We’ve got a trailer for an interesting new film coming out called Billionaire Ransom which features a bunch of spoiled rich young adults whose parents have them snatched out of their privileged lives and taken to an island where they will learn to change their bad behavior. That island is then taken over by a group of mercenaries who take them hostage and are holding them for ransom. The kids are then forced into a situation where they have to fight back and survive. I guess who you root for in this movie all depends on your opinion of rich people. Here’s the synopsis:
The story follows a group of over-privileged, out-of-control young adults who have been sent by their frustrated, billionaire parents to a tough-love wilderness school on a remote island off the coast of Scotland. Kyle (Sumpter) and Amy (Tonkin) find themselves in this group as...
The story follows a group of over-privileged, out-of-control young adults who have been sent by their frustrated, billionaire parents to a tough-love wilderness school on a remote island off the coast of Scotland. Kyle (Sumpter) and Amy (Tonkin) find themselves in this group as...
- 7/16/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Gravitas Ventures has landed North American and Latin American rights to Billionaire Ransom, a thriller starring Jeremy Sumpter, Sebastian Koch, Phoebe Tonkin, Dominic Sherwood and Ed Westwick. An August 19 theatrical and VOD release in the U.S. and Canada is planned. Jim Gillespie (I Know What You Did Last Summer) directed the script from Alexander Ignon (Ransom), which centers on a group of spoiled rich kids at a tough-love brat camp in the Scottish wilderness who have…...
- 6/9/2016
- Deadline
Mel Gibson took on a big movie star role with Ransom. We take a look back at Ron Howard's 1996 thriller...
If you were a regular cinemagoer around 1996, then you can't help but have seen the trailer for Ron Howard's Ransom. Inevitably, time has dampened its impact a little but it was a promo that quite superbly sold the film (which would go on to take more than $300m at the box office worldwide). At first glance a tale of a rich man whose son is kidnapped, the trailer showed how the tables were to be turned: instead of the ransom money being handed over to the kidnappers, Gibson's character offered it as a bounty on the kidnappers' heads instead. The hunt is then turned around, quite cleverly.
Watching Ransom at the time, I always thought that the film, whilst not without merit, never fully delivered on that idea.
If you were a regular cinemagoer around 1996, then you can't help but have seen the trailer for Ron Howard's Ransom. Inevitably, time has dampened its impact a little but it was a promo that quite superbly sold the film (which would go on to take more than $300m at the box office worldwide). At first glance a tale of a rich man whose son is kidnapped, the trailer showed how the tables were to be turned: instead of the ransom money being handed over to the kidnappers, Gibson's character offered it as a bounty on the kidnappers' heads instead. The hunt is then turned around, quite cleverly.
Watching Ransom at the time, I always thought that the film, whilst not without merit, never fully delivered on that idea.
- 8/29/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Take Down, a thriller starring Jeremy Sumpter [pictured] from the director of I Know What You Did Last Summer, is to be the first feature to receive investment through the Welsh Government’s new £30m ($50m) Media Investment Budget.
Take Down, directed by Jim Gillespie (I Know What You Did Last Summer), will be shot equally between Wales and Isle of Man and begins principal photography today (June 2).
The film follows a group of spoiled teens sent to a school for troubled students from rich families who are taken hostage and attemp to escape their captors.
It is written by Alexander Ignon (Ransom) with Sarah Ryan Black (Restoration) and Ed Elbert (Anna and the King) producing. Executive producers are Steve Christian (Belle), Stefan Brunner (Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengance) and Jamie Brown (Belly Of The Beast).
Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling worldwide rights and made sales during the Cannes Marche to the Middle East (Gulf...
Take Down, directed by Jim Gillespie (I Know What You Did Last Summer), will be shot equally between Wales and Isle of Man and begins principal photography today (June 2).
The film follows a group of spoiled teens sent to a school for troubled students from rich families who are taken hostage and attemp to escape their captors.
It is written by Alexander Ignon (Ransom) with Sarah Ryan Black (Restoration) and Ed Elbert (Anna and the King) producing. Executive producers are Steve Christian (Belle), Stefan Brunner (Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengance) and Jamie Brown (Belly Of The Beast).
Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling worldwide rights and made sales during the Cannes Marche to the Middle East (Gulf...
- 6/2/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
A thriller from the director of I Know What You Did Last Summer, starring Jeremy Sumpter [pictured], is to be the first feature to receive investment through the Welsh Government’s new £30m ($50m) Media Investment Budget.
Take Down, a thriller directed by Jim Gillespie (I Know What You Did Last Summer), will be shot equally between Wales and Isle of Man.
The film follows a group of spoiled teens sent to a school for troubled students from rich families who are taken hostage and attemp to escape their captors.
It is written by Alexander Ignon (Ransom) with Sarah Ryan Black (Restoration) and Ed Elbert (Anna and the King) producing. Executive producers are Steve Christian (Belle) and Stefan Brunner (Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengance).
Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling worldwide rights.
The two main characters are played by Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan, Soul Surfer) and Phoebe Tonkin (The Vampire Diaries, Bait). It will...
Take Down, a thriller directed by Jim Gillespie (I Know What You Did Last Summer), will be shot equally between Wales and Isle of Man.
The film follows a group of spoiled teens sent to a school for troubled students from rich families who are taken hostage and attemp to escape their captors.
It is written by Alexander Ignon (Ransom) with Sarah Ryan Black (Restoration) and Ed Elbert (Anna and the King) producing. Executive producers are Steve Christian (Belle) and Stefan Brunner (Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengance).
Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling worldwide rights.
The two main characters are played by Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan, Soul Surfer) and Phoebe Tonkin (The Vampire Diaries, Bait). It will...
- 6/2/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick has been cast in Take Down.
Dominic Sherwood, Phoebe Tonkin and Jeremy Sumpter will also star in I Know What You Did Last Summer director Jim Gillespie's thriller.
Written by Alexander Ignon, the film centres around a camp on a remote island to which rich parents send their wayward children to teach them survival skills and - hopefully - responsibility.
When they are taken hostage by kidnappers seeking a huge ransom, the camp attendees must do everything they can to survive.
Westwick most recently appeared in Romeo & Juliet and will next be seen in A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island.
Sherwood last featured in Vampire Academy, while Tonkin currently stars in Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals.
Sumpter played quarterback Jd McCoy in Friday Night Lights, and will shortly be seen in Into the Storm.
Take Down will begin shooting in Wales and the Isle of Man in June.
Dominic Sherwood, Phoebe Tonkin and Jeremy Sumpter will also star in I Know What You Did Last Summer director Jim Gillespie's thriller.
Written by Alexander Ignon, the film centres around a camp on a remote island to which rich parents send their wayward children to teach them survival skills and - hopefully - responsibility.
When they are taken hostage by kidnappers seeking a huge ransom, the camp attendees must do everything they can to survive.
Westwick most recently appeared in Romeo & Juliet and will next be seen in A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island.
Sherwood last featured in Vampire Academy, while Tonkin currently stars in Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals.
Sumpter played quarterback Jd McCoy in Friday Night Lights, and will shortly be seen in Into the Storm.
Take Down will begin shooting in Wales and the Isle of Man in June.
- 5/16/2014
- Digital Spy
Would you attend a camp run by the man who directed I Know What You Did Last Summer? Wouldn’t you be afraid of being chased around the place by a man with a hook? Happily, Ed Westwick, Dominic Sherwood, Phoebe Tonkin and Jeremy Sumpter don’t seem to be too worried, as they’re all aboard for Jim Gillespie’s Take Down.Gillespie is working from a script by Alexander Ignon and Take Down is set on a remote island, the location for an exclusive boot camp where billionaires can send their idle, spoilt spawn to learn basic survival skills, in the hope that this will somehow inspire them to find some meaning in the rest of their lives and stop emptying their bank accounts with wild exploits and cheap thrills.But the situation becomes a little more real than any of them bargained for when sophisticated kidnappers arrive...
- 5/15/2014
- EmpireOnline
Take Down
Jeremy Sumpter, Phoebe Tonkin and Sebastian Koch are in talks to star in Jim Gillespie's young adult thriller "Take Down". Filming is scheduled to start in April.
Alexander Ignon wrote the screenplay about a colony of spoiled brats who fight back when armed invaders take over their remote boot camp. [Source: Screen]
Tell
Katee Sackhoff, Milo Ventimiglia, Jason Lee, Alan Tudyk, Robert Patrick and John Michael Higgins will star in Jmr Luna's crime thriller "Tell" for Arclight Films.
