Ransom (1996)

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers (WGA):

Cyril Hume (story) and
Richard Maibaum (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 November 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Someone is going to pay.

Plot:

When a rich man's son is kidnapped, he cooperates with the police at first but then tries a unique tactic against the criminals.

Plot Keywords:

Ransom | Money | Bounty | Police | E Mail

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Tom Mullen
Rene Russo	...	Kate Mullen
Brawley Nolte	...	Sean Mullen
Gary Sinise	...	Det. Jimmy Shaker
Delroy Lindo	...	Agent Lonnie Hawkins
Lili Taylor	...	Maris Conner
Liev Schreiber	...	Clark Barnes
Donnie Wahlberg	...	Cubby Barnes
Evan Handler	...	Miles Roberts
Nancy Ticotin	...	Agent Kimba Welch
Michael Gaston	...	Agent Jack Sickler
Kevin Neil McCready	...	Agent Paul Rhodes
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Wallace
Allen Bernstein	...	Bob Stone
José Zúñiga	...	David Torres
Dan Hedaya	...	Jackie Brown
Iraida Polanco	...	Fatima
John Ortiz	...	Roberto
Mike Hodge	...	Man at Party
Paul Geier	...	Mayor Barresi
Louisa Marie	...	Woman at Party
Edward Francis Joseph	...	Guest at Party
A.J. Benza	...	Reporter Guest
Peter Anthony Tambakis	...	Nelson
Tony Hoty	...	Doorman
Daniel May Wong	...	Agent Sam
John Short	...	Agent Dewey
Ed Jupp Jr.	...	Technician (as Ed Jupp)
Stephen Oates	...	NYPD SWAT Team
Gene Harrison	...	FBI SWAT Team Leader
Mick O'Rourke	...	FBI SWAT Team #1
Henry Kingi Jr.	...	FBI SWAT Team #2
Roy Farfel	...	FBI SWAT Team #3
Lex D. Geddings	...	FBI SWAT Sniper
Donna Hanover	...	News Reporter
Rosanna Scotto	...	News Anchor #1
Tony Potts	...	News Anchor #2
John 'Spike' Finnerty	...	Newshound
Todd Hallowell	...	Don Campbell
Joe Bacino	...	Cop #1
Carl S. Redding	...	Cop #2
James Georgiades	...	Cop #3
Christian Maelen	...	Cop #4
David Vadim	...	Cop #5
Addie O'Donnell	...	News Reporter #1
Judy Hudson	...	News Reporter #2
Mitzie Pratt	...	News Reporter #3
Lynne Redding	...	News Reporter #4
Michael Countryman	...	Bank Manager
Chris Lopata	...	Agent Levin
John Hartmann	...	Agent Lambert (as John Richard Hartmann)
Anton Evangelista	...	FBI Agent
Richard Price	...	Detective #1
Joseph Badalucco Jr.	...	Liquor Store Cop (as Joe Badalucco Jr.)
Dell Maara	...	Liquor Store Perp
Tommy Allen	...	Detective at Kidnap House
John Dorish	...	Paramedic
Vincent J. Burns	...	Detective Doran (as Vincent Burns)
Brad Brewer	...	The Crowtations
Darren Brown	...	The Crowtations
Marvin Brown	...	The Crowtations
Glenn King	...	The Crowtations
Cheryl Howard	...	Science Fair Coordinator
James Ritz	...	Science Fair Judge
Anna Marie Wieder	...	Woman at Science Fair
Joan D. Lowry	...	Mayor's Wife
Craig Castaldo	...	Radioman
Teodorina Bello	...	Woman on Street #1
Jane Jenkins	...	Woman on Street #2 (as J.J. Chaback)
Lori Tan Chinn	...	Woman on Street #3
Carl Don	...	Man on Street #1
Nathaniel Freeman	...	Man on Street #2
Phil Parolisi	...	Man on Street #3
Rafael Osorio	...	Man on Street #4
Leslie Devlin	...	Newscaster #1
Lewis Dodley	...	Newscaster #2
John Brian Rogers	...	ND Cop #1
Jeffrey H. Kaufman	...	ND Cop #2 (as Jeffrey Kaufman)
Mark Smith	...	Undercover Cop
James Patrick Whalen Sr.	...	Detective (as Jim Whalen)
Kim Snyder	...	Kate's Friend
Panicker Upendran	...	Store Owner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Attio	...	Man on Street (scenes deleted)
Steve Axelrod	...	Chief of Dectectives Lieberman (uncredited)
Carl Burrows	...	Emergency Medical Tech. (uncredited)
Rawleigh Moreland	...	Coroner (uncredited)
Christopher Tracy	...	Arresting Officer (uncredited)
Keith Leon Williams	...	Cop (uncredited)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	...	Rescue Pilot (uncredited)

