It’s as true as it is cliched, but they really don’t make ’em like they used to anymore, with 1996’s action thriller Ransom the sort of big budget, star-powered, adult-orientated blockbuster that’s almost been wiped from existence due to the growing divide between franchise fare, inexpensive genre titles, and shoestring indies.
Which is a real shame, because the fast-paced and propulsive race against time more than holds its own when revisited over a quarter of a century later, which only makes it more of a missed opportunity that Hollywood isn’t willing to spend such sums of cash on a proven formula for success.
Take $70 million in production costs, recruit a known director like Ron Howard, hand him an A-list powerhouse in Mel Gibson to lead the cast, populate the supporting ensemble with known names including Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, Gary Sinise, Liev Schrieber, Donnie Wahlberg, and more, drop them into a plot revolving around one man’s desperate chase to rescue his kidnapped son from the clutches of kidnappers demanding $2 million, and watch the sparks fly.
In this case, “sparks” means a $309 million box office haul and a spot as the sixth highest-grossing domestic release of the year, a Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, and a Golden Globe nomination for Gibson in the Best Actor – Drama category. Even now, Ransom is still seizing attention on streaming.
As per FlixPatrol, the classic has landed multiple Top 10 chart placings around the world this weekend, and it may yet rise higher over the holiday frame as families (and dads in particular) gather together to seek out old school entertainment.