A tense nail-biter with a "Mission: Impossible" sense of suspense made all the more urgent by the fact that it's loosely based on a true story.

Ransomed can't avoid indulging in a smidge of melodrama and nationalism in its closing moments, but it's a small price to pay for this very worthwhile big-screen package.

Ransomed uses the true story of a Korean diplomat kidnapped in Lebanon in the 1980s as the sobering backdrop for a well-paced buddy action comedy. It is an awkward fit at times, ... but director Kim Seong-hun lands most of his punches.

"Ransomed" is easy to watch, well shot, and well acted, and a genuine feel-good movie that is bound to satisfy anyone who wants to have a good time.