Billionaire Ransom (II) (2016) User Reviews

I kinda thought it would be a stinker - NOT!

[kenfromcanada · 6/10 · 20 August 2016]

In my experience when a movie changes its title - it is a sign of bad things to come. so approaching viewing this one, I had no high hopes. Being on the older side of many members here, I admit I didn't really recognize the actors by name - as I started to watch I did know a few. The story line is not new, SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT, when the location changes from the U.S. to where the majority of the movies takes place, it gets better. The setting is beautiful, the plot takes time to get to the 'action', but, it does, and it doesn't stink! I am an easy reviewer, I just like to be entertained, and having no great expectations, this was a very entertaining movie.

Two Movies in One

[Lou2413 · 5/10 · 12 October 2016]

I felt the film didn't know what it wanted to be. It's set up to be a heist film, but it spends the majority of the time detailing the experience of these billionaire kids out in the wild and their journey of enlightenment and becoming better people.

The film does a good job when it's focused on the kids, but then you're pulled out of the story with snippets of the group planning the heist and it feels disjointed. Suddenly, you remember it's a heist/ransom situation and that's almost disappointing. I could easily watch a film about this group of trust fund babies learning what it's like to be free and to want something more than their previous lives.

The dichotomy of the film is its weakness. The two parts would have been great as separate movies. However, it is still very much a watchable film.

Enjoyed It

[RC81 · 6/10 · 19 November 2018]

It's good. Remebered watching this alone in the cinema sad it was not received well

The first hour spoils it

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 26 June 2018]

TAKE DOWN is a British B-movie thriller with a hackneyed premise and execution, feeling very much like a film such as WILDERNESS but without the professional sheen. This one was shot on the Isle of Man, where a training boot camp for disaffected youth is attacked by a group of machine gun-touting mercenaries keen on kidnap. Wouldn't you know it, the kids soon put their survival skills to the test and go up against the bad guys in the stunning countryside. Some amusement is evoked by the presence of a number of familiar TV stars playing the adult roles; I spotted seemingly half of HOLBY CITY here alongside actors from BLACK SAILS and SPARTACUS, but none of them have very much to work with, which is a disappointment. The film is also way too long, with little happening in the first hour; it only really kicks off in the last half hour, with some not-bad heroics, but by then it's too little, too late.

Almost an 8!

[llsmith-87182 · 7/10 · 7 February 2021]

Very interesting story although not all that original. Phoebe Tonkin is very good. This is somewhat of a suspense movie but on a low scale. Some might say that it's a bit predictable but it's a fun watch even so.

Lol, nizzo!

[SpanishDann · 2/10 · 19 August 2018]

So a teenager rich kid from the Hamptons with one week of survival training can take down a commando hand to hand?! Lol, no!

Thoroughly enjoyed

[kimbordeleau · 25 January 2018]

I enjoyed this one which was a pleasant surprise, actors were not known to me but they did a great job. Great setting.

Better than expected

[thatmaninblack · 7/10 · 19 December 2019]

I thought it's going to be a weak "B" movie, but I guess I was wrong.

The Cons:

A few minor issues in the and the "badguys" make some really rookie mistakes. The CGI is problematic when they shoot their guns. With blanks and fake blood, the movie would get even better. Too much shaky cam.

The Pros:

The acting is pretty solid, I think there is 1 famous actor in the movie, but the others are also played their roles excellent. I liked the plot too. Even though the movie is about spoiled rich kids, their characters become likable pretty fast. There were a few surprisingly shocking scenes, like the broken arm scene, the practical effect looked really convincing.

If you are bored and you have 90 mins to pass, give the movie a chance, it's worth watching.

Very comedy

[dvm-973-266184 · 1/10 · 24 September 2018]

Hey, hart man u kill my best soldier, now cone to home, lol, this movie is suitable for angry childs 😂

Enjoyable

[marlijnvankempen-28356 · 7/10 · 24 April 2023]

Storyline was better than expected I have to say. A bit of an unlikely hero story arc. I would have liked to see the young people have a some more time to 'bond'. The friendships seem to appear almost instantly. It would slow down the pace of the film, but might have created more depth to it.

I loved seeing Ed Westwick in action after hearing only his voice in several audiobooks. His voice is incredible and it turns out he is nice to look at too. He plays a convincing enough bad guy.

Seeing Dominic Sherwood in a more down-to-earth realistic role, rather than the role of supernatural beings like a vampire or a Shadowhunter was a pleasant surprise.