Directed by
Ron Howard

Writing credits (WGA)
Cyril Hume		(story) and
Richard Maibaum		(story)
Richard Price		(screenplay) and
Alexander Ignon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Brian Grazer	....	producer
Kip Hagopian	....	producer (as B. Kipling Hagopian)
Todd Hallowell	....	executive producer
Susan Merzbach	....	co-producer
Aldric La'Auli Porter	....	associate producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer
Adam Schroeder	....	co-producer
Louisa Velis	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Piotr Sobocinski

Film Editing by
Daniel P. Hanley		(as Dan Hanley)
Mike Hill

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Michael Corenblith

Art Direction by
John Kasarda

Set Decoration by
Susan Bode

Costume Design by
Rita Ryack

Makeup Department
Kareen Boursier	....	hair stylist: Ms. Russo
Susan A. Cabral	....	makeup artist: Ms. Russo
Joseph Coscia	....	key hair stylist (as Joe Coscia)
Scott W. Farley	....	hair stylist: second unit
William A. Farley	....	hair stylist (as Bill Farley)
Carl Fullerton	....	makeup artist
Anita Gibson	....	makeup artist: Mr. Lindo
Frances A. Kolar	....	makeup artist: second unit (as Frances Kolar)
Allen Weisinger	....	key makeup artist
Sunday Englis	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Todd Kleitsch	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Carl Clifford	....	unit production manager
Michelle Morrissey	....	production supervisor
Michelle Morrissey	....	production supervisor: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey T. Bernstein	....	second second assistant director
Daniel Burns	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Joe Burns	....	first assistant director: second unit
William M. Connor	....	second assistant director
Jennifer D'Angelo Kircher	....	second assistant director: second unit
Bac DeLorme	....	dga trainee
Todd Hallowell	....	second unit director
Shannon M. Hawkins	....	DGA trainee: second unit (as Shannon Hawkins)
Aldric La'Auli Porter	....	first assistant director
Nancy L. Ventura	....	DGA trainee: second unit (as Nancy Ventura)
Joel Chernoff	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Tommy Allen	....	property master
Joseph Badalucco Jr.	....	stand-by set dresser
Anthony Baldasare	....	property master: second unit
Stephen Barth	....	scenic artist
Lauren Buckley	....	art department coordinator (as J. Lauren Buckley)
Diana Burton	....	assistant property master
Ellen Christiansen	....	assistant set decorator
Susanne Coghlin	....	art department assistant (as Susanne M. Coghlin)
Thomas Costabile	....	shop craft (as Tom Costible)
June DeCamp	....	scenic artist
Joseph Deluca	....	set dresser (as Joseph M. DeLuca)
Anthony Dunne	....	construction coordinator
William Durnin	....	set dresser
Ann Edgeworth	....	assistant property master (as Ann L. Edgeworth)
Rochelle Edison	....	camera scenic: second unit
Judy Gailen	....	assistant art director
John Grimolizzi	....	construction foreman
Peter Hackman	....	camera scenic artist (as Peter G. Hackman)
Richard Hebrank	....	key construction grip
Eryka Seimona Henderson	....	construction purchaser
Gordon Krause	....	shop foreman
Beth Kuhn	....	assistant art director
Carl Landi	....	construction grip
Joyce Leipertz	....	scenic artist
Byron K. Lovelace	....	props
Kevin Mahon	....	assistant property: second unit
Carlos Menéndez	....	assistant art director (as Carlos A. Menendez)
Charles A. Nastacio	....	construction grip (as Charlie Nastacio)
Addison Pettit	....	graphic designer
Malcolm Reid	....	shop craft
Randall Richards	....	assistant art director
Jon Ringbom	....	scenic charge
Michael Scarola	....	construction grip (as Mike Scarola)
Grant Shaffer	....	storyboard artist
Tyler Smith	....	specialty prop fabricator
John Velez	....	key construction electric (as John G. Velez)
Dave Weinman	....	lead man (as David Weinman)
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer
Amy Safhay	....	greensperson (uncredited)
Ginny Walsh	....	prop artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Felix Andrew	....	sound mixer: second unit
Louis Bertini	....	foley editor
Patricia Brolsma	....	boom operator: second unit (as Patti Brolsma)
Jason Canovas	....	sound effects editor
Steve Castellano	....	supervisor: Todd-AO
Louis Cerborino	....	dialogue editor (as Lou Cerborino)
Bob Chefalas	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anthony J. Ciccolini III	....	supervising sound editor (as Anthony 'Chic' Ciccolini III)
Rick Dior	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Dior	....	sound recordist
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer: Los Angeles
Bill Foglia	....	transfer recordist
Thomas A. Gulino	....	dialogue editor
Ann Hadsell	....	adr recordist: Los Angeles
Cynthia Leigh Heim	....	foley artist
Lisa J. Levine	....	supervising adr editor
Danny Michael	....	sound mixer
Frank Morrone	....	sound re-recording mixer
Douglas Murray	....	adr recordist: New York (as Doug Murray)
Douglas Murray	....	foley recordist: New York (as Doug Murray)
Yvette Nabel	....	foley editor
James H. Nau	....	adr editor (as James Nau)
Bob Olari	....	sound recordist
Bitty O'Sullivan-Smith	....	dialogue editor (as Bitty O'Sullivan Smith)
