RANSOM (1996) A film review by Nick Schaden Copyright 1997 Nick Schaden
Mel Gibson is an actor that's made his career by playing bad boy/heartthrob in action movies ("Lethal Weapon"). Even in his deeper movies ("Braveheart") we see some serious spin off his original I'm-a-little-crazy super cop Riggs character from the "Lethal Weapon" series. In "Ransom" while Gibson is enshrouded in a softer character, the audience largely sees the Mel Gibson we've come to know. Is this bad? No, as "Ransom" succeeds at everything it attempts to be: a solid movie.
Mel Gibson is Tom Mullen, the rich owner of a large airlines company, and a devoted husband and father. The whole world comes crashing down however when the Mullens son Sean (Brawley Nolte) is kidnapped for ransom. Even though Tom's wife Kate (Rene Russo), the FBI agent (Delroy Lindo) and almost everyone else wants Tom to give in to the kidnapper's demands, Tom refuses. Instead, he goes on TV and offers the millions demanded for Sean release as a reward for anyone who bags the kidnappers. Obviously this plot gives plenty of breathing room for Mel Gibson and director Ron Howard to throw in some clichéd action. As nearly demanded by the audience, we get to see Gibson leap over cars, dive in pools, shoot at things, and run a lot.
The movie has plenty of strengths. Luckily the action sequences are well directed, and have many more traces of realism then 99% of the movies out there: It's a lot better than watching Gibson blow away forty bad guys without a sweat a la "Lethal Weapon". The plot is relatively original and keeps the blood pumping like any good thriller should. Furthermore, director Ron Howard ("Apollo 13", "Backdraft") is an expert at making us feel for the movie's protagonists, and "Ransom" is no exception. Many scenes are devoted to showing the love between Tom, Kate, and Sean and how the ransom emotionally tears the family apart. It's a smart move, as it made me care more about Tom's plight and drew me more into the story line. Acting (for one notable exception I'll point out later) is another strong suit: Gibson fills his role adequately, and Gary Sinise does a surprisingly great job playing an ice cold villain.
Not all is perfect in "Ransom". The biggest let down luckily isn't incredibly crucial to the movie: Rene Russo. Most of the movie she's reduced to gushing into over the top hysterics, it's almost laughable at times. While on the subject of emotion, at times the dramatics get too high, in one notable scene Tom and Kate cry and whimper over their son for what seems forever.
All in all, "Ransom" walks with a fresh perspective on the drama/thriller scene. It's well directed, well acted, it's fun, and all these elements make for a strong movie.
Nick's Rating: +2 (Recommended)
*** Movies rated from -4 (worst) to +4 (best), 0 = average movie ***
-- Nick Schaden Send your comments to: cpunut@uslink.net Check out all of Nick's reviews at: http://uslink.net/~cpunut/movies.html
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