Oh dear

[hutton_jim · 2/10 · 10 July 2022]

Oh dear what a load of rubbish. Terrible acting, terrible cast, terrible script.

It has the making of a really good film but..... Shame I wasted time watching this garbage.

Excellent!

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 9/10 · 24 August 2016]

Once again I am shocked at the low 5.3 average score for this movie.

I'm hoping once people read my review, they will rate this movie appropriately.

I gave this one a 9. Why? Because you can't compare apples to oranges. What I mean by that is a movie needs to be rated on the investment/production value as well as entertainment.

Let me explain; Let's take Barber Shop 2 as an example (that has a 5.9 average). It has how many top rated actors (how many DON'T you know?) as well as a 20 million budget (which went where exactly?). Yet it was boring, biased, stupid, NOT funny etc...

Now take this movie... I didn't recognize any actors, budget was clearly low as it wasn't even disclosed, yet the story line was great, acting was good, the scenery was amazing, and I was pleasantly entertained!

If a movie has a high budget with A-list actors and top directors/producers and is terrible, it deserves a low score.

But going into a movie that is a B type movie with no name actors (of which the acting was not bad at all) and is made well and is entertaining, it needs to be rated appropriately!

So hopefully everyone else who sees this enjoys it as much as I did and rates it accordingly.

VIEWS ON FILM review of Billionaire Ransom

[burlesonjesse5 · 6/10 · 16 November 2016]

Every trouper in Billionaire Ransom (my latest review), is virtually unknown to me. I mean I have never seen any of these people in any other movies. Oh well, at least the producers got some of them to look like actual celebrities. Lead actor Jeremy Sumptor, is pretty much a cross between Hugh Jackman and Ryan Phillippe. Curly locked Phoebe Tonkin, is a dead ringer for Rebecca Gayheart. Lastly, villain Billy Speck (played by Ed Westwick) sure does give off the whole Justin Timberlake vibe.

Anyway, "Billionaire" plays like two separate films altogether. The first hour is all about spoiled, rich kids being taken to a remote, reform school as opposed to going to jail. The last 40-50 minutes are about these same Richie Rich, twentysomethings trying to escape hardened criminals who want to hold them hostage at the same darn school.

Echoing 1993's Cliffhanger, Ransom, and The Maze Runner, Billionaire Ransom is by turns violent, bloody, and unabating. It has moments of suspense and relegated strain. However, this British thriller is only mildly compelling compared to Mel Gibson's 1996 hit and Sly Stallone's backyard brawl of an actioner.

Released in August, filmed in Wales which is made to look like Scotland, and originally titled Take Down, "Billionaire" hasn't found much of an audience. Based on its current box office state, it might not find much of one on DVD either. Sadly, the budget constraints, the nameless cast, and the action movie clichés might be to blame (I hate it when law enforcement conveniently arrives after everyone has been shooting at each other and bodies are already lying on the ground).

In regards to "Billionaire's" character development, well the actor/actress portrayals are unlikable, snide, and defensed. We're talking about young protagonists here and their wealthy parents. These are the people you're inclined to root for. The hostage takers don't count. They're supposed to be vexatious for Pete's sake.

As for "Billionaire's" look, undoubtedly it's ultramodern and lush, with the scenery of counterfeit Northern Isles really taking over. The film's musical score by trip hop band Hybrid, makes it all feel Bourne-like as things stir along at a breakneck pace.

All in all, Billionaire Ransom senses to be a bit uneven until the gun- filled, second act takes over. And it has a slight twist at the end that almost feels like filler (a rich kid's brother makes a few secret phone calls to the bad guys, hint hint). Bottom line: Based on everything I have just written, the whiff of a rental is exactly what you'll get with Billionaire Ransom. I give it a two and a half star "payoff". Ha!

Enjoyed this film

[piper-03242 · 7/10 · 14 April 2017]

quite enjoyed this film this evening. The unknown actors were quite,good, and the storyline was fairly entertaining. It is slightly predictable, in that the spoilt kids all mature, and some bits which didn't quite ring true. However, overall the story is quite convincing, and my son and I enjoyed it.

Also, the production, scenery, music etc was quite good.

A scene too far

[zlifb · 6/10 · 27 July 2017]

Despite the contrived situation and "Survivors" production style, the story, the acting and the scenery keep things moving along ... until the last section when it all falls in a big heap, as if they ran out of time, money or inspiration.

Little and not-so-little inconsistencies in the plot accumulate steadily, gradually becoming more noticeable. I'm happy to suspend reality for a creative tale, well told, so long as whatever takes place is reasonably credible within the context of the story. Take things too far, though, and those inconsistencies become distracting. Reality reasserts itself and the moment is lost.

