Ransom

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Year:	1996
Country of origin:	USA
Director:	Ron Howard
Genre:	Kidnap thriller
Starring:	Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise
Rating:	4/5
IMDB link:	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117438/
Tagline:	Someone is going to pay.
Favourite line:	"The whole world now knows... my son, Sean Mullen, was kidnapped, for ransom, three days ago. This is a recent photograph of him. Sean, if you're watching, we love you. And this... well, this is what waits for the man that took him. This is your ransom. Two million dollars in unmarked bills, just like you wanted. But this is as close as you'll ever get to it. You'll never see one dollar of this money, because no ransom will ever be paid for my son. Not one dime, not one penny. Instead, I'm offering this money as a reward on your head. Dead or alive, it doesn't matter. So congratulations, you've just become a two million dollar lottery ticket..."

A superior thriller here from the directorial lens of the usually fairly anaemic Ron Howard.

Mel Gibson is Tom Mullen, super rich head of an aviation company with just about the perfect life: a beautiful wife in the shape of Rene Russo, and spoiled little rich brat son, heir apparent.
His wealth is no secret and, unfortunately for him, nor is the fact that he has a rather unscrupulous skeleton in his closet, involving a corporate payout.
Step in Gary Sinise as Det. Jimmy Shaker, bent cop extraordinaire, who hatches a plan to kidnap Mullen's son Sean, and demand a ransom for the lowly sum of $2,000,000, a figure Mullens can easily afford. Trouble is, Mullen's takes an unexpected stand, turning the tables audaciously by going live on air and stating publically that he has no intention of paying the ransom and that, instead, the two million will be used as a bounty on the head of the person responsible for his sons kidnap.

It really is breathless stuff, leaving the viewer totally unsure as to which way the plot will swing next, and swing it does, many times.
Gibson is in top form, exuding that calculated mania that he delivered so effectively in both the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon series, but the star turn here really is Gary Sinise, one mean, nasty motherfucker who scares the bejeesus out of you everytime he appears on screen. A good film all round.