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Ransom

Play trailer Poster for Ransom R Released Nov 8, 1996 2h 0m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
74% Tomatometer 74 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Through a life of hard work, airline owner Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) has amassed a great deal of wealth. When a group of criminals want a piece of his cash, they kidnap his son (Brawley Nolte) for a $2 million ransom. Encouraged by his wife (Rene Russo) and an FBI agent (Delroy Lindo), Tom prepares to pay the money, but the ransom drop goes awry. Enraged, Tom decides to turn the tables on the kidnappers by making the ransom a bounty on their heads -- which he announces on national television.
Ransom

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Directed with propulsive intensity by Ron Howard, Ransom is a fiery thriller packed with hot-blooded performances and jolting twists.

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Critics Reviews

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Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune The special nature of this story is its many climaxes that border on false endings and also how Gibson's character responds to the ransom demand of $2 million.... it is Gibson who sells us on it and sells it well. Rated: 3/4 Jan 22, 2014 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post There are more climaxes in here than in a Swedish blue movie. This is not to say you won't be thrilled, charged up and put through the ringer at times, but your intelligence will need to be shoved under your seat like warm, flat soda. Jan 22, 2014 Full Review Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer That's interesting stuff, but it doesn't play out with a lot of smarts. And the opportunity to end Ransom on a creepy note of unpredictability is forsaken for the usual glass-shattering, bullets-flying finale. Rated: 2.5/4 Jan 22, 2014 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault The movie, quite unavoidably, becomes "Guys With Phones." Rated: C Sep 1, 2022 Full Review Sheila Reid Women in the Life The result is a riveting 121 minute ride. May 16, 2022 Full Review PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro The sheer plethora of silly plot holes and nonsensical moments does sort of ebb away at one's suspension of disbelief. Rated: 2/5 Oct 29, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ian R This film hasn't aged particularly well. The plot holes are too large to be filled by Gibson's performance. It's also overly long at about 2 hours running time. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/29/25 Full Review Jerod S You can't really go wrong with Howard and Gibson...the tension and suspense is built well. Kidnapping and a $2 mil ransom. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/10/25 Full Review thiago s Filme bacana, o roteiro é bacaninha, as cenas são bacaninhas, a história é bacaninha, o elenco é bacaninha, e alguns ajudam a melhorar o filme, os personagens são bacaninhas, mas o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 04/12/25 Full Review Tim M Uncompromisingly dark but equal parts thrilling, Ransom continuously subverts viewer expectations en route to a memorable experience. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/09/24 Full Review Alain E Excellent entertainment with a lot of twists and turns, plus a healthy dose of violence. It did do very well at the box office and remains very watchable. Interesting that some professional critics were disappointed that the rich guy, played wonderfully by Mel Gibson, is the upright character. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/07/24 Full Review Crey Fish S A gripping action/thriller with enough surprises and good direction from Ron Howard. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Ransom

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Movie Info

Synopsis Through a life of hard work, airline owner Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) has amassed a great deal of wealth. When a group of criminals want a piece of his cash, they kidnap his son (Brawley Nolte) for a $2 million ransom. Encouraged by his wife (Rene Russo) and an FBI agent (Delroy Lindo), Tom prepares to pay the money, but the ransom drop goes awry. Enraged, Tom decides to turn the tables on the kidnappers by making the ransom a bounty on their heads -- which he announces on national television.
Director
Ron Howard
Producer
Brian Grazer, Kip Hagopian, Scott Rudin
Screenwriter
Cyril Hume, Richard Maibaum, Richard Price, Alexander Ignon
Distributor
Touchstone Home Video, Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Touchstone Pictures, Imagine Entertainment
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 8, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 27, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$136.5M
Runtime
2h 0m
Sound Mix
Surround