Ransom

Ransom (1996)

  • 74% of critics liked it
    (34 reviews)

  • 61% of users liked it
    (105,882 ratings)

Ron Howard directed this thriller which stars Mel Gibson as Tom Mullen, a former fighter pilot who built a ramshackle one-plane airline into a major multinational service fleet. Mullen has a multi-million dollar fortune, a beautiful wife, Kate (Rene Russo) and a nine-year-old son, Sean (Brawley… More

In Theaters
Nov 8, 1996 Wide

Critic Reviews

  • Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com

    While a flawed, overlong offering of suspense, the movie retains a boiling core of tension, sold with an authentic feel for desperation by Gibson, who keeps the picture on task with his forceful, teeth-grinding work.

  • Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing

    The script is shaky, but Gibson's forceful performance allows Ransom to pay off with modest dividends.

  • Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

    A tough, gripping thriller.

  • John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

    ...it is, after all, still just a movie thriller, not a serious drama. Keep that in mind, and you'll have fun with it.

  • John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

    ...unless you expect high drama or intense realism, the movie is going to provide solid Hollywood entertainment.

Read all 6 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Melvin W


    Ransom is an underrated thriller that has a great deal of top notch stars attached to it. Ron Howard is a good director and even though this isn't even close to his best movie, it is a good movie. I like all the major actors in this movie especially Gary Sinise. Mel Gibson and… More

  • ♥Robyn


    Mel Gibson gives a good performance, showing a man trying to think his way out of a crisis,when his son is kidnapped holding him for ransom. Intrigue is established early and tension never lets up all the way,in this film, until the very final shot. It's only in the final scene… More

  • Albert K


    Fun action thriller. Nothing more.

  • Dan S


    Solid thriller. Flirts with greatness, especially with its dynamite, bloody, awesome conclusion. Gibson vs. Sinise is pretty riveting stuff, Mel gives a routine powerful performance. It loses a little of it's momentum after the main plot is concluded, but Ron Howard still knows… More

  • Conner R


    Not exactly a classic, it's perhaps one of the the least suspenseful thrillers out there. Ron Howard just didn't have the ability to pull off a movie like this at the time. The plot is seriously flawed and gives itself away much too early. The only real shining moment of the… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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