The Rock (1996)

Director:

Michael Bay

Writers (WGA):

David Weisberg (story) &
Douglas Cook (story) ...

Release Date:

7 June 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Alcatraz. Only one man has ever broken out. Now five million lives depend on two men breaking in.

Plot:

A group of U.S. marines, under command of a renegade general, take over Alcatraz and threat San Francisco Bay with biological weapons. A chemical weapons specialist and the only man to have ever escaped from the Rock are the only ones who can prevent chaos.

Plot Keywords:

Alcatraz | General | FBI | Hostage | Prison

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 15	8:00 PM	TNT
Sun. Nov. 15	10:30 PM	TNT

Cast

Sean Connery	...	John Patrick Mason
Nicolas Cage	...	Dr. Stanley Goodspeed
Ed Harris	...	Brigadier General Francis X. Hummel, USMC
John Spencer	...	FBI Director James Womack
David Morse	...	Major Tom Baxter
William Forsythe	...	Special Agent Ernest Paxton
Michael Biehn	...	Commander Anderson
Vanessa Marcil	...	Carla Pestalozzi
John C. McGinley	...	Marine Captain Hendrix (as John C. Mc Ginley)
Gregory Sporleder	...	Captain Frye
Tony Todd	...	Captain Darrow
Bokeem Woodbine	...	Sergeant Crisp
Jim Maniaci	...	Private Scarpetti
Greg Collins	...	Private Gamble
Brendan Kelly	...	Private Cox

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and a sex scene.

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Taiwan:R-12 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) (slightly cut) | Germany:12 (heavily cut) | New Zealand:R16 | USA:R (certificate #34620) | Australia:MA | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:16 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R (DVD rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Chile:14 | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (cut) | Germany:18 (w) (uncut version) | Ireland:15 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | New Zealand:PG (cut) | Canada:PG (tv edition) | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Cinematographer John Schwartzman is one of Nicolas Cage's cousins. Schwartzman's mother, Talia Shire is Cage's aunt.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Mason talks to his daughter, Wolmac Steps forward and starts to moan about Damages to San Francisco, his jacket changes position over his injured shoulder. He lifts his arm in a motion to show how he's been injured and his jacket slides off his shoulder. When the camera cuts back to him his jacket is normal again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
General Hummel: Congressman Weaver and esteemed members of the Special Armed Services Committee, I come before you to protest a grave injustice... It has to stop.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Armageddon (1998/I)

Soundtrack:

San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)

Finally an action film about its characters

"The Rock" is an action movie, alright, but it's an action move about its characters, and that's what saves it. It has a strong cast and strong characters and therefore the plot, about a militia group taking Alcatraz hostage and threatening to fire bombs into San Francisco if they don't get 100 million dollars, isn't what comes off the best.

There are four central characters in this film. Hummel is the man in charge of this hostage takeover. He is a highly-ranked general who is doing this to teach the government a lesson: they've been neglecting forgotten soldiers who died in the Gulf and Nam, and instead of their families being told the truth, they've simply been marked as "Missing in Action." He is played by Ed Harris, who does such a good man torn between duty, conscience, and vengeance, he is the best film villain since Jack Nicholson in "The Shining."

Goodspeed is a computer nerd working for the C.I.A. He's never been in combat situations, but because of his advanced knowledge of chemical bombs, they've sent him into Alcatraz with a group of Navy SEALS, and he has no idea how to react in war-like situations. Played by Nicolas Cage, his performance is believable and powerful.

Anderson is the man in control of the Navy SEALS on the mission to Alcatraz. Tough as nails, bound by duty, he freely admits he agrees with Hummel's reasoning, but he says those are risks that are part of the job, and Hummel is wrong in his action because he took an oath to serve his country no matter what. He is played by Michael Biehn, who delivers a top-notch performance, and one similar to his role in "Terminator."

But the most powerful character in the film is Mason, the only man who has ever escaped from Alcatraz. Tough, cunning, and full of one-liners, he has been caged up in a maximum security prison for years. It's hard to say whether the viewer can trust him or not, and he has many secrets and much knowledge of the facility...which is why he was chosen to go with the SEALS. He is played by Sean Connery, who's performance is perfectly Sean Connery-ish. But who would want it any other way?

This film is great, and it is a great character study for anyone who might be majoring in it or just likes to watch films with good casts. Recommended. ****1/2 out of *****.