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Movies / On DVD / The Rock
The Rock

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The Rock (1996)

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Reviews Counted:46

Fresh:30

Rotten:16

Average Rating:6.5/10

Consensus: For visceral thrills, it can't be beat. Just don't expect The Rock to engage your brain.

Runtime: 2 hrs 16 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: In Michael Bay's THE ROCK, gung-ho general Francis Hummel (Ed Harris), armed with deadly chemical rockets and aided by violent cohorts, takes over the island of Alcatraz, holding 81 tourists... In Michael Bay's THE ROCK, gung-ho general Francis Hummel (Ed Harris), armed with deadly chemical rockets and aided by violent cohorts, takes over the island of Alcatraz, holding 81 tourists hostage. Hummel promises to deploy the missiles over San Francisco if Washington doesn't make amends to ignored combat victims to the tune of $100 million. A cadre of Navy SEALs are dispatched to quell the situation, assisted by the mysterious, macho John Mason (Sean Connery), the only man to ever escape from Alcatraz, who must now help the SEALs break back in. Joining them is mild-mannered chemical weapons expert Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage), who is unaccustomed to such things as guns and military maneuvers. Their high-octane mission is filled with surprises, particularly after Hummel and company quickly annihilate the SEALs--leaving Mason and Goodspeed to save the day all by themselves. [More]

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, William Forsythe, David Morse, John C. McGinley, Bokeem Woodbine, Vanessa Marcil, Claire Forlani, Brendan Kelly, David Bowe

Director: Michael Bay

Director: Michael Bay
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Screenwriter: David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook, Mark Rosner
Producer: Don Simpson
Composer: Nick Glennie-Smith, Harry Gregson-Williams

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Rock

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Providing an endless stream of one-liners, which put in check any of the films pretensions towards seriousness, Connery brings life to an otherwise formulaic movie.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
09/19/08
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Entertaining action, nothing more nor less.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Chris Hewitt (UK)
Chris Hewitt (UK)
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Fake countdown and knowing reactionary tone, but the best SF car chase to date.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Wally Hammond
Wally Hammond
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There are parts of this action movie that are terrifically well done.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
01/01/00
Barbara Shulgasser
Barbara Shulgasser
San Francisco Examiner

The Rock is a B-movie blast!

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
06/11/02
Bruce Kirkland
Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies

One hell of a story -- and hands down the best action flick of the year to date.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Extremely far-fetched, but undeniably exciting.

comment Comment
01/23/06
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | comment Comment
10/18/08
Jack Garner
Jack Garner
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Producers Jerry Bruckheimer and the late Don Simpson have a highly-successful resume that includes Top Gun and Crimson Tide. The Rock will add more luster to that reputation.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

Pure why-not bravado, pumped-up and staggeringly dishonest but exciting just the same.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Un festival de démolition aussi grandiose que profondément immature

Full Review Source: Panorama | comment Comment
08/07/08
Jean-François Vandeuren
Jean-François Vandeuren
Panorama

No review available.

comment Comment
05/20/03
Jim Shelby
Jim Shelby
Palo Alto Weekly

It's as tough and hard as it sounds. It's also good fun.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
01/01/00
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

For all-out amusement-park entertainment, The Rock is one heck of a ride.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
03/19/01
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

The dialogue is real sharp and perky, and cool one-liners abound. Oddly enough, the thing that works the least in the film is the action.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

In a summer already bursting at the seams with amazing special effects and star-driven excitement, The Rock redefines nail-biting suspense and heart-pounding action.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
06/11/02
Louis B. Hobson
Louis B. Hobson
Jam! Movies

Freneticaly paced action flick truly thrills.

Full Review Source: Cinematter | comment Comment
01/01/00
Madeleine Williams
Madeleine Williams
Cinematter

The Rock is the Guy Movie to end all Guy Movies, a ridiculously overblown summer testosterone blowout right down to the Wagnerian strains of the soundtrack and its stunningly high body count. It's also a hell of a lot of fun.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Marc Savlov
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle

A rousing action picture with generous dashes of humor, The Rock remains the much-maligned director's best film

Full Review Source: Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema | comment Comment
08/06/05
Mark Pfeiffer
Mark Pfeiffer
Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema

A summer action film that entertains for an afternoon and then fades away.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Mark R. Leeper
Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Rock

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