An attempted mixture of comedy and drama, “The Ransom of Red Chief” doesn’t seem to quite make the cut. The “comedy”, both vocal and physical, wasn’t smooth, but instead seemed quite forced and scripted. The story was a good idea, but with such things as a man getting hit in the face with a cast iron pan and repeated words like “Mongolian whore,” I had difficulty finding much humor in it.
The main character was a bratty little boy who showed complete disrespect for his parents throughout most of the movie. In the end he seemed sorry, but it was tough to watch him in the lead role. But he does show regret and so “The Ransom of Red Chief” does earn the Dove Family-Approved Seal.