‘Ransom’ Pays Off Tight Action, Plot Twists And Superb Acting Make ‘Ransom’ A Thrill Ride

All the public hand-wringing over whether parents and women will avoid director Ron Howard’s dark examination of child abduction, “Ransom,” is little more than preconceived poppycock.

Howard’s kidnapping thriller promises to be the season’s biggest hit; that is, at least, until Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” barks into theaters on Thanksgiving. And the studio’s Touchstone Pictures arm is releasing “Ransom,” so you can bet on the boys at the Mouse Factory laughing all the way to the bank.

Fans who go expecting the kind of Ronnie Howard feel-good fare of “Cocoon” (1985) or “Parenthood” (1989) can check their warm fuzzies at the door. “Ransom” is a hard-hitting, violent, profanity-filled nail-biter that should have audiences - parents in particular - on the proverbial edge of their seats.

Mel Gibson stars as independent airline tycoon Tom Mullen, a swell-guy corporate exec whose problems with the FBI over supposed financial impropriety quickly take a back seat when his son is abducted from Central Park.

At first, Mullen and his wife, Kate (Rene Russo), are cooperative, as advised by Delroy Lindo, leader of the team of FBI agents who’ve moved into their posh penthouse apartment. But after explicitly following the thug’s orders, only to have the feds botch a drop-off sting, Gibson’s tortured father takes matters into his own hands.

Convinced that the kidnappers have no intention of returning his son alive, Mullen goes on a local TV station and instead offers the ransom money as a bounty on the heads of the folks who nabbed his son.

Giving away much more would ruin too many surprises, and this picture has plenty of them. Gibson delivers the performance of his career, rivaling any of the Oscar-winning, skirt-wearing shrieking he did in last year’s “Braveheart.” The role of Tom Mullen is an actor’s dream: a nice guy with a dark side riding a roller coaster through every emotion in his repertoire.

Russo makes the most of a role that could have been relegated to nothing but hugging, crying, screaming and then more crying, and finds a deeper character hidden inside the harried mother.

Lindo makes a convincing G-man, and Gary Sinise (“Forrest Gump”) is riveting as a New York detective who proves instrumental in revealing the abductor’s identity.

On the bad-guy list, “I Shot Andy Warhol’s” Lili Taylor is a delight as the head bad guy’s gal pal, and Marky Mark’s brother, Donnie Wahlberg, stretches his own thespian muscles as the team creep who begins to have second thoughts.

Howard keeps the action tight and never lets the audience get a peek at the cards before he’s ready to play them. Gibson’s profane phone rants and the film’s bloody finale (not to mention its subject matter) should be enough of a warning for parents to leave the kids at home.

Just count on checking up on them as soon as the movie’s over.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: “Ransom” Location: Lincoln Heights, Newport and Coeur d’Alene cinemas Credits: Directed by Ron Howard, starring Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo, Lili Taylor, Donnie Wahlberg Running time: 2:01 Rating: R