# Ransom (1996 film)

Ransom is a 1996 American action thriller film directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Richard Price and Alexander Ignon. The film stars Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo, Lili Taylor, Brawley Nolte, Liev Schreiber, Donnie Wahlberg and Evan Handler. Gibson was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. The film was the 5th highest-grossing film of 1996 in the United States. The original story came from a 1954 episode of The United States Steel Hour titled "Fearful Decision". In 1956, it was adapted by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum into the feature film, Ransom!, starring Glenn Ford, Donna Reed, and Leslie Nielsen.

## Plot

While millionaire airline magnate Tom Mullen and his wife Kate attend a science fair, their son Sean is kidnapped, having left their sight unexpectedly. Sean is taken to an apartment by Maris Conner, a caterer working for the Mullens; brothers Clark and Cubby Barnes; and tech expert Miles Roberts. Jimmy Shaker, an NYPD detective who is Maris' boyfriend, is later revealed to be the mastermind behind the kidnapping. The kidnappers send Tom and Kate an e-mail with a video of Sean demanding $2 million. Despite the kidnappers' instructions not to contact authorities, Tom calls the FBI, who operate from his New York City penthouse under Special Agent Lonnie Hawkins. In private, Tom voices his belief that union machinist Jackie Brown, who is in prison following one of Tom's business scandals, may be behind it. They visit Brown in prison, but he angrily denies any involvement before attacking Tom.
Tom agrees to the FBI's plan for delivering the ransom. Receiving a phone call from Shaker, who electronically disguises his voice, Tom follows his instructions. He meets Cubby in a New Jersey quarry but refuses to hand over the money when Cubby fails to give him Shaker's promised directions to Sean. During an ensuing fight, the FBI intervenes and shoots Cubby, who dies before revealing Sean's location. Tom realizes the kidnappers have no intention of returning Sean alive upon receiving the ransom. Shaker arranges another drop-off, but although Tom initially agrees to take the money alone, he instead appears on television and offers the ransom as a bounty on the kidnappers, dead or alive, only promising to withdraw the bounty and drop all charges if the kidnappers return Sean alive and unharmed, making it clear he will not pay the ransom.
Despite Kate and Hawkins' pleas, Tom sticks to his plan, believing it is the best chance for Sean's return. Shaker lures Kate to a meeting where he assaults her and presents Sean's blood-stained T-shirt as a warning to pay the ransom, but Tom responds by doubling the bounty to $4 million. Shaker calls Tom and gives him one final warning to pay, but Tom still refuses, and Shaker fires a gunshot after Tom hears Sean scream for help, leading Tom and Kate to believe Sean is dead. Clark and Miles attempt to abandon the plan and flee, but Shaker requests backup, kills both Clark and Miles, and makes it look like Miles shot first. When Maris shoots Shaker in the arm from behind, he kills her as well. The NYPD arrives to find Shaker with a badly beaten Sean, whom they believe Shaker rescued. Hawkins informs Tom and Kate, and they are reunited with Sean while Shaker is hospitalized.
Shaker arrives at Tom's penthouse to claim the reward; he intends to immediately leave the country before his connection to Maris is discovered. However, Sean recognizes Shaker's voice and expressions as the kidnapper and Tom notices. With his cover blown, Shaker plans to kill everyone in the apartment, but Tom persuades Shaker to accompany him to the bank to get the money and leave peacefully. Shaker attempts to force Tom to wire the money from the house via phone, but Tom stands his ground and warns him that whether he receives his money or not, Shaker will be exposed and hunted citywide. Shaker reluctantly agrees to go to the bank, threatening to rekidnap and murder Sean should Tom attempt a double cross. On the way, Tom discreetly alerts Hawkins, and the police and FBI converge on Tom and Shaker outside the bank.
As soon as Tom and Shaker exit the bank, two police officers attempt to detain Shaker, but Shaker shoots them. Tom knocks Shaker to the ground and the two struggle. Tom hurls Shaker through the window of a lamp store. Tom picks up Shaker's dropped gun and points it at him. Hawkins and other police officers demand that Tom drop the gun and walk away. In desperation, Shaker draws another gun but is shot dead by Tom and Hawkins. As Tom drops the gun, police rush in to arrest him, but Hawkins orders them to stand down. Tom is allowed to leave the scene with Kate.

## Cast

* Mel Gibson as Tom Mullen
* Rene Russo as Kate Mullen
* Brawley Nolte as Sean Mullen
* Gary Sinise as NYPD Detective Jimmy Shaker
* Delroy Lindo as FBI Special Agent Lonnie Hawkins
* Lili Taylor as Maris Conner
* Liev Schreiber as Clark Barnes
* Donnie Wahlberg as "Cubby" Barnes
* Evan Handler as Miles Roberts
* Paul Guilfoyle as FBI Director Stan Wallace
* José Zúñiga as David Torres
* Dan Hedaya as Jackie Brown
* John Ortiz as Roberto
* David Vadim as an NYPD Officer

## Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 74% of 74 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "Directed with propulsive intensity by Ron Howard, Ransom is a fiery thriller packed with hot-blooded performances and jolting twists." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.
Critic Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four and wrote, "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."

## Awards and nominations

1997 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
* Won – Top Box Office Film
1997 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (Saturn Awards)
* Nominated – Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film
1997 Golden Globe Awards
* Nominated – Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama – Mel Gibson
1997 Image Awards
* Nominated – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Delroy Lindo
1997 Young Artist Awards
* Nominated - Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor – Brawley Nolte