World Famous Comics: The Rock - Criterion Collection
The Rock - Criterion Collection
Starring: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, John Spencer, David Morse Directed By: Michael Bay Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Walt Disney Video Number of Items: 2 Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen Region Code: 1 Release Date: March 13, 2001 Running Time: 136 minutes Theatrical Release Date: June 07, 1996
Product Description: An FBI chemical weapons expert joins forces with a former British spy to rescue the hostages held on Alcatraz island by a group of Marines who have missiles loaded with poison gas. Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure Rating: R Release Date: 13-MAR-2001 Media Type: DVD
Cocked, locked and ready to Rock. People seem genuinely confused why Criterion chose to release this title (along with Armageddon) under their esteemed label. Hey, you gotta pay those bills somehow, right? Pressings of Ivan's Childhood ain't gonna do it.
I, and many others, are certainly glad Criterion tackled Michael Bay's '96 shoot-em-up. The original DVD, to put it nicely, just didn't cut it. The Rock is a film that requires all the bells and whistles a digital disc could afford and this particular edition delivers the goods. A crisp picture, window-rattling surround sound and a bounty of extras. If you're an action fan and don't own this yet, it's definitely worth the price to scoop up this two disc version. It's been out a while, but I'd advise getting it while you can as Criterion holds limited rights to some of their films.
If you haven't seen it, you probably already know the plot anyway. What saves this film from the ever-growing heap of forgettably brainless action yarns is the chemistry between the leads and Michael Bay's crisp, assured direction. What's that? Michael Bay represents everything wrong with Hollywood? Maybe so, but the guy undeniably knows his audience and what they want. I'm a beer drinking American and sometimes I just like to watch stuff blow up, dagnabbit. The Rock represents Michael Bay in his element. He stays within his limits here so don't go in expecting the overshot result of Jerry Bruckheimer's Titanic envy (Pearl Harbor). Just expect a solid two hour action vehicle full of colorful visuals, quick cuts, a typical 90s Hans Zimmer score and lots of bullets and explosions.
Oh, and good acting. Ten years ago was when I thought Nicolas Cage was actually cool. A great actor with charisma and something of a wild side who didn't really fit the typical leading man as far as looks. A year after The Rock, Cage starred in what is arguably the last great action movie of it's kind (you know, the one with John Travolta). Sadly, his projects lately seem to be less selective and now he's just... well, he's just Nicolas Cage. But here, he shines. A very fun performance. Then there's Sean Connery, who was experiencing something of a career second wind around the time he made The Rock (nine years going since The Untouchables). Always a delight to watch, Connery plays it with class and humor. Ed Harris is the baddie who isn't quite as bad you'd think. Does it with equal parts menace and sympathy. A solid performance.
The rest of the cast make The Rock a blast to not only watch, but to listen to. That's also the result of a decent script. Lots of great lines in this movie, especially from Connery. The story never distracts itself and moves along logically and gracefully. At least as logically and gracefully as a Bruckheimer movie can allow.
I guess I kind of love this movie. I initially gave it four stars, but I'm giving it five. Why? Because I watched it earlier tonight and realized this is maybe one of about fifteen to twenty movies I know by heart. Yikes. Gotta count for something.
Cage Anyone? I enjoyed The Rock as a film...and where else can you buy DVD's used like-new for cheap!
ROcky, Rocky Horror, The ROCK? ROcky, Rocky Horror, The ROCK? Not sure why there are different movie reviews here for different movies, but "THE ROCK" is an action packed, comedic, fast paced flick. Right in the midst of Jerry Bruckheimer's peak. Let's see when, and if, Amazon figures out the differences.
We must stop Michael Bay before he makes another film!!! I decided to see this film simply because my good friends at Criterion thought highly enough of it to put it in their collection. They obviously did it for the money, because it's not a particularly good film. But then, if the money for this project went to finance DVD's like Berlin Alexanderplatz, then I'm OK with that.
As for the film itself, a friend of mine recently called me in the middle of the night upset and irritated. Thinking he was in jail or in some sort of trouble, but it wasn't like that at all. He had just watched Michael Bay's film of the Transformers, and he said to me "I want to kill Michael Bay". There are a lot of people in the world who despise Michael Bay, and with good reason. This film is a good example of why. The man cuts every 2 or 3 seconds, giving one a massive headache and eye strain. The dialogue here is laughable, as many of the character motivations. Connery has suppposedly been kept in isolation for 20 years or so, yet seems perfectly normal when released into the world. When Connery and Cage's platoon initially meets Harris's band of thugs, the leader of Connery and Cage's platoon goes off on Harris, despite being surrounded by Harris's men (needless to say, they all get killed except Cage and Connery). The acting is incredibly melodramatic, sometimes hilariously so. The film is an immense piece of garbage, but it's better than Bay's Armageddon. Bay's films are emblematic of what's wrong with Hollywood. Bad dialogue, crappy acting, implausible scripts, overwrought direction, etc., etc.. He must be stopped!
For the record, I have friends who worked at Criterion, and they said that Michael was not the typical Hollywood prick. He treated everyone at Criterion pretty well. It don't make his film any better, though....
Why The Rock deserves to be Criterion It is the age old question. The first time I ever saw this on a friend's DVD shelf, I though that it must be some old 1930s noir movie titled "The Rock", but no, it was Michael Bay's action movie.
And I love me some Criterion collection, though I have to wonder why they put out The Rock and yet have long neglected Orson Welles' films.
In any case, the reason this movie deserves Criterion status is that it's probably one of the best action movies ever made. If you are looking for slam-bang, hammy acting, bullets everywhere, bad puns, buddy-cop drama, pseudo-governmental double-crossing, well, this is about as good as it gets. Whether or not it's you cup of tea is a different issue. But you just have to read Ebert's review to see why this movie is so damn good.
So buy it, put on your best surround, get an HDTV and watch the flashy explosions.
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