ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 8, 1996 TAG: 9611080038
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO STAFF WRITER
One key to a good thriller is evenly matched antagonists - a hero and villain who are equally interesting and vigorous.
Ron Howard's "Ransom" is a solid winner on that count. It's also such a well-constructed mystery that to reveal the identity of the bad guy would spoil part of the fun. And it is fun. Even though it's long (two hours plus), the strong conclusion is guaranteed to keep audiences involved straight through to the closing credits.
The film isn't perfect. It has the usual loose ends. Some of the dialogue is so clumsy it's unintentionally funny, and one critical moment won't stand up to hard scrutiny. But those are tiny flaws. "Ransom" is engrossing Hollywood escapism.
In his New York penthouse overlooking Central Park, self-made billionaire Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) has it all: a prosperous airline, loving wife Kate (Rene Russo), and bright son Sean (Brawley Nolte). But there is a question of his bribing a union official. It's so serious the FBI is investigating, and then Sean is kidnapped.
The four people who take the boy are a scruffy bunch. The seeming leader, Maris (Lili Taylor), gets no respect from the drunken Miles (Evan Handler), or the dim brothers Cubby (Donnie Wahlberg) and Clark (Liev Schreiber, also seen in the recent Virginia Film Festival hit "The Daytrippers").
They contact Mullen via e-mail and demand $2 million.
On the other side are NYPD detective Shaker (Gary Sinise) and FBI Agent Hawkins (Delroy Lindo). Or are they on Mullen's side? These kidnappers seem to know exactly what the authorities expect. Who's really in charge?
The script by Richard Price and Alexander Ignon (based on the 1956 film written by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum) is consistently surprising with nicely paced twists. (Again, don't let anyone give away the details.)
Director Ron Howard ("The Paper," "Apollo 13") does his usual confident work and tells the story without flashy techniques. His portrayal of violence is particularly effective. The few moments of graphic action are quick, brutal and shocking.
More importantly, Howard got strong performances from his stars. Given the subject matter, all of the characters' emotions are pitched at an extreme level. Still, Gibson and Russo are convincing, even in their more far-fetched scenes. Gibson's role plays to his strengths, both as an actor and as a star, and he makes the most of it.
So does his opposite number.
Yes, "Ransom" is blatantly manipulative, but it's one of the most enjoyably manipulative movies of the year.
"Ransom" ***
A Touchstone release playing at the Tanglewood Mall Theatre and Salem Valley 8. 121 minutes. Rated R for graphic violence, strong language.
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Mel Gibson is a business tycoon who puts together aby CNBrescue attempt to save his son from kidnappers in "Ransom."