Ventimiglia plays a small-time crim who pulls of a complex $1 million heist. His riches are soon the target of his ex-wife (Sackhoff), a partner he betrayed, his parole officer and two corrupt detectives. [Source: Digital Spy]
Gridlocked
Cuba Gooding Jr. has joined Allan Ungar's action thriller "Gridlocked" at Hackybox Pictures. Filming begins this Spring in Toronto and London, Ontario.
The actor plays play a former Swat leader who is being shadowed by an arrogant movie star.
Jeremy Sumpter, Phoebe Tonkin and Sebastian Koch are in talks to star in Jim Gillespie's young adult thriller "Take Down". Filming is scheduled to start in April.
Alexander Ignon wrote the screenplay about a colony of spoiled brats who fight back when armed invaders take over their remote boot camp. [Source: Screen]
Tell
Katee Sackhoff, Milo Ventimiglia, Jason Lee, Alan Tudyk, Robert Patrick and John Michael Higgins will star in Jmr Luna's crime thriller "Tell" for Arclight Films.
Ventimiglia plays a small-time crim who pulls of a complex $1 million heist. His riches are soon the target of his ex-wife (Sackhoff), a partner he betrayed, his parole officer and two corrupt detectives. [Source: Digital Spy]
Gridlocked
Cuba Gooding Jr. has joined Allan Ungar's action thriller "Gridlocked" at Hackybox Pictures. Filming begins this Spring in Toronto and London, Ontario.
The actor plays play a former Swat leader who is being shadowed by an arrogant movie star.
- 2/7/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
More news is coming out of the European Film Market as I Know What You Did Last Summer director Jim Gillespie will be shopping his latest project, Take Down, with one of the stars of "The Originals," Phoebe Tonkin, in talks to appear in the film.
Potentially joining Tonkin are Jeremy Sumpter (Soul Surfer, Frailty, Excision, "Friday Night Lights") and Sebastian Koch (A Good Day to Die Hard, The Lives of Others).
The young adult thriller is based on a script by Alexander Ignon (Ransom).
Slated for an April 2014 start date, the film’s producing team is headed up by Ed Elbert, Sarah Ryan Black, and Stefan Brunner. Take Down is being packaged and produced by Pinewood Pictures, the offshoot of UK studio group Pinewood Shepperton Plc., whose Steve Christian will executive produce. Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling foreign sales on the project.
Director Jim Gillespie added:...
Potentially joining Tonkin are Jeremy Sumpter (Soul Surfer, Frailty, Excision, "Friday Night Lights") and Sebastian Koch (A Good Day to Die Hard, The Lives of Others).
The young adult thriller is based on a script by Alexander Ignon (Ransom).
Slated for an April 2014 start date, the film’s producing team is headed up by Ed Elbert, Sarah Ryan Black, and Stefan Brunner. Take Down is being packaged and produced by Pinewood Pictures, the offshoot of UK studio group Pinewood Shepperton Plc., whose Steve Christian will executive produce. Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films International is handling foreign sales on the project.
Director Jim Gillespie added:...
- 2/6/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
With production set to start in April, Jeremy Sumpter [pictured] is among those in talks to star in the young adult thriller.
Jeremy Sumpter, Phoebe Tonkin and Sebastian Koch are in talks to star in director Jim Gillespie’s Take Down, which Radiant Films International is shopping at the Efm.
Production is scheduled to start in April. Pinewood Shepperton’s Pinewood Pictures packaged and is producing the young adult thriller and Steve Christian serves as executive produce. Ed Elbert, Sarah Ryan Black and Stefan Brunner are the producers.
Alexander Ignon wrote the screenplay to the story about a colony of spoiled brats who fight back when armed invaders take over their remote boot camp.
“The qualities every director searches for in their actors are talent, charisma and commitment,” said Jim Gillespie. “I’ve been lucky enough to find all three in Jeremy and Phoebe. Mark my words, these are the stars of tomorrow.”
Radiant’s slate...
Jeremy Sumpter, Phoebe Tonkin and Sebastian Koch are in talks to star in director Jim Gillespie’s Take Down, which Radiant Films International is shopping at the Efm.
Production is scheduled to start in April. Pinewood Shepperton’s Pinewood Pictures packaged and is producing the young adult thriller and Steve Christian serves as executive produce. Ed Elbert, Sarah Ryan Black and Stefan Brunner are the producers.
Alexander Ignon wrote the screenplay to the story about a colony of spoiled brats who fight back when armed invaders take over their remote boot camp.