FWIW I suggest you stop watching when the FBI becomes involved and imagine your own conclusion.

Rebel rich pricks vs kidnappers. Not bad

[redtiago · 6/10 · 17 October 2021]

A group of rich, spoiled, rebellious and arrogante pricks youths are sent to a school, boot camp on an isolated island in Scotland as their last training opportunity to be someone in life.

They become targets of kidnappers who demand the largest ransom ever from their parents. They will have to mature and together and cohesive fight for their survival.

Reasonable action movie, with a simple but well-engineered plot, good scenography with very well-crafted action scenes. It only sins for the excessive simplicity and predictability of the plot with one-dimensional characters.

Still not bad, slightly above action movies of this genre.

Really Entertaining

[jimbobmowerman · 8/10 · 14 September 2016]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie and I don't usually post up reviews but having checked out its current score on IMDb I feel that this film has been really underrated. I think people expect every film unless it's Disney to have some life affirming moral tale or have to have some deep purpose but if you want to be entertained for an hour and a half, this is really worth a watch. The actors are fairly unknown but that makes the film more interesting for me as they're all very charismatic and watchable. The cinematography, the beautiful Scottish island setting and the soaring music readily take you through the story of these spoilt kids finding themselves at the hands of Ed Westwick's band of gun wielding baddies. It's not not a horror so don't expect to be hiding behind the sofa and don't expect it to change the world but it's an enjoyable film and a lovely surprise find. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Thrilling with a side of a weak plot!

[callumcharteris1874 · 6/10 · 12 July 2022]

I found this film to be an exciting watch. The concept of a rich kid boot camp is intriguing, I almost found it realistic as I can imagine the snobby children of society may have to face strict punishments when they get out of line, similar to the boot camp. The scenes with the group all together and learning together was heartwarming and it was good to see all the kids getting along and starting to enjoy being at camp and feeling a belonging. I also liked the fact that Kyle learned from his fears to become a real leader and how his Dad also learned and realised that he was in the wrong in sending his child away. Both the Son and Dad had admirable character development.

However, I thought the origin story of Kyle and Amy was weak. They met, nearly died together and then miraculously ended up at a boot camp, the same boot camp, half way across the world. I also felt after the initial reaction from Amy not much happened and the car crash was forgotten about. I also thought the criminals were pretty weak, they seemed to lack plan and all died at the first attack of the kids. I also thought the reveal of Amy's stepdad setting the crime up at the end was terrible as it was just too quick and pretty anti climatic as there were no consequences after for such a serious plan.

Overall, I rate this a solid 6 starts as it was a good end to an enjoyable day.

cheap 'b' movie ? not !

[eric-18268 · 9/10 · 9 September 2019]

I was expecting a low class production, but i loved it . suspenseful, beautiful scenery, good acting, good direction . location in new mexico, a bit off the wall, off the beaten path really, not very meshing with the rest of the scenario . and the commercial flop probably happened because no investor wanted to risk promoting it . too bad because i think it was worth the watching .

[7.5] Lacks plot tightness and professional speed

[cjonesas · 8/10 · 21 March 2020]

Although, I enjoyed Take Down for what it presents itself, without having too much expectation, I do believe that when you invest a budget of over 11 million USD in a movie, it needs to have a smooth script and storyline first, then you have the means to put the acting on top of that.

The matter and fact are not new to me and failure to do so, I saw in countless movies and series, leading to minor to big disasters in respect to the budget invested and the efforts put in.

As some reviewers correctly hinted, the movie feels like 2 to 3 movie parts put together.

First, you have the young actors and their issues - acceptable development for some, but no background and their overall stories feel disjointed. Aside from some, the others didn't feel spoiled (a mistake). Also, the drama factor between all of them was low. Should have shown that in more problematic ways. No depth shown.

Second, you have the parents or basically some of them. Again, aside from basically two (not enough), viewers don't get to know about the others. They are shown together, that's it, they say that a specific place has no electricity but then miraculously stuff happen to be there, working and set up. No depth shown in that section too.

Third, You have the hostage takers. Seriously!, their number IMO wasn't enough in the first place, let alone with some (unbelievable) casualties. Basically what happened down there, most of that was because of their low numbers. Their subsequent plans and going after the kids as they did in the movie, wasn't well thought out too leading to how it all ended. Let alone their carelessness.

So, why I rated it the way I did? That's because of its cinematography, scenery, some good acting and entertainment value.