Daniel Pagan	....	assistant sound editor
Harry Peck Bolles	....	adr editor
Dan Sable	....	sound effects editor
Lynn Sable	....	assistant sound editor
Andrew Schmetterling	....	boom operator (as Andy Schmetterling)
Anthony Starbuck	....	cable person
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer: New York (as Paul Zydel)
Paul J. Zydel	....	foley mixer: New York (as Paul Zydel)
Tim J. Carroll	....	consultant: Dolby Digital (uncredited)
Kenna Doeringer	....	assistant adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Wilfred Caban	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
John Alagna	....	opticals & titles supervisor: The Effects House
Michael Curtis	....	digital compositor
Ed Hanson	....	motion control operator
Eli Jarra	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunts
Nancy Ellen Anzalone	....	stunt double: Lili Taylor
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Paul Bucossi	....	stunts
Norman Douglass	....	stunts
Andy Duppin	....	stunts
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Tim Gallin	....	stunts
Gene Harrison	....	stunts
David S. Lomax	....	stunts (as David Lomax)
Jim Lovelett	....	stunts
Steve Mack	....	stunts
Janet Paparazzo	....	stunts
Don Picard	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt double: Mel Gibson
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Elliot Santiago	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunts
Gregg Smrz	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunt coordinator
Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon	....	stunts (as Cheryl Wheeler)
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Keith Leon Williams	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brian Donahue	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Wilder	....	additional stunt double: Mel Gibson (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Burke	....	best boy electric
Richard Brooks Burton	....	aerial assistant camera: second unit (as Richard Burton)
Brian Carmichael	....	video assist operator: second unit
Steve Comesky	....	electrician: second unit
Ken Connors	....	rigging gaffer (as Kenneth R. Connors)
Robert Connors	....	electrician (as Bob Connors)
Doug Dalisera	....	electrician
Eugene C. DePasquale	....	grip: second unit (as Eugene DePasquale)
David M. Dunlap	....	director of photography: second unit
Gene Engels	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
Russell Engels	....	chief lighting technician (as Russ Engels)
Kris Enos	....	second assistant camera
Michael Finnerty	....	grip
Brian Fitzsimons	....	best boy grip
John Ford	....	grip
Walter Fricke Jr.	....	electrician
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip
Dennis Green	....	24 frame video operator
Dennis Griffin	....	24 frame video operator
Charlie Grubbs	....	electrician: second unit (as Charles Grubbs)
William Hines	....	best boy electric: second unit
Eric Leigh	....	best boy electric: second unit
Jay Levy	....	first assistant camera
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip: second unit (as Mitch Lillian)
Clayton J. Liotta	....	first assistant Steadicam
Edward W. Lowry	....	dolly grip
Gerry Lowry	....	grip
John Lowry	....	rigging grip
Martin Lowry	....	grip
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator
Dan Mahoney	....	rigging grip
Jamie A. Marlowe	....	camera trainee: second unit (as Jamie A. Marlow)
Charlie Marroquin	....	grip: second unit
Larry McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Peter A. Mian	....	video assist operator
John Milcetic	....	electrician: second unit
Monique Mitchell	....	best boy grip: second unit
Richard C. Montgomery Jr.	....	grip
William D. Moran	....	grip: second unit
Chris Norr	....	second assistant camera
Heather Norton	....	second assistant camera: second unit
David B. Nowell	....	aerial director of photography: second unit (as David Nowell)
Wayne Paull	....	additional camera operator
Andres L. Porras	....	camera operator
Charles Quinlivan	....	grip: second unit (as Charlie Quinlivan)
Chris Rosen	....	electrician
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
John Smith	....	electrician
Susan Starr	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Paul Steinberg	....	electrician
Brian Stocklin	....	electrician: second unit
Jennifer Stuart	....	camera trainee
Phillip Todd	....	additional assistant camera
James C. Walsh	....	electrician (as James Walsh)
Kevin P. Williams	....	grip
James Edmiston	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Gábor Kövér	....	camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)
Richard Lund	....	background plate photographer (uncredited)
Richard Lund	....	translite photographer (uncredited)
Louis Petraglia	....	grip (uncredited)
Robert Shepherd	....	electrician (uncredited)
Donald Vetick	....	dolly grip: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Beth Bowling	....	casting assistant
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting: Kee Casting (as Karen Etcoff)
David H. Kramer	....	voice casting: New York (as David Kramer)
Amy McIntyre Britt	....	casting assistant (as Amy McIntyre)
Lynne Redding	....	voice casting: Loop du Jour

