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Movies / On DVD / King's Ransom
King's Ransom

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King's Ransom (2005)

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Reviews Counted:49

Fresh:1

Rotten:48

Average Rating:2.3/10

Consensus: Filled with crass dialogue, unlikable characters, and overdone slapstick gags, King's Ransom is an utterly inept would-be comedy.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for crude and sexual humor and language

Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:Apr 22, 2005 Wide

Box Office: $3,998,889

Synopsis: Anthony Anderson sheds his usual sidekick status, heading up the ensemble cast as Malcolm King, a boorish, egomaniacal billionaire who owns a huge, equally tasteless marketing firm in Chicago. The... Anthony Anderson sheds his usual sidekick status, heading up the ensemble cast as Malcolm King, a boorish, egomaniacal billionaire who owns a huge, equally tasteless marketing firm in Chicago. The cocky businessman is quickly established as the kind of character audiences love to hate, insulting underlings with glee and emitting crass vulgarities whenever he opens his mouth. His lovable secretary Miss Gladys (Loretta Devine) tries to keep him in line, while his uber-ditz of an administrative assistant, Peaches (Regina King, SCARY MOVIE), keeps him satisfied. Kellita Smith (THE BERNIE MAC SHOW) plays Malcolm's gold-digging wife, who is sleeping with her hunky, though stuttering, pool boy (Roger Cross) while seeking a hefty divorce settlement. The cast is rounded out by Angela (Nicole Ari Parker, SOUL FOOD), the temporary VP who is passed up for the job in favor of the boss's mistress, and Corey (Jay Mohr, LAST COMIC STANDING), a loser who lives in his grandmother's basement; his gang banger sister intimidates him into taking part in criminal activities. Resentments toward King abound, and soon everyone gets the same idea: kidnap Malcolm, take him for all he's worth, and teach him a valuable lesson. Even the big man himself decides to orchestrate his own kidnapping, in order to throw a wrench in the plans of his wife's lawyer. A cacophony of mistaken identities, misunderstandings, and general mayhem ensues, during which time the supporting cast is given a chance to shine; in particular, Jay Mohr deftly handles a violent run-in with a fast food worker with hilarious results. Donald Faison (SCRUBS) and Charlie Murphy (CHAPPELLE'S SHOW) also turn in stellar performances, as a randy parking attendant and a growling ex-con on the down low. [More]

Starring: Anthony Anderson, Jay Mohr, Regina Hall, Loretta Devine

Starring: Anthony Anderson, Jay Mohr, Regina Hall, Loretta Devine, Kellita Smith, Nicole Parker, Donald Faison, Leila Arcieri, Brooke D'Orsay, Charlie Murphy

Director: Jeff Byrd

Director: Jeff Byrd
Screenwriter: Wayne Conley
Producer: Darryl Taja
Composer: Marcus Miller
Studio: New Line Cinema

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Release:

Jul 26, 2005

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Anthony Anderson plays millionare Malcolm King who gets wrapped up in a true mess when he plans his own kidnapping to avoid paying a divorce settlement. Unfortunately for Malcolm, everything falls apart when he's not the only one in on the plot! Watch and see who finally gets away with King's Ransom!
  • Source: Warner Home Video
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    Reviews for King's Ransom

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    This slapdash comedy barely coughs up more than a couple of funny scenes as the story moves in predictable fits and starts before sputtering out of fuel half way through.

    Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
    06/19/09
    Cole Smithey
    Cole Smithey
    ColeSmithey.com

    The wordplay of the title here is the only slightly clever element of this extremely lame comedy.

    Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
    08/07/08
    Mark Halverson
    Mark Halverson
    Sacramento News & Review

    The script, by TV writer Wayne Conley, shares some elements with the old Danny DeVito comedy Ruthless People, but humor isn't one of them.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
    01/05/07
    J. R. Jones
    J. R. Jones
    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
    10/30/06
    Garth Franklin
    Garth Franklin
    Dark Horizons

    Anthony Anderson shows he can star in a movie without a kangaroo in this kidnapping plan gone crazy.

    Full Review Source: International Press Academy | comment Comment
    10/17/05
    Michael Szymanski
    Michael Szymanski
    International Press Academy

    King's Ransom lumbers forth clumsily, choreographing its slapstick pratfalls with all the class and taste of a Courtney Love relapse.

    Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
    09/26/05
    Nathan Rabin
    Nathan Rabin
    AV Club

    The thing looks like it was written in a week, directed in two, and forgotten about by all involved in less than three.

    Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com | comment Comment
    08/01/05
    Scott Weinberg
    Scott Weinberg
    DVDTalk.com

    King’s Ransom deserves to be bashed, burned, and have its ashes scattered over Hollywood

    Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
    07/25/05
    Matt McKillop
    Matt McKillop
    Filmcritic.com

    It is, quite plainly, like watching a movie that’s trying to go out of its way to be horrible.

    Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
    07/23/05
    David Cornelius
    David Cornelius
    eFilmCritic.com

    I couldn't pay anyone to see this movie. Literally.

    Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
    05/21/05
    Boxoffice Magazine

    (Anthony) Anderson is funny, usually. Just not here.

    Full Review Source: San Antonio Express-News | comment Comment
    05/06/05
    Larry Ratliff
    Larry Ratliff
    San Antonio Express-News

    Basically an improv scene sprawling to feature length.

    Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
    05/04/05
    Scott Brown
    Scott Brown
    Entertainment Weekly
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    A mirthless comedy about venal people doing stupid things.

    Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment 2 Comments
    05/01/05
    Marjorie Baumgarten
    Marjorie Baumgarten
    Austin Chronicle

    Mean-spirited, unpleasant comedy about characters who are both nasty and stupid and who deserve every bad thing that happens to them. In fact, they deserve more.

    Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
    04/30/05
    Eric D. Snider
    Eric D. Snider
    EricDSnider.com

    Byrd’s romp through the most contemptible stereotypes of women, gays, and ethnic minorities makes his film unfit for just about anyone, never mind royalty.

    Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
    04/30/05
    Mattias Frey
    Mattias Frey
    Boston Phoenix

    All these plots converge in a decidedly unfunny cacophony.

    Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
    04/29/05
    Cynthia Fuchs
    Cynthia Fuchs
    PopMatters

    Needless to say, as a cringe-worthy and excruciatingly awful comedy, you shouldn't pay a dime of King's Ransom.

    Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
    04/29/05
    Kit Bowen
    Kit Bowen
    Hollywood.com

    'Screenwriter' Wayne Conley's idea of side-splitting dialogue is to have characters repeatedly tell King to "kiss their black ass." Or announce that they just "pooted."

    Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
    04/29/05
    Timothy Knight
    Timothy Knight
    Reel.com

    Marital bickering, a mistaken-identity sex romp and booty shots galore follow, but few laughs.

    Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
    04/28/05
    Chuck Wilson
    Chuck Wilson
    L.A. Weekly

    [A] crass, trashy and none-too-funny comedy.

    Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
    04/27/05
    Maitland McDonagh
    Maitland McDonagh
    TV Guide's Movie Guide
     
     
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