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The Rock (1996)

Michael Bay. Everyone's favourite director to hate on. People dislike his style, his handling of material and the overall quality he brings to his films. Not me. I'm a Michael Bay fan. I like every film of his that I've seen (even Transformers 2), but this is my favourite. It's the one that seems to cop the least amount of negative criticism, and that's for a reason. It's a hugely enjoyable, exciting, energetic action thriller with some great lead performances and memorable action sequences.
Nicolas Cage plays Stanley Goodspeed, a nerdy FBI chemical specialist, who is thrust into a situation involving a pissed off General (Ed Harris), a team of Marines, chemical weapons and Alcatraz. The government decides to send in a team of Navy Seals, along with John Mason (Sean Connery), the only man to ever have escaped Alcatraz.
Leave your brain at the door. The first rule of The Rock. If you want intelligence, go watch something else, because I doubt you'll find any here. It's directed by Michael Bay, for Pete's sake. If you're expecting explosions and gunfire, then prepare for a megaton action orgasm, because The Rock delivers. Bay can construct a good action sequence and The Rock includes high speed car chases, tense gunfights, hand to hand combat and more. The lead performances are particularly good, with Sean Connery a hoot as Mason, Nicolas Cage giving one of his best performances (yes, I'm being serious) and the always reliable Ed Harris giving another solid performance.
If there is any reason one would not consider watching this, it's the aforementioned man at the helm. Honestly, if you take it on it's terms, you may find you like it. Although, that's coming from a guy who used to think Pearl Habour was a cinematic masterpiece (I was six years old).
Along with Con Air & Point Break, The Rock remains one of the greatest "mindless '90's action" films ever made. It's bullsh*t, but it's Bay bullsh*t.

Michael Bay. Everyone's favourite director to hate on. People dislike his style, his handling of material and the overall quality he brings to his films. Not me. I'm a Michael Bay fan. I like every film of his that I've seen (even Transformers 2), but this is my favourite. It's the one that seems to cop the least amount of negative criticism, and that's for a reason. It's a hugely enjoyable, exciting, energetic action thriller with some great lead performances and memorable action sequences.
Nicolas Cage plays Stanley Goodspeed, a nerdy FBI chemical specialist, who is thrust into a situation involving a pissed off General (Ed Harris), a team of Marines, chemical weapons and Alcatraz. The government decides to send in a team of Navy Seals, along with John Mason (Sean Connery), the only man to ever have escaped Alcatraz.
Leave your brain at the door. The first rule of The Rock. If you want intelligence, go watch something else, because I doubt you'll find any here. It's directed by Michael Bay, for Pete's sake. If you're expecting explosions and gunfire, then prepare for a megaton action orgasm, because The Rock delivers. Bay can construct a good action sequence and The Rock includes high speed car chases, tense gunfights, hand to hand combat and more. The lead performances are particularly good, with Sean Connery a hoot as Mason, Nicolas Cage giving one of his best performances (yes, I'm being serious) and the always reliable Ed Harris giving another solid performance.
If there is any reason one would not consider watching this, it's the aforementioned man at the helm. Honestly, if you take it on it's terms, you may find you like it. Although, that's coming from a guy who used to think Pearl Habour was a cinematic masterpiece (I was six years old).
Along with Con Air & Point Break, The Rock remains one of the greatest "mindless '90's action" films ever made. It's bullsh*t, but it's Bay bullsh*t.