the Rock (1996)

[adidas12185]

the Rock (1996)

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, Tony Todd
Director: Michael Bay
Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Don Simpson
Writers: David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook, Mark Rosner

Plot: There's a hostage situation on Alcatraz, a group of renegade Marines have seized the island and 81 tourists, and now the only person to break out, must break back in to save them. The San Francisco bay area is at stake for a chemical weapon strike, and the only people who can save the city are a 60 year old highly trained SAS operative and an FBI chemical weapons specialist.

Review: First I have to say I really liked "the Rock" because it was different, this film doesn't follow the overused formula for a flick of its genre. It is not another movie trying to copy "Die Hard". The villian is not even that bad of a guy, General Hummell just wants compensation for the death of Reconnaissance Marines under his command. The government still won't give in to his demands so he and a platoon of Force Recon Marines take Alcatraz Island under siege. Surely his demands couldn't be too steep and he ends up not even executing any civilians. And oh yeah, there is no unrealistic face-off at the end between the bad guy and the good guy in some wierd place. It you feel up to a classic action-thriller, this is probably one of the first movies I suggest.

Overall rating: 9/10, A

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the Rock special edition DVD features:
region 1
2-disc set

disc one: THE ROCK
anamorphic widescreen - 2.35:1
single side- dual layer
RSDL
audio:
dolby digital 5.1- English
DTS surround 5.1- English
additional release material:
audio aommentary - 1. Michael Bay- director, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris- stars, Harry Humphries- technical advisor, Jerry Bruckheimer- producer.

disc two: THE VAULTproduction interview- 1. Jerry Bruckheimer- producer
featurette- 1. MOVIE MAGIC- special effects
2. DOS AND DON'TS OF HOLLYWOOD GUNPLAY
3. analysis of the dive sequence
documentary- 1. excerpts of SECRETS OF ALCATRAZ
trailers- 1. original theatrical trailer
2. tv spots
outtakes
additional footage- 1. THE ROCK world premiere on Alcatraz
text/photo galleries:
storyboards
concept art
production stills

[WhiskyDrinker]

***1/2

an awesome high adrenaline action film

simply outstanding

[James Logan]

This is one of the only great movies Michael Bay ever directed. It's high-flying entertainment, popcorn filmmaking at its best. Sean Connery and Nic Cage are both great, Ed Harris is outstanding, several shots are magnificient and the overall movie is entertaining and breathtaking. A truly excellent summer flick.

9/10

[bmain77]

YEt another Michael Bay/ Bruckheimer collaboration that is well....fucking awesome. Perhaps my favortie just complete all out blow up everything adrenaline pumping flick. Everytime I here this or Armageddon brought up as an example of what is wrong with HOllywood I have to fight all my urges to gouge that person's eyes out. They're fun popcorn flicks and there is nothign with watching those now and then.

[WhiskyDrinker]

i loved the Rock. It was an extraordinary movie.

however, to counter your point, i thought Pearl Harbor was crap. The Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor was awesome, but the rest of that movie was YAWN!

Moreover,
i liked Black Hawk Down
i liked Enemy of the State
Bad Boys rocked
Con Air was great

but
ARMAGGEDON LICKED MAN!
i think that was released around the same time as DEEP IMPACT
IMO, i thought D.I. was better

[bmain77]

Wait, wait...let me clarify, that why I do disagree with you on Armageddon, I think Pearl Harbor is an execellent example of the crap put out Hollywood. There are few movies I loathe more than it. I subsitute teach on my free days during the school year and one day got stuck watching the damn thing for 5 hours straight. It was my own personal hell.