Ransom (1996)

loaded with suspense and tension (4.5/5)
i liked this movie.it has some edge of your seat moments,and great
acting.while the acting is credible,i'm not sure how realistic the
actions of some of the characters are.there is a twist which i figured
out right away,the first time i watched it.i think that's because it
just seemed so obvious.nevertheless,the movie is fun and
thrilling,and action packed right to the end.Mel Gibson puts in a
strong performance as does Gary Sinise.Rene Russo is also good,but has
a small role.i also liked Delroy Lindo.i thought he was good in his
role.interestingly,the Laser disc version of the film is apparently 139
minutes,,while the DVD version is only 121
minutes.i'm curious about the missing 17 minutes.anyway,for me,Ransom
is an 4.5/5

Great movie holds up after previous viewings
Ransom rates as one of the best psychological thrillers. Everything meshes: plot, pacing, and acting. Some reviewers believe Mel Gibson overacted, but they forget that his character was a flamboyant airline entrepreneur, so I believe Mel Gibson was on the money. Even on second viewing, the movie was suspenseful, which one cannot say about most movies with surprise plot twists.

Other reviewers whined about the lack of 16:9 support or anamorphic formatting or whatever. I don't think any of them know what they are writing about. The movie was widescreen at a 16:9 ratio which perfectly filled my SONY WEGA HD widescreen TV. Video quality was excellent, with no pixellation or artifacts. Audio was good with a nice balance among music track, background sound, and voices.

Good drama
I have been trying to get this on DVD. I have it on VHS, but the tape was starting to dry out. I have always enjoyed Mel Gibson in all his movies. When I first viewed this movie several years ago, the twist in the plot was unexpected. Good writers and directing.