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Giorgio Armani	....	selected wardrobe: Mel Gibson and Rene Russo
William A. Campbell	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Bill Campbell)
Patricia Eiben	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Patty Eiben)
Anne Gorman	....	key costumer
Mary Jo McGrath	....	wardrobe production assistant (as M.J. McGrath)
Marcia Patten	....	wardrobe supervisor: second unit
Debra Tennenbaum	....	assistant costume designer
Michael Anzalone	....	set wardrobe (uncredited)
Ursula Schrader	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Glenn Allen	....	assistant editor
Guy Barresi	....	assistant editor
Joe Binford Jr.	....	assistant editor
Richard Friedlander	....	assistant editor
Mark Ginsberg	....	color timer
Darcy Robinson	....	assistant editor (as Darcey Robinson)

Music Department
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Billy Corgan	....	music producer: Kidnapper's Boombox Music
Don Davis	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Jim Henrikson	....	supervising music editor
Tod Holcomb	....	assistant music editor
James Horner	....	conductor
Lesley Langs	....	assistant music editor
John Moses	....	musician
Shawn Murphy	....	music scoring mixer
Kathy Nelson	....	music supervisor
Suzana Peric	....	music editor
David Slonaker	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Francis Connolly Jr.	....	transportation captain: second unit (as Frank Connolly Jr.)
Timothy Shannon	....	transportation co-captain
James Patrick Whalen Jr.	....	transportation captain (as James P. Whalen Jr.)

