History Film / Ransom

* Sgt Murphy's death before his ForcedTransformation into the titular ''Film/{{RoboCop|1987}}'' at the hands of Boddicker's gang is a particularly gory example that allows the audience a good view of parts of his body being ''severed'' by bullets. Despite this, he stays upright until it's finished.

Our story features a wealthy couple, Tom Mullen (Creator/MelGibson) and his wife Kate (Creator/ReneRusso). Tom is the proud owner of an airline company and easily an ultra-high net-worth individual by 1996 standards. Shortly after their introduction to the audience, former employee Maris Conner (Creator/LiliTaylor) kidnaps their son Sean (Brawley Nolte). The film proceeds to introduce her accomplices, siblings and small-time crooks Clark (Creator/LievSchreiber) and Cubby (Creator/DonnieWahlberg) Barnes, high-tech criminal Miles Roberts (Evan Handler) and mastermind Jimmy Shaker (Creator/GarySinise), a corrupt NYPD detective.

* SelfDefenseRuse: As [[CorruptCop Jimmy Shaker's]] kidnapping scheme begins to fall apart, his accomplices Clark and Miles decide ScrewThisImOuttaHere, at which Jimmy pulls a masterful change in plans: he radios a possible kidnap situation to his station, shouts "Put down the gun!" at Clark (who, realizing they're being double-crossed, tries desperately to drive off), then shoots both of them before planting a gun in Miles's hand. Ironically, seconds later Shaker's girlfriend puts a bullet in his shoulder, and he's forced to kill her in self defense for real.

* HatesRichPeople: Shaker has no particular love for wealthy elites like Tom, and explains his philosophy using ''Film/TheTimeMachine(1960)'' as an allegory:

* DirtyCop: NYPD officer [[spoiler: Jimmy Shaker]] is the mastermind behind the kidnapping and planned to kill Sean all along.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: While the other Kidnappers have no problem with killing Sean once they get their money, [[WouldntHurtAChild Cubby is the only one who strongly objects to stooping that low in killing a kid and mentions to Clark that he won’t give up the money until Jimmy releases Sean.]] [[HeelFaceDoorSlam Unfortunately he is shot dead before he can do so.]]

** He shoots a gun while on the phone with Tom in an effort to break him by making him think he's shot his son, but this leaves him with no way to get his ransom now [[spoiler: and he must come up with a new plan, which involves him shooting his own people]].
** [[spoiler: When he reveals himself to Tom, he accepts an offer of money and escape, but ominously warms that he'll come back for Tom's son one day for having screwed him over. This gets Tom riled up and gives him a beatdown.]]

* RansomDrop: The protagonist is made to go from phone to phone to get subsequent directions, instructed to jump into a pool to destroy any electronics he might have on him, etc. When he finally gets to the drop [[spoiler:it turns out the police have been following him the whole time, and the hand-off goes bad very quickly.]]

Our story features a wealthy couple, Tom Mullen (Creator/MelGibson) and his wife Kate (Creator/ReneRusso). Tom is the proud owner of an airline company and easily an ultra high net worth individual by 1996 standards. Shortly after their introduction to the audience, former employee Maris Conner (Creator/LiliTaylor) kidnaps their son Sean (Brawley Nolte). The film proceeds to introduce her accomplices, siblings and small-time crooks Clark (Creator/LievSchreiber) and Cubby (Creator/DonnieWahlberg) Barnes, high-tech criminal Miles Roberts (Evan Handler) and mastermind Jimmy Shaker (Creator/GarySinise), a corrupt NYPD detective.

Then their demand for ransom is raised, two million dollars. Some character conflict is introduced among the kidnappers. The more ruthless ones want to kill the kid anyway to avoid identification; the others want to release the boy, even risking identification. They agree to disagree until their ransom demands are met.

** When Tom visits Jackie Brown in prison asking if he’s the one who kidnapped Sean, [[PapaWolf Jackie angrily attacks Tom for even considering that he had a hand in it though Jackie hates Tom for getting him locked up he mentions that he has six kids himself and would die for them and wouldn’t even think about doing something unthinkable and taking somebody else’s child.]]

* EvenEvilHasStandards: While the other Kidnappers have no problem with killing Sean once they get their money, Cubby is the only one who strongly objects to stooping that low in killing a kid.
** When Tom visits Jackie Brown in prison asking if he’s the one who kidnapped Sean, Jackie angrily attacks Tom for even considering that he had a hand in it though Jackie hates Tom for getting him locked up he mentions that he has six kids himself and would die for them and wouldn’t even think about doing something unthinkable and taking somebody else’s child.

* BigApplesauce

* AdultFear: Having your son kidnapped and threatened to be killed if you cannot provide the money. [[spoiler:Then getting a call from the kidnapper, angry that you decided to put the money as reward for his capture, and so he decides to shoot your son in retaliation and you get to hear him do it. And then the kid turns out alive, but the kidnapper comes to your house and forces you to give him the money at gunpoint, and threatens to come back some time in the future and take your son away again and kill him for good in revenge for the massive inconvenience you put him through...]]

* InsaneTrollLogic: Shaker raves at Mullen that he took a bullet to save his son... [[spoiler: a bullet he got from Maris, who he was killing to make himself look good and who furthermore were trying to quit the plan and get away.]]