“The qualities every director searches for in their actors are talent, charisma and commitment,” said Jim Gillespie. “I’ve been lucky enough to find all three in Jeremy and Phoebe. Mark my words, these are the stars of tomorrow.”
Radiant’s slate...
- 2/6/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Jeremy Sumpter ( Peter Pan , Soul Surfer ,upcoming Into the Storm ), Phoebe Tonkin (The CW.s "The Vampire Diaries," "The Originals," upcoming The Ever After ) and Sebastian Koch ( A Good Day to Die Hard , The Lives of Others ) are in talks to star in director Jim Gillespie's ( I Know What You Did Last Summer ) young adult thriller Take Down , which is based on a script by Alexander Ignon ( Ransom ). Slated for an April 2014 start date, the film.s producing team is headed up by Ed Elbert, Sarah Ryan Black and Stefan Brunner. The film is being packaged and produced by Pinewood Pictures, the off-shoot of UK studio group Pinewood Shepperton Plc., whose Steve Christian will executive produce. Mimi Steinbauer's Radiant Films International is handling foreign...
- 2/6/2014
- Comingsoon.net
While everyone usually keeps I Know What You Did Last Summer close to their horror-loving hearts as the best genre flick from director Jim Gillespie, we kind of prefer 2005's voodoo freakshow Venom. Neither was really good, but at least Venom had gore.
In any event Deadline is reporting that Gillespie is back with a new teen driven thriller, Take Down. Scripted by Ransom screenwriter Alexander Ignon, the story follows a group of privileged international teens who fight back when their remote boarding school is besieged by armed kidnappers.
Casting begins soon ahead of a UK shoot this fall, and Ignon is already scripting a sequel with an eye toward franchise opportunities.
More soon.
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Kidnap the rich in the comments section below!
In any event Deadline is reporting that Gillespie is back with a new teen driven thriller, Take Down. Scripted by Ransom screenwriter Alexander Ignon, the story follows a group of privileged international teens who fight back when their remote boarding school is besieged by armed kidnappers.
Casting begins soon ahead of a UK shoot this fall, and Ignon is already scripting a sequel with an eye toward franchise opportunities.
More soon.
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Kidnap the rich in the comments section below!
- 3/19/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
When teen action movies occur, they're generally set in a fantasy world, such as I Am Number Four or arguably, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Red Dawn type films are rare, but the fact is, teen boys tend to love movies like Taken. Even more rare is when the movies heroes are a bunch of super rich kids - usually, these are the kids who get a comeuppance. But, now, a movie is being made where rich kids are the good guys and they're not going to be pushed around.
Take Down is about a bunch of troublemaking kids whose billionaire parents sent them to attend an elite tough-love boarding school out in the wilderness in an effort to get them to shape up. The remote location, however, makes it a target for kidnappers who plan to ransom off the rich kids, but the teens decide to fight back.
Take Down is about a bunch of troublemaking kids whose billionaire parents sent them to attend an elite tough-love boarding school out in the wilderness in an effort to get them to shape up. The remote location, however, makes it a target for kidnappers who plan to ransom off the rich kids, but the teens decide to fight back.
- 3/19/2013
- by tara@kidspickflicks.com (Tara the Mom)
- kidspickflicks
Jim Gillespie, known for the 1997 thriller I Know What You Did Last Summer is set to direct Take Down. The story follows a group of rich kids trying take down criminals who are trying to abduct them from their boarding school. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the script comes from Ransom writer Alexander Ignon and the film starts casting soon with filming taking place this fall in Britain. This I found hysterical to read - "Two of the film’s co-producers, Ed Elbert and Sarah Ryan Black, claimed Take Down could emerge as a vehicle along the lines of The Hunger Games."...
- 3/19/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Jim Gillespie, known for the 1997 thriller I Know What You Did Last Summer is set to direct Take Down. The story follows a group of rich kids trying take down criminals who are trying to abduct them from their boarding school. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the script comes from Ransom writer Alexander Ignon and the film starts casting soon with filming taking place this fall in Britain. This I found hysterical to read - "Two of the film’s co-producers, Ed Elbert and Sarah Ryan Black, claimed Take Down could emerge as a vehicle along the lines of The Hunger Games."...
- 3/19/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Deadline says that the director of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jim Gillespie, will be directing a film called Take Down, written by Alexander Ignon (Ransom). The film will be Gillespie’s first since 2005′s Venom, a slasher film set in the swamps of Louisiana.
