This film came out just two years after "Skyjacked," the first movie made about skyjacking. Most hijacking of airplanes before this were for one of two reasons – to extort money from the airlines, or to flee somewhere for political asylum. "The Terrorists" is the first movie made about organized terrorists taking over a plane. And it surely wasn't the last.

What is very good about this film is that it shows how security personnel handle the situation. It's new to all the characters in this film. Sean Connery plays the head of Scandinavian security, Co. Nils Tahlvik. While the movie uses the general term Scandinavian for the region, the event takes place in Norway, most likely Oslo. All the actors play their roles very well. The plot is complicated, and the script and direction handle it very well, so the audience is never lost about what is taking place.

The scenery and aerial photography are excellent. The flight into Russia with the buzzing and then escort by the Soviet-looking jets is most impressive. Even though the details are clear to the audience, the story has wonderful suspense as we see Tahlvik and the other characters go through their actions to meet deadlines. Connery's character also exclaims that to surrender to terrorists is to open to door to more and more terrorism. His purpose is to try to thwart the terrorists.

This is a nice film, filled with drama and suspense. There isn't a lot of action until the end. But, it is a good look at how government and security forces try to deal with terrorists and skyjackings.

"The Terrorists" has one subtle "message" of sorts. It takes a cynical stab at British government that will not arrest some criminals because they can be of use to them. The message is, that because they do that, it comes back to hurt innocent people. Connery's character insists that the law be followed, or anarchy will rule.

In the generally peaceful country of Norway some terrorists have grabbed the British ambassador and are holding him for Ransom. What they want is some of their compatriots released from British prisons. When that doesn't happen, an airliner is hijacked and landed at Oslo airport and the Norwegians have two hostage dramas going simultaneously.

Sean Connery plays the Norwegian head of what would be the equivalent of their Delta Force team. Dealing with one situation is bad enough, but dealing with two at the same time can strain anyone's nerves. Connery as always is the good tough action hero.

His opposite number is Ian McShane who heads the team of hijackers on the plane. They're evenly matched, but it seems like McShane is almost too good at what he does. Connery continually remarks about the professionalism shown. Of course there's a reason for that, but I can't give that away lest you want to see Ransom.

The surprise ending in Ransom doesn't make up for a very sloppy script. We never do find out exactly who these terrorists are and what they're beef with the establishment is. Ransom is like a made for TV film that someone decided on the strength of Sean Connery's name would do well on the big screen instead. It barely made a ripple when released, but by that time Sean Connery was a big enough star so that a mediocre film didn't really hamper his career.

RANSOM is a sombre and gritty British kidnap thriller, set in the chilly Scandinavian wilds where military police chief Sean Connery must lock horns with a terrorist leader who's got a passenger plane full of potential victims. This is a cold affair, highly political as were so many 1970s movies, and well acted by the principal cast members. Connery plays it down and plays it seriously here with none of that trademark charm, and Ian McShane is well chosen as the edgy terrorist. The film goes for realistic over overblown, with the action limited to a sort-of plane chase and an electrifying final sequence. It does well with the material and doesn't really feel all that dated despite the intervening decades.