King's Ransom (2005)

2% of critics liked it
(50 reviews)
36% of users liked it
(6,095 ratings)

A multi-millionaire plans a scam that goes wrong in a great many ways in this comedy. Malcolm King (Anthony Anderson) is a wildly successful businessman who has gotten used to having things his own way. When King decides to divorce his wife, she's none too thrilled at the prospect and makes it clear… More A multi-millionaire plans a scam that goes wrong in a great many ways in this comedy. Malcolm King (Anthony Anderson) is a wildly successful businessman who has gotten used to having things his own way. When King decides to divorce his wife, she's none too thrilled at the prospect and makes it clear she will make him pay a huge settlement in exchange for his freedom. King isn't keen on this idea, so he and his mistress hatch a scheme by which one of her friends (Jay Mohr) will "kidnap" King and demand a large portion of his fortune for his return, which will be kicked back to the businessman later. But King seriously underestimates the ineptitude of his would-be kidnapper -- no to mention how many other people want a piece of his fortune. King's Ransom also stars Regina Hall, Leila Arcieri, Charlie Murphy, and Donald Faison. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Jeff Byrd
Written By: Wayne Conley
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 22, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Jul 26, 2005
Studio: New Line Cinema

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
The script, by TV writer Wayne Conley, shares some elements with the old Danny DeVito comedy Ruthless People, but humor isn't one of them.
Scott Brown, Entertainment Weekly
Basically an improv scene sprawling to feature length.
Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger
King's Ransom is a wit-deficient barrage of obnoxious characters and second-hand punchlines.
Peter L'Official, Village Voice
Little in this film suggests 'director' Jeff Byrd and writer Wayne Conley possess any facility -- or familiarity -- with irony or any other comedic device.
Justin Chang, Variety
The scenarios are halfway convincing and at times even passably clever; they are never, however, especially funny.
Gene Seymour, Newsday
With the humor in this lazy farce about as subtle as a shotgun blast to the face, it's possible to see the whole movie as an accident, the cumulative result of haphazard negligence.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
This slapdash comedy barely coughs up more than a couple of funny scenes as the story moves in predictable fits and starts before sputtering out of fuel half way through.
Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review
The wordplay of the title here is the only slightly clever element of this extremely lame comedy.
Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media
Coarse comedy about kidnapping and revenge.
Michael Szymanski, International Press Academy
Anthony Anderson shows he can star in a movie without a kangaroo in this kidnapping plan gone crazy.
Michael Szymanski, Wordmag.com
Could be better with this kind of talent...
Nathan Rabin, AV Club
King's Ransom lumbers forth clumsily, choreographing its slapstick pratfalls with all the class and taste of a Courtney Love relapse.
Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com
The thing looks like it was written in a week, directed in two, and forgotten about by all involved in less than three.
Matt McKillop, Filmcritic.com
King's Ransom deserves to be bashed, burned, and have its ashes scattered over Hollywood
David Cornelius, eFilmCritic.com
It is, quite plainly, like watching a movie that's trying to go out of its way to be horrible.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Also add the film to that ever-growing list of films only Earl Dittman likes.
, Boxoffice Magazine
I couldn't pay anyone to see this movie. Literally.
Larry Ratliff, San Antonio Express-News
(Anthony) Anderson is funny, usually. Just not here.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
A mirthless comedy about venal people doing stupid things.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
Mean-spirited, unpleasant comedy about characters who are both nasty and stupid and who deserve every bad thing that happens to them. In fact, they deserve more.

Read all 22 critic reviews

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Bruce B

Another Anthoney Anderson Great Movie, not sure who is funnier him or Donald Falson, This one will make you laugh. Worth adding to a collection even though only 3 starts.