Here’s the plot:
Take Down follows a group of privileged international teens who fight back when their remote boarding school is besieged by armed kidnappers.
Casting will begin soon and the intent is to shoot in the U.K. this fall. Screenwriter Ignon is already writing a sequel to make room for a franchise opportunity.
The storyline sounds a lot like Red Dawn to me. Also, it doesn’t play to Gillespies strength, which seems to be the good old 90′s slasher. The storyline doesn’t sound like one that fits into a slasher film either. It does however, involve a young cast.
Here’s the plot:
Take Down follows a group of privileged international teens who fight back when their remote boarding school is besieged by armed kidnappers.
Casting will begin soon and the intent is to shoot in the U.K. this fall. Screenwriter Ignon is already writing a sequel to make room for a franchise opportunity.
The storyline sounds a lot like Red Dawn to me. Also, it doesn’t play to Gillespies strength, which seems to be the good old 90′s slasher. The storyline doesn’t sound like one that fits into a slasher film either. It does however, involve a young cast.
- 3/19/2013
- by Alex Corey
- LRMonline.com
Jim Gillespie ("I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Venom") has signed on to direct the "Toy Soldiers"-esque thriller "Take Down".
"Ransom" scribe Alexander Ignon penned the story which takes place at a boarding school for the rebellious children of billionaires.
When the "tough-love" school is taken hostage by sophisticated group of criminals, the teenagers take matters into their own hands.
Ed Elbert and Sarah Ryan Black will produce. Shooting kicks off in the UK this Fall with an international cast of young actors being sought.
Source: The Wrap...
"Ransom" scribe Alexander Ignon penned the story which takes place at a boarding school for the rebellious children of billionaires.
When the "tough-love" school is taken hostage by sophisticated group of criminals, the teenagers take matters into their own hands.
Ed Elbert and Sarah Ryan Black will produce. Shooting kicks off in the UK this Fall with an international cast of young actors being sought.
Source: The Wrap...
- 3/18/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
"I Know What You Did Last Summer" director Jim Gillespie is hoping to establish another franchise. He's signed on to direct "Take Down," a thriller in the vein of "Hunger Games." The original script from "Ransom" writer Alexander Ignon takes place at a boarding school of sorts for rebellious children of billionaires. When the "tough-love" school is taken hostage by sophisticated group of criminals, the teenagers take matters into their own hands. Also read: 'Hunger Games: Catching Fire' First Look: Character Portraits (Photos) Sound like a "Hunger Games"-sized hit? Producers Ed Elbert and Sarah Ryan Black...
- 3/18/2013
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
Hong Kong -- Jim Gillespie, who directed 1997's I Know What You Did Last Summer, will revisit the spoiled-kids-in-peril genre with Take Down, a story about a group of rich youngsters trying to defeat criminals who are to abduct them from far-flung boarding school. With a script written by Alexander Ignon (Ransom), the project will begin its casting process soon, with shooting slated to commence in Britain in the fall, according to an announcement released Monday by Mimi Steinbauer's Radiant Films International, who will handle the international sales of the project. Two of the film’s co-producers, Ed
read more...
read more...
- 3/18/2013
- by Clarence Tsui
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Movie Pool will pay any price for the fantastic Ransom 15th Anniversary Blu-ray!
The Set-up
An airline executive (Mel Gibson) turns the tables when a group of criminals kidnaps his young son (Brawley Nolte) and holds him for ransom. Also stars Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, and Gary Sinise.
Directed by: Ron Howard
The Delivery
Ron Howard directs this fantastic suspense thriller that delivers at every turn. Mel Gibson is at his absolute best as Tom Mullen, owner of a small but successful airline who has not always played by the book. His past, it appears, comes back to haunt him as a mysterious kidnapper (who I won't reveal here in case you haven't seen it) takes his son for ransom.
As an FBI negotiator (the great Delroy Lindo) and his wife (Rene Russo, teaming up with Gibson again after Lethal Weapon 3) plead with him to follow the kidnapper's demands,...
The Set-up
An airline executive (Mel Gibson) turns the tables when a group of criminals kidnaps his young son (Brawley Nolte) and holds him for ransom. Also stars Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, and Gary Sinise.
Directed by: Ron Howard
The Delivery
Ron Howard directs this fantastic suspense thriller that delivers at every turn. Mel Gibson is at his absolute best as Tom Mullen, owner of a small but successful airline who has not always played by the book. His past, it appears, comes back to haunt him as a mysterious kidnapper (who I won't reveal here in case you haven't seen it) takes his son for ransom.
As an FBI negotiator (the great Delroy Lindo) and his wife (Rene Russo, teaming up with Gibson again after Lethal Weapon 3) plead with him to follow the kidnapper's demands,...
- 7/7/2012
- by feeds@themoviepool.com (Victor Medina)
- Cinelinx
Mel Gibson doesn't have to paint his face blue in "Ransom" because he's positively blue in the face, expressing the rage of a father whose son has been kidnapped. A knuckle-tightening thriller directed by Ron Howard and featuring a full-throttle, pull-no-punches performance from Gibson, this Touchstone film should capture a king's ransom at the boxoffice for Buena Vista.
In this tight and twisting thriller, Gibson stars as Tom Mullen, a self-made millionaire whose against-the-grain sensibilities and can-do gumption have made him an airline tycoon. An edgy and instinctive guy, Mullen has also succeeded on the family front just as spectacularly. With a supportive and striking wife (Rene Russo) and a rambunctiously smart son (Brawley Nolte), he's the king of his Manhattan penthouse world.
Common to all those who have ascended so fast, Mullen has also ruffled a few feathers along the way and caught the attention of those who wish to profit from his success. He's been investigated for bribing a union official to avert a strike against his airline, and his brash ways have obviously rattled other cages. Not surprisingly, the charismatic, high-profile business tycoon is targeted by a devious band of criminals who consider him a bird for the plucking. Led by an egomaniacal and technically savvy ringleader (Gary Sinise), these desperate goons kidnap Mullen's young son, demanding a $2 million ransom.
Playing by the rules, Mullen calls in the FBI, but things go awry when standard procedure botches things up: He fears that going by the book will only get his son killed. He's always followed his instincts and he senses, quite rightly, that the kidnappers' cunning leader will surely kill his son once the money is delivered. Mullen's whole life has been based on daring, and he's not one to sit passively by while law enforcement performs like automatons.
In this psychologically perceptive scenario, Mullen turns the tables on the kidnappers, going on TV and announcing that not only will he not pay the ransom but he will use that money as a reward. He reasons that the only way he will see his son alive is to keep the kidnappers off-balance. The FBI is irate, and Mullen's brainy wife goes berserk, thinking his actions will surely lead to their son's death.
Spiked with the passions of a strong personal story and perambulating down unexpected plot corridors, "Ransom" gyrates with a chilling and ever-escalating intensity. Screenwriters Richard Price and Alexander Ignon have carefully steeped the story stakes in deeply personal passions and ignited a highly combustible series of dramatic explosions. In turn, director Howard has kept the story dial on a high chill, tightening the screws as well as unleashing its sinister, implosive forces.
It's Gibson's raging performance as the fiercely protective father that torches this production to its highest flashes. His edgy ferocity, capturing both his character's bravery and decency, is wonderfully explosive and genuinely sympathetic. Similarly, Russo's performance flashes with maternal mettle, evincing a woman torn between belief in her husband and love for her child.
In this type of chiller, the film is only as good as the badness of the villain, and Sinise is terrific -- rivetingly sinister as the egocentric sociopath who takes sadistic pleasure in his dark deeds. Delroy Lindo is also outstanding as a conscientious FBI agent whose sincere professionalism is tested by Mullen's manic methods.
RANSOM
Buena Vista
Touchstone Pictures Presents
A Brian Grazer/Scott Rudin production
A Ron Howard film
Producers Scott Rudin, Brian Grazer,
B. Kipling Hagopian
Director Ron Howard
Screenwriters Richard Price, Alexander Ignon
Story Cyril Hume, Richard Maibaum
Director of photography Piotr Sobocinski
Production design Michael Corenblith
Editors Dan Hanley, Mike Hill
Costume design Rita Ryack
Music James Horner
Executive producer Todd Hallowell
Co-producers Adan Schroeder, Susan Merzbach
Casting:Jane Jenkins, Janet Hirshenson
Associate producers Aldric La'Auli Porter,
Louisa Velis
Sound Danny Michael
Color/stereo
Cast:
Tom Mullen Mel Gibson
Kate Mullen Rene Russo
Sean Mullen Brawley Nolte
Jimmy Shaker Gary Sinise
Agent Lonnie Hawkins Delroy Lindo
Maris Connor Lili Taylor
Clark Barnes Liev Schreiber
Cubby Barnes Donnie Wahlberg
Miles Roberts Evan Handler
Agent Kimba Welch Nancy Ticotin
Agent Jack Sickler Michael Gaston
Agent Paul Rhodes
Kevin Neil McCready
Running time -- 122 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
In this tight and twisting thriller, Gibson stars as Tom Mullen, a self-made millionaire whose against-the-grain sensibilities and can-do gumption have made him an airline tycoon. An edgy and instinctive guy, Mullen has also succeeded on the family front just as spectacularly. With a supportive and striking wife (Rene Russo) and a rambunctiously smart son (Brawley Nolte), he's the king of his Manhattan penthouse world.
