then save the money, and delete.
I for one, am going to get the DVD.Ransom (Special Edition)
More Meat Than the 1956 Original
The year Mel Gibson was born, Glenn Ford and Donna Reed had the roles of frantic parents dealing with the abduction of their son.
The original 1956 film version of "Ransom" was of its time, complete with docile Bible quoting servants and a mother who, while periodically confrontational with those working on the case, remains upstairs and in bed under sedation for most of the time, and the kidnappers remain unseen.
But this impressive 1996 remake is very much of its time, too, and as Tom and Kate Mullen (Mel Gibson and Renee Russo), and airline executive and a former High School Science teacher,we come to view a more complex couple, and we see how a shady business deal by someone who is supposed to be viewed as a "good guy" has led to the incident related in this story.
As young Sean Mullen, Brawley Nolte is a typical nine-year-old with an independent spirit. Abducted while at a science fair over which his mother presides, he spends much of the film bound, and blindfolded with Heavy Metal music as the main sound he hears while lying on a mattress in a dark room, occasionally being pulled into a sitting position by his captors, and making only one attempt to fight back.
In trying to retrive her son, Renee Russo is more than just a mom who lies upstairs under sedation, but as might any modern woman in the same situation, takes a more active role in retrieving her son, even confronting the kidnapper and taking a few hard knocks along the way.
Delroy Lindo's Lonnie Hawkins leads the team of FBI agents working on the case in the Mullen's apartment. He monitors Tom Mullen's confrontation with an incarcerated mobster named Jackie Brown(Dan Hedaya), a suspect in the kidnapping, and a botched attempt at a money drop before having to really steel himself to deal with Mullen's most dramatic act of sabotage: Going on network TV to announce that the $2 million ransom will now become a bounty on the kidnapper's head. From there, the drama escalates.
Gary Sinese plays the devious Detective Jimmy Shaker, Lili Taylor is his conflicted lover, Maris Conner, who has a connection to the Mullens. Liev Schreiber and Donnie Wahlberg play Clark and Cubby Barnes, Evan Handler is Miles Roberts, and Iraida Polanco is the Mullens' not-so-docile housekeeper, Fatima, who lends a little assistance with the case.
Under Ron Howard's skillful direction, the 1950s censorship codes are lifted and viewers are presented with an intense gritty, realistic, and ultimately satisfactory drama.Ransom (Special Edition)
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 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 apparently 139
minutes,,while the DVD version is only 121
minutes.i'm curious about the missing 17 minutes.anyway,for me,Ransom
is an 4.5/5Ransom (Special Edition)
Great movie holds up after previous viewings
Ransom rates as one of the best psychological thrillers. Everything meshes: plot, pacing, and acting. Some reviewers believe Mel Gibson overacted, but they forget that his character was a flamboyant airline entrepreneur, so I believe Mel Gibson was on the money. Even on second viewing, the movie was suspenseful, which one cannot say about most movies with surprise plot twists.
Other reviewers whined about the lack of 16:9 support or anamorphic formatting or whatever. I don't think any of them know what they are writing about. The movie was widescreen at a 16:9 ratio which perfectly filled my SONY WEGA HD widescreen TV. Video quality was excellent, with no pixellation or artifacts. Audio was good with a nice balance among music track, background sound, and voices.Ransom (Special Edition)
Good drama
I have been trying to get this on DVD. I have it on VHS, but the tape was starting to dry out. I have always enjoyed Mel Gibson in all his movies. When I first viewed this movie several years ago, the twist in the plot was unexpected. Good writers and directing.Ransom (Special Edition)
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