What the writers and producers failed to understand is what you want to do with your movie in the first place, if there is the slightest feel that the story, expenditures and budget do not match, there are potentially big plot holes and the whole picture will probably be seen as weak, disjointed or lacking solid logic throughout, then it's a mistake to even begin with. Not film it and then hope for the best.

Look what happened, the movie was not bad and above average, but because of the mentioned and some other things that more experienced persons will see, it failed miserably at the theaters and almost no one felt like promoting it.

Cutting my tales short, I just would like to recommend this movie to pass a nice time, watch some beautiful scenery and have the story unfold before your eyes, without having too much expectation, while at the same enjoying some good and fierce acting, among others, Phoebe Tonkin's one.

Riveting thriller with charismatic cast

[robertemerald · 9/10 · 24 April 2019]

I'm not quite sure why reviewers are not warming to this piece. It's interesting all the way to the reform island, I really wanted to see what became of the brat. The island itself is a magical place, very pleasing to the eye, and the movie comes with competent cinematography, but it's authentic, and from the crucible more noble traits arise, a joy to witness. The baddies are well chosen and well played. It's a joy to see them challenged. The soundscape is moving, classical, but not ordinary. The story has been well thought out, there's no fat to trim here. The high altitude of some of the island gels well with pursuit and pursued. Much of it was shot in the rain, a nice touch. You can feel the chill of the climate, juxtaposed against dire desperation. Survival is more a matter of bravery than technique. It's a clever story, professionally done, truly enjoyable, and deserves better mention.

Show me my son

[nogodnomasters · 8/10 · 31 July 2017]

Kyle Hartmann (Jeremy Sumpter) is the spoiled son of a billionaire. After he wreaks his primo Mustang and leaves Amy Tilton (Phoebe Tonkin) for dead, his dad (Sebastian Koch) gets angry and sends him off to billionaire larvae boot camp with the GD Finkelsteen kid on remote Schottland Island with other billionaire kids who need adjustment. And Amy didn't die, she is there to remind him that... Kyle is "Branded, scorned as the one who ran. What do you do when you're branded, and you know you're a man.Wherever you go, for the rest of your life. You must prove, you're a man." So in this episode, Jason McCord and the teens learn to survive in the woods and how to hunt and make traps.They bond and learn all kinds of stuff in about 5 minutes of movie time. They should have extended this part. So bad guy ransom kidnappers show up and tie up all the kids except for little Kyle....who "must prove he's a man." Sorry I had Branded lyrics running through my head the whole time I watched the film...now you can too. It wasn't the tightest script with the best dialogue and acting, but I liked it more than say the second "Red Dawn," which isn't saying much. Just let the beer flow and play the Branded song on U-Tube.

Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity. "Billionaire Ransom" and "Take Down" are the same film.

Pleasantly Surprised

[filme24 · 9/10 · 13 May 2023]

I usually don't check trailers before watching a movie, and i wasn't expecting much about this one, with an unfair rating of 5.5, i might add, but i gave it a shot.

The actors did a really great job, the story is good there are lessons one can take from this movie.

Well, you probably know by the description that this bunch of "spoiled brats" are sent to a place where they have to get rid of all their luxuries, bad habits and living on the shadow of their parents. So at first the Lead character finds himself on a total different ambience he was used to, and at first what he thought was bad, turned out the best thing in his life? Why? He finally found himself, and that applied to most of the boys and girls there. So they had to be tested to show what they were capable of, and they far exceeded what anyone would expect of them as they were only Labeled :"Rich spoiled brats" incapable of doing anything right.

Is it a good story? Yes!

Cringy?well not to me, Are there lessons to take from this movie? Yes a few.

Is this an underrated action/survival movie?

Oh yes definitely!

Does this movie deserves the present score? No!

Give it a chance, if you like action /survival/ with a good story,and maybe being low budget was the best thing that happened to this movie/script.

Well, if i wasn't pleasantly entertained and surprised with this film, i wouldn't be here writing this review.

Great thriller with Ed Westick playing a psychopath out for big money

[mjanssens26 · 8/10 · 31 May 2020]

Excellent thriller. A bit of a slow burn to start with but then the action gets going and it's fun to guess who is and isn't working with Ed Westwick as the evil mastermind. Fun and fast ride with a decent twist ending.

I liked it

[msh-72817 · 10/10 · 12 March 2017]

The plot seemed trite when I read about the film.

But I liked it.

Women were beautiful.

Who cares if they can act.

My girlfriend can't.