Ransom 1996

Charles Taylor, Salon.com: "Ransom" is dark and risky in a way that's become almost unthinkable for mainstream movies in the '90s. Read more

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. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: A persuasive thriller for most of its length, it stumbles in its attempt to become an upscale version of Death Wish and other vigilante dramas and ends up derailing with a soft thud. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: With a mechanical movie like this, filmmakers -- male or female -- can't take chances. Howard and company are hostages to their own conception. Read more

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. Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: Mel Gibson and Rene Russo put an edgy 1990s spin on the roles originally played by Glenn Ford and Donna Reed. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: Its major sin -- a certain ineluctable improbability -- is pretty much offset by the moments of winsome humanity Gibson finds for his freebooter; by the rich, nicely tuned portrayals of the other actors; and by director Ron Howard. Read more

Susan Stark, Detroit News: Read more

Janet Maslin, New York Times: Mr. Howard has made ''Ransom'' in the same clean, swift, logical style that sent his ''Apollo 13'' into orbit, resulting in a spellbinding crime tale that delivers surprises right down to the wire. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: By the time Tom Mullen has turned into an action superhero in a clumsy climax, Ransom has run out of ideas, and we've lost track of what we felt about a father's frantic efforts to save his son. Read more

Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader: If Howard's direction were as stylized and self-aware as Corgan's music, Ransom might be something more than a shallow and unprovocative story of a vigilante with an Achilles' heel. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Gibson has always had a mesmerizing dark side (remember his vengefulness in Mad Max?), and when his rage catches fire, so does Ransom. Read more

David Ansen, Newsweek: Slick and violent and reasonably tense, Ransom holds your attention without being the least bit interesting. Read more

Jami Bernard, New York Daily News: A gripping, amoral kidnap thriller. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Strong acting, smart dialogue, and a couple of neat twists counterbalance many of Ransom's weaknesses. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Gibson gives an interesting performance, showing a man trying to think his way out of a crisis, and Sinise makes a good foil: Here are two smart men playing a game with deadly stakes. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Here's a tension-packed thriller that will shake your head and rattle your brain. Read more

Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle: A noxious, nerve-splitting invitation to vigilante rage. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Howard pushes and probes this rich tension with expert casting, restless camerawork and a fractured editing style. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: A crackerjack thriller with some unusually tasty plot twists, Ransom pays plenty of entertaining dividends. Read more

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. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: A competent nail-biter that ably exploits a parent's worst nightmare. Read more