The Rock (1996) Review

 

The Rock (1996)

The Rock follows chemical warfare expert, Stanley Goodspeed, as he must team up with former spy, John Mason, to infiltrate Alcatraz and stop a rogue marine and his crew from launching a chemical weapon that will decimate the population of San Francisco. 

Now, before I start, this is totally a Bond film (it’s not, technically, but go watch the Youtube video that breaks down how it absolutely is). If you’re a fan of new Hollywood (at the time) meeting the old, then this high-octane marriage of blockbuster explosions and macho bravado will likely be right up your wheel house, as it is one of those mindless blockbusters that honestly..isn’t too bad. It’s great to see that since The Rock, Michael Bay hasn’t evolved or gotten any better as a director, still relying on corny dialogue, massive explosions, and stories that hinge on saving the world (or more aptly San Francisco) from total annihilation. But burrowed deep in that madness is actually a rather interesting tale of a government who has turned it’s back on those willing to defend it. 

This is where we turn out attention to our “villain”, General Francis Hummel, who, in reality, is the farthest thing from a terrorist; in fact his stance is almost sympathetic. A former marine who just wanted justice for the families of those who fell in battle with him, a nice moral dilemma that obviously gets turned around to the traditional black and white ordeal (can’t have the audience thinking too much!) so that our ragtag duo in Goodspeed and Mason can proceed to kick ass, take names, and save the day. 

We do however, get an awesome cast, starring John C. McGinley, William Forsythe, Michael Biehn, John Spencer, Tony Todd, David Morse, Ed Harris, Sean Connery, and Nicolas Cage. Connery, as always, is at the top of his one-liner spittin’ game as the dashing and funny Mason, which heavily contrasts Cage’s bombastic and loose canon mentality given to Goodspeed, though they make a fun combination. 

The Rock, directed by Michael Bay, is about as brainless of a blockbuster as it gets, even for Bay’s standards, but the sheer sense of fun, combined with a star-studded cast make this an enjoyable little romp, even if it is a bit formulaic. 

7.3/10