RANSOM
US, 1996, 121 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Brawley Nolte, Gary Sinese, Delroy Lindo, Lili Taylor, Liev Schreiber, Donny Wahlberg, Evan Handler, Nancy Ticotin, Paul Guilfoyle.
Directed by Ron Howard.
A well and slickly made, fairly predictable thriller with Mel Gibson playing an aviation tycoon whose son is abducted by a brutal group, led by Gary Sinise, who also abducts the show with his expertly sinister villain. Mel is used to running things himself (and has been involved in illegal union payoffs which complicate matters morally and emotionally) and confronts the kidnappers, defying the advice and methods of the FBI. The film builds up to a violent climax with a twist that was not predictable. Ron Howard directs and gives the characters a little more depth than usual. Mel Gibson as hero.
1.The work of Ron Howard? The variety of genres? His skill in directing this crime drama?
2.The New York settings, the wealthy apartments, the streets, the police precincts? The place where the boy was held? Authentic atmosphere? Credible? The atmospheric score?
3.The title, plain, issues, the victims, the perpetrators, the parents and the effect, the FBI and the police?
4.The introduction to Tom Mullen, the social, his relationship with his wife, love for his son? The television promotion? His building up the airline from scratch, the self-confidence? The challenge from the newspapers about paying off the unions? His answers? The reality, the man in prison? His paying off and admitting it to the FBI? His son’s admiration for his father? The outdoor sequence, the science competition, Sean and his playing with his machine? His mother and the judging? His father present and talking? Their losing sight of him? The anxiety, the microphone, calling him back?
5.The introduction to the kidnappers: to Maris and her working as a caterer in the Mullen household? The Barnes brothers and their role? Miles Roberts and his surly attitude? The revelation that Jimmy Shaker was the mastermind? The introduction to Shaker, as a policeman, doing his job? Coming into the house, his attitude towards his accomplices, the relationship with Maris?
6.The contact with Tom Mullen, via internet? The threats about the FBI and police? The reaction of Tom and Kate? Kate being distraught but strong? Tom being determined? The arrival of the FBI and their cover of fixing up the house, Agent Hawkins and his leadership? The discussions, the plans, the phone calls, listening in to the phone calls, tracing them? The work of the FBI?
7.Tom, getting the money ready, trying to put the kidnappers off? Their using the voice distortion on the phone? Tom and his going, the FBI willing to substitute? His following all the directions, going to the station, getting the key? Going to the rendezvous? Cubby Barnes and the background of his care for Sean, his soft-heartedness? The confrontation, his being shot? Clark and his reaction?
8.The first break in the mastermind plans, Cubby Barnes and his death, the FBI discovering Clark? The threats? Miles Roberts and his offhandedness? Maris and her severity, wanting to kill the boy? Shaker and his strategies?
9.The development of the plot, the searching out of the contacts? Tom and his presence, the beginning of the shootout? Shaker and his killing Maris, killing Clark and Miles? Pretending to be the agent who solved the problem, his own shoulder wound? Everybody hailing him?
10.Sean, recovered, the effect on him?
11.Shaker, his character, his resentments, against the wealthy, his attitude towards Tom as paying out to the unions and therefore paying out to him? His callousness? Yet his love for Maris? His being hailed, the media? His decision to leave the country, packing, getting the ticket? The decision to visit Tom, to get the cheque and the reward? Sean overhearing him, Sean’s fear, his father realising what had happened?
12.Going to the bank, the people welcoming him at the bank, the move away from the bank, the guns drawn, the fight, going through the glass window? Shaker and his being taken, pulling the gun from his leg-strap? Tom and his fighting?
13.The resolution of the problem? The work of the FBI? The various agents? Tom and his using his wits?
14.The background of Tom, his being the self-made businessman, his relationship with his wife, the visit to Jackie Brown in prison, Brown’s resentment? Tom believing that he could have been behind the kidnapping? The effect of the experience on Tom and his outlook?
15.The motivations of the kidnappers, their personalities, working together, resentment towards Shaker, attitude towards the boy, kindly and callous?
16.An effective kidnapping story? FBI investigation? Twists?
