Ransom

An affluent businessman named Tom Mullen becomes the target of a kidnapping when his son is taken for ransom. At first he partners with the police, hoping the best minds and cover of official procedure will secure a safe return. As the clock ticks and the public watches, Tom questions the police approach and takes a bold stance of his own, testing a plan meant to shift leverage toward the captors. The story follows a high stakes chess match between family loyalty, legal limits, and a man pushed to extremes to protect his child, all set against a suspenseful urban backdrop. The tension grows as the clock nears a crucial moment, forcing choices that weigh safety, justice, and family duty.

Directed by Ron Howard, the film is an adaptation drawing on the earlier Ransom storyline by Cyril Hume and Alexander Ignon with a screenplay by Richard Price. It arrived in theaters in 1996 to broad release and widespread global acclaim.

Box office figures show a strong commercial run, with a worldwide gross of 309,492,681 dollars against a production budget of 80,000,000 dollars. The movie found broad audience appeal through its brisk pacing and star powered cast performing overseas and domestically.

Though not a watershed cultural landmark, Ransom did reinforce the era's appetite for corporate thrillers that test ethical lines. The film's tension around family duty versus public scrutiny threaded into later crime dramas, with Gibson and Russo delivering accessible chemistry that helped define the mid 90s blockbuster mood and tone.

Reception across markets highlighted a taut pace and clear thematic focus. Critics noted the ethical tension between paying criminals and letting law enforcement handle a hostage crisis. The story emphasizes family obligation, the cost of vigilante decisions, and the strain of keeping public pressure in check throughout the tense unfoldings.