Other crew
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer
Sonia Bhalla	....	set production assistant
Joseph R. Brigham	....	helicopter pilot
Eva Z. Cabrera	....	script supervisor
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Jake Chipps	....	adr voice
Michael A. Connolly	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin (as Michael Connolly)
Maureen Cowen	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Louise DeCordoba	....	first assistant accountant
Michael Demers	....	location assistant: second unit (as Mike Demers)
Matt Demier	....	construction accountant
Eirik S. Dentz	....	office production assistant
Carey DePalma	....	location assistant
Chadbyrne R. Dickens	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
David Dirks	....	assistant: Ms. Russo
Liz Dykhouse	....	post-production accountant
Alex Fernández	....	set production assistant: second unit
Jan Foster	....	location manager
Jennifer Goldgram	....	studio teacher
Ronald J. Haney	....	office production assistant
Tina Hong	....	accounting assistant
Eric R. Jacobsen	....	assistant production coordinator
Christopher M. Kanuck	....	office production assistant
Santena Jenaris King	....	assistant: Mr. Lindo
Avi Korein	....	security: Mr. Gibson
Julie Kuehndorf	....	unit publicist
Amanda Ladd	....	second assistant accountant
Chris Lampart	....	set production assistant: second unit
Thomas W. Leidner	....	office production assistant
Roe Lepre	....	set production assistant: second unit
Dean Lopata	....	assistant: Mr. Gibson
Dylan K. Massin	....	key set production assistant
Michael McCormick	....	production accountant
Victoria Brown McCready	....	second assistant accountant (as Victoria Brown-McCready)
Jamie Miller	....	set production assistant
Matthew Morrissey	....	computer guy
Liz Newman	....	production coordinator (as Elizabeth Newman)
Julie Oppenheimer	....	script supervisor: second unit
Deborah Parker	....	assistant location manager (as Deb Parker)
Steven Pilgrim	....	intern: Mr. Howard (as Steve Pilgrim)
Douglas Plasse	....	key set production assistant: second unit (as Doug Plasse)
Alan D. Purwin	....	helicopter pilot (as Alan Purwin)
Jodi Reiner	....	office production assistant
Timothy T.P. Robbins	....	location assistant: second unit (as Tim Robbins)
Ron Rogers	....	production assistant
Matthew Santo	....	additional location assistant
Suzanne Santry	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Jerry Sarnik	....	technical advisor: New York FBI
Miriam Schapiro	....	assistant production coordinator
Betsy Shankin	....	location assistant: second unit
Bob Shea	....	technical advisor: New York FBI
Alex Singer	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
Dan Sullivan	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Kerri Thompson	....	accounting assistant
Jack Treese	....	assistant: Gary Sinise
Michael Unger	....	assistant: Mr. Sinise
Joe Violante	....	coordinator: Technicolor
Rob Walsh	....	accounting assistant
Kathy Welch	....	payroll accountant
Lila Yacoub	....	assistant: Mr. Hallowell
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter coordinator: second unit
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot
Jon Zeidman	....	location assistant
Noah Ackerman	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin (uncredited)
Alexander Berberich	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jonas Cukierman	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Grace Garland	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Cinti Laird	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Matthew D. Panepinto	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Tom Todoroff	....	acting coach: Rene Russo (uncredited)
Rick Washburn	....	weapons coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Daniel Bernstein	....	thanks
Bill Collage	....	thanks
Laura Mannix	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Imagine Entertainment
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (1997) (France) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (1997) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1997) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Gativideo (1997) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Touchstone Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Touchstone Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2000) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Balsmeyer and Everett  main title sequence
• DarkLight Pictures  Endeavor Airlines commercial
• Digital Editing Systems  Avid supplied by
• Du Art Film Laboratories  color timing
• Effects House, The  titles and opticals (as The Effects House)
• Eion Sprott Studio Ltd.  dirigible models
• Flying Pictures  Gyrosphere aerial camera system
• Giorgio Armani  wardrobe: Mel Gibson and Rene Russo
• Gizmo  motion control
• Hastings Sound Editorial  sound editing facilities
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack
• J.G. Films  negative matching
• Kee Casting  extras casting
• Loop du Jour  voice casting
• Technicolor  prints
• Todd-AO Studios (East)  sound re-recording
• Todd-AO Studios  music score recorded at

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic, bloody violence and strong language.

Runtime:

121 min | USA:139 min (laserdisc)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 (TV rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1997) | Philippines:PG-13 | New Zealand:R16 | Italy:VM14 | Hungary:16 | UK:15 (original rating) | Australia:MA | Finland:K-14 | Germany:16 (w) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (certificate #34835) | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Bergen County, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Imagine Entertainment

Trivia:

Tom (Gibson) suggests "John Smith" as a good pseudonym; Gibson provided the voice for John Smith in Pocahontas (1995).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Miles Roberts get shot it's obvious that he is wearing some kind of vest with blood-pouches under his shirt.

Quotes:

Kate Mullen: ...he's so shy. Next month he's doing the underwear billboard in Times Square.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "20 to 1: Great Aussie Movies (#3.5)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Squirrels

Terrific acting complements great script

This is how it should be done, an exciting, exhilarating movie with great acting and a terrific script which grabs a hold of you and never lets go. Mel Gibson is fabulous (I'd almost forgotten he could act after all those lame Lethal Weapon movies). Gary Sinise, Rene Russo, and Delroy Lindo are equally superb. The viewer is always kept on the edge like you're a member of the Mullen household waiting to see if Tom will ever see his son again. Five stars *****