Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- urgent
- paranoid
- tense
- suspense movie night
- 1990s thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the kidnapping thriller effective and commercially polished, with Mel Gibson and Gary Sinise providing compelling opposing performances despite some conventional plotting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tom Mullen publicly transforms the ransom into a bounty on the kidnapper after the planned drop fails.
Mullen addresses the public on television to pressure the kidnapper and reshape the kidnapping's stakes.
Mullen's millionaire status attracts the kidnapping and places his family's safety within a highly visible ransom crisis.
Mullen and Katherine Mullen confront the abduction of their son Sean while negotiating with kidnappers and the FBI.
Films like Ransom, and why
The Vanishing
shared kidnapping thriller framework, family jeopardy, escalating pressure, and morally aggressive protagonist
Arlington Road
shared hostage crisis, police involvement, media pressure, and high-stakes procedural suspense
Heat
shared crime thriller tension, cat-and-mouse plotting, and adversarial performances between intelligent men
Movie Details
- Director
- Ron Howard
- Release Date
- 1996-11-08
- Runtime
- 121 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (2204)
Cast
- Mel Gibson
- Rene Russo
- Gary Sinise
- Delroy Lindo
- Lili Taylor
- Brawley Nolte
- Liev Schreiber
- Donnie Wahlberg
- Evan Handler
- Nancy Ticotin
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ransom about?
- A millionaire father turns his kidnapped son’s ransom into a public bounty, forcing a dangerous contest of nerve with the abductor.
- What is Ransom like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ransom as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Ransom violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Ransom as moderate.
- What did critics think of Ransom?
- Critics broadly found the kidnapping thriller effective and commercially polished, with Mel Gibson and Gary Sinise providing compelling opposing performances despite some conventional plotting.
- Which films are like Ransom?
- Films with a similar feel include The Vanishing, Arlington Road, and Heat.
- How long is Ransom?
- Ransom runs 121 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ransom?
- In United States, Ransom streams on YouTube TV.