Common to all those who have ascended so fast, Mullen has also ruffled a few feathers along the way and caught the attention of those who wish to profit from his success. He's been investigated for bribing a union official to avert a strike against his airline, and his brash ways have obviously rattled other cages. Not surprisingly, the charismatic, high-profile business tycoon is targeted by a devious band of criminals who consider him a bird for the plucking. Led by an egomaniacal and technically savvy ringleader (Gary Sinise), these desperate goons kidnap Mullen's young son, demanding a $2 million ransom.
Playing by the rules, Mullen calls in the FBI, but things go awry when standard procedure botches things up: He fears that going by the book will only get his son killed. He's always followed his instincts and he senses, quite rightly, that the kidnappers' cunning leader will surely kill his son once the money is delivered. Mullen's whole life has been based on daring, and he's not one to sit passively by while law enforcement performs like automatons.
In this psychologically perceptive scenario, Mullen turns the tables on the kidnappers, going on TV and announcing that not only will he not pay the ransom but he will use that money as a reward. He reasons that the only way he will see his son alive is to keep the kidnappers off-balance. The FBI is irate, and Mullen's brainy wife goes berserk, thinking his actions will surely lead to their son's death.
Spiked with the passions of a strong personal story and perambulating down unexpected plot corridors, "Ransom" gyrates with a chilling and ever-escalating intensity. Screenwriters Richard Price and Alexander Ignon have carefully steeped the story stakes in deeply personal passions and ignited a highly combustible series of dramatic explosions. In turn, director Howard has kept the story dial on a high chill, tightening the screws as well as unleashing its sinister, implosive forces.
It's Gibson's raging performance as the fiercely protective father that torches this production to its highest flashes. His edgy ferocity, capturing both his character's bravery and decency, is wonderfully explosive and genuinely sympathetic. Similarly, Russo's performance flashes with maternal mettle, evincing a woman torn between belief in her husband and love for her child.
In this type of chiller, the film is only as good as the badness of the villain, and Sinise is terrific -- rivetingly sinister as the egocentric sociopath who takes sadistic pleasure in his dark deeds. Delroy Lindo is also outstanding as a conscientious FBI agent whose sincere professionalism is tested by Mullen's manic methods.
RANSOM
Buena Vista
Touchstone Pictures Presents
A Brian Grazer/Scott Rudin production
A Ron Howard film
Producers Scott Rudin, Brian Grazer,
B. Kipling Hagopian
Director Ron Howard
Screenwriters Richard Price, Alexander Ignon
Story Cyril Hume, Richard Maibaum
Director of photography Piotr Sobocinski
Production design Michael Corenblith
Editors Dan Hanley, Mike Hill
Costume design Rita Ryack
Music James Horner
Executive producer Todd Hallowell
Co-producers Adan Schroeder, Susan Merzbach
Casting:Jane Jenkins, Janet Hirshenson
Associate producers Aldric La'Auli Porter,
Louisa Velis
Sound Danny Michael
Color/stereo
Cast:
Tom Mullen Mel Gibson
Kate Mullen Rene Russo
Sean Mullen Brawley Nolte
Jimmy Shaker Gary Sinise
Agent Lonnie Hawkins Delroy Lindo
Maris Connor Lili Taylor
Clark Barnes Liev Schreiber
Cubby Barnes Donnie Wahlberg
Miles Roberts Evan Handler
Agent Kimba Welch Nancy Ticotin
Agent Jack Sickler Michael Gaston
Agent Paul Rhodes
Kevin Neil McCready
Running time -- 122 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 11/4/1996
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.