In 1974’s Ransom (released in the US as The Terrorists), Sean Connery takes on a group of terrorists who have hijacked an airliner and have a British diplomat held hostage.  One would expect the former James Bond and future star of Highlander, The Hunt for Red October and The Rock to open a big ol’ oil drum of whoop-ass.  Alas, some of the most intense action he is involved in here is marking up an airport map with a ruler.

I think it is noble for movies to strive for a more intelligent resolution for conflict than solely through violence.  At the same time, I still need something from the viewing experience, whether it is character development or challenges which stimulate the mind.

Curiously, Ransom doesn’t have much of anything.  Even while I was watching it, I couldn’t tell you the name of any character except for Connery’s, and that’s only because every other person is saying his name all the time.  Most of the people in this don’t even seem all that concerned about their own lives, so it becomes really difficult to care for them. 

For a film about a high-stake hostage crisis, this whole enterprise is noticeably lacking in energy.  Connery rarely phones it in, but he seems disconnected from the action (to use the word loosely) on the screen throughout the runtime. 

His character is so lackadaisical that his first action when dealing with the airplane hijacking is to go take a leisurely lunch.  Later, when there is less than an hour before bombs are to destroy the aircraft, he takes a shower.  Were these scenes scripted, or did Connery get so bored he just wandered around and the cameras followed him?

Confounding matters even further is all of this takes place in the country of “Scandinavia”.  Not one of the countries that comprise that area, but a country named that.  In this mysterious country, everybody sounds British (well, Connery is Scottish, but cut us Yanks some slack, will you?).  And the whole crisis involves British diplomats so, needless to say, they have the same accents.  And the terrorists also all sound British/Scottish/Irish/whatever.  Basically, I had the damndest time keeping track of the nationalities and nature of all but the most essential people.

So little of interest happens here that a major highlight is when the pilot tries to sabotage the plane as they land, by disabling the anti-skid and flooring the brakes.  It was pretty awesome seeing those huge tires smoke and catch fire until they blow up. 

One thing that seems weird watching such a film nowadays is how 9/11 has irrevocably put a new edge on scenes like the hijacking.  There’s one old British (or Scandinavian—how can tell here?) guy who tries to stir the fellow passengers into action and attack the terrorists.  It is heartbreaking to see the apathy he encounters before trying in vain to take matters into his own hands.

I think it says volumes about Ransom that there is what is apparently a big twist at the end, but I didn’t understand it and, frankly, didn’t care to try to.  I’m stunned to see Connery in a 70’s hijack and hostage flick where he does little more than talk dispassionately on a headset to the various groups who engage in any action.  He may have made some bizarre choices in this stage of his career (see: Zardoz), but this is the only time I have seen him literally phone it in.

Dir: Casper Wrede

Starring Sean Connery, Ian McShane

Watched on Network UK blu-ray (region B)