Directed by:
Michael BayCinematography:
John SchwartzmanCast:
Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, John Spencer, David Morse, William Forsythe, Michael Biehn, Vanessa Marcil, John C. McGinley, Gregory Sporleder (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
When a vengeful ex-general (Ed Harris) seizes control of Alcatraz Island and threatens to launch missiles loaded with deadly poison gas, only a young FBI chemical weapons expert (Nicolas Cage) and a notorious Federal prisoner (Sean Connery) have the skills to penetrate the impregnable fortress and take him down. (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (9)
I've seen The Rock many times and I wouldn't say it's that much better than other action movies. Of course, Bay has proved what a masterful director he is, the technical aspect is a real feast for the eyes, and Connery and Cage deliver brilliant performances. But it's a bit spoiled by the cliched script, and, overall, it's kind of a copy of all other action movies. So why am I giving it five stars? There is one, absolutely crucial aspect. It’s Hans Zimmer's music, which perfectly captures the whole atmosphere of the movie and makes it an absolutely unforgettable work. If I were to name a movie with the best soundtrack ever, it would be The Rock. In hindsight, having seen other movies with Zimmer’s soundtrack, I could say this about each and every one of them, but none of them are as memorable.
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I remembered the film quite differently from how I saw it this time. A child's mind beautifully clouds some realities. For example, how the plot is illogical in so many places and rustles with paper so much that it's not very nice. But it's still a good action movie with excellent characters that you'll remember, not just the main ones.
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The Rock is a widely revered action movie. In visual terms, it is an example of great genre craftsmanship. It’s dynamically edited, filmed through cool filters, contains one of the best car chases ever (Hummer vs. yellow Ferrari on the streets of San Francisco), and it has likable and well-cast good-guy characters. But... it doesn't have a proper bad guy (!!!) and everything in it is so artificially timed and polished that I was never in suspense, I didn’t fear for the protagonists and I thus didn’t care what would happen next. Formalistically overwrought and formulaic banality.
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An American action classic of the 1990s that fulfills all necessary qualitative parameters with flying colors. Michael Bay's perfect direction, excelling in the work with image filtering, as well as brilliantly composed action scenes. The star-studded cast of Sean Connery, Richard Harris and Nicolas Cage simply cannot disappoint. The plot is attractive plot and the screenplay is full of impressive explosions and action, and let's not forget about the excellent music by the duo of Nick Glennie-Smith and Hans Zimmer. The Rock may have slightly weaker sound and occasionally a few awkward cuts, but the positives easily outweigh the few shortcomings, and the viewer cannot be bored for a minute. One of those great action movies that we loved in the 1990s and usually underestimate in the new millennium.
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Today, Bay is considered one of the most twisted megalomaniacs of the dream factory, and I must admit that his exaggerated grandiosity still genuinely entertains me. Among his best films, this high-octane, adrenaline-fueled ride will forever remain the one that perfectly defines the action films of the 1990s. The technical aspects may have their flaws, but it has a clever screenplay that makes fun of the 'Bond myth' and cleverly puts together all those clichés with incredible elegance and simplicity. That means that there's no point in getting upset about it. However, the main strength lies in the cast and Bay's directorial engine, which runs at impressive speeds. The opening ambush scene is rhythmically (the cinematography, editing, music) probably the best I've ever seen in the genre. And Hans Zimmer has never made more heroic music. I've never seen any other movie more times in my life. It’s been around 60 times.
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