Search - Ransom on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Not For Children, Profanity, Children in Peril Movie Release: 1996 DVD Release: 12/03/1997 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 1 mins Studio: Walt Disney Video Total Copies: 4 Genres: Crime, Crime Thriller See Also: Ransom [Special Edition]

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 Nolte) that he dotes on. However, Mullen's life comes crashing down around him when Sean is kidnapped. The FBI are called in, but Mullen is wary -- he was the recent target of an FBI investigation in which he was found to have bribed union officials while negotiating a contract. FBI Agent Hawkins (Delroy Lindo) advises Mullen to make the $2 million dollar drop to pay the kidnappers, which will make it easier to track the criminals, but when the tradeoff goes wrong, Mullen takes a new tactic -- he goes on television and offers a $2 million bounty for the heads of the people who kidnapped his child. Meanwhile, it becomes clear the kidnappers include Maris Connor (Lili Taylor), who once worked for the Mullens, and Jimmy Shaker (Gary Sinise), one of the cops who investigated Mullen for bribery. This remake of the 1956 Glenn Ford vehicle of the same name was scripted by Richard Price, who has a bit part as a police detective. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Mel Gibson - Tom Mullen
Rene Russo - Kate Mullen
Gary Sinise - Jimmy Shaker
Brawley Nolte - Sean Mullen
Delroy Lindo - Agent Lonnie Hawkins
Lili Taylor - Maris Connor

Ron Howard's thriller Ransom comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. English and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1. Spanish subtitles are accessible and the English soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include theatrical trailers. This is an acceptable, but less than spectacular release from Disney/Buena Vista that will satisfy those wishing to see the film. Anyone looking for insight on how the film was created will be disappointed. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide