The Rock (Deluxe Edition) (DVD)

THE PLOT

San Francisco. The present. When a ex-army General (Ed Harris) captures the Alatraz prison and threatens to attack all of San Francisco, Stanley Goodspeed (Nicholas Cage) a chemical weapons scientist is forced to team up with the only man ever to escape Alcatraz, John Mason (Sean Connery), convict and ex SAS soldier to thwart his evil scheme.


REVIEW

The Rock was movie script that had been kicking ...
...movie before his death in the same year.

It's has all the elements of a standard Michael Bay movie it's loud, it's crammed with lots of filter shots and has editing so fast it could outpace a leopard. It also has other elements of his style the use of improvising actors with the example being Nic Cage use of music references and the coolest meet cute scene of the two main actors. This scene is called the coffee scene in my house and ... more

THE PLOT

San Francisco. The present. When a ex-army General (Ed Harris) captures the Alatraz prison and threatens to attack all of San Francisco, Stanley Goodspeed (Nicholas Cage) a chemical weapons scientist is forced to team up with the only man ever to escape Alcatraz, John Mason (Sean Connery), convict and ex SAS soldier to thwart his evil scheme.

REVIEW

The Rock was movie script that had been kicking around Hollywood for a number of years before Simson and Bruckheimer got their hands on it. It was Don Simpsons last movie before his death in the same year.

It's has all the elements of a standard Michael Bay movie it's loud, it's crammed with lots of filter shots and has editing so fast it could outpace a leopard. It also has other elements of his style the use of improvising actors with the example being Nic Cage use of music references and the coolest meet cute scene of the two main actors. This scene is called the coffee scene in my house and is the funniest in the movie.

The acting is great. Cage makes a great novice hero using the skills that he gained as an actor in films such as Raising Arizona and Red Rock West. Ed Harris' gives a good performance as a bad guy using bad means to try to improve the treatment of covert operations military teams who were badily treated by the U.S Government.

But the main reason I got this movie was to see Connery. And he doesn't disappoint. He is movie star personified in his role as a rusty James Bond.

The film is filled with other actors who you recognise from other movies. Tony Todd (Candyman), John Spencer (The West Wing), David Morse (Contact), William Forsythe (Raising Arizona), Michael Biehn (Aliens & Terminator), John C. McGinley (Scrubs), Claire Forlani (Mystery Men). All the cast are excellent although poor Vanessa Marcil does have the thankless task of being the first girlfriend who waits at the control centre for her boyfriend to save the day. In my opinion this weakens the female character and occurs again (Liv Tyler in Armageddon) and again (Kate Beckinsale in Pearl Harbour). She gives a good performance though.

In conclusion this is a fantastic movie that is one of my favourite Michael Bay movies. He does what he does best in making a fantastic thrill ride in which you'll be gripped to your seat.

THE DVD:

DISC 1: The film is accompanied by a commentary featuring interviews with Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Ed Harris, Nicholas Cage and miliatary adviser Harry Humphries. A good commentary in which the various parties discuss the struggle that it took to get this film to the screen. Cage and Bay are good value on this as the former discusses the number of music references he managed to get into the movie and how he changed his characters name from Bill to Stanley. The latter discusses how he uses his technique of improvisation and advertising back ground to tell the story. He also has a great couple of stories about the late producer Don Simpson in contribution to the movie.

DISC 2: The extras on this disc include Production Secrets, Publicity and Promotion, Stills Archive, Out takes, Secrets of Alcatraz and a Jerry Bruckheimer Interview. There is the option to watch the features with Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and Finnish subtitles.

#Production Secrets: Split into four parts

1. On the range with the Navy Seals:

Footage of a day on the ranges with Harry Humphries military advisers for the movie the Rock. Includes an interview with Dennis Chalker a Military adviser on the movie who describes the different stages of training to become a Navy S.E.A.L. Interview with Joe Hawes a Navy SEAL who describes how the film SEALs differ from real S.E.A.L tactics.

2. Dos and Don'ts of Hollywood Gunplay:
Military Adviser Harry Humphries and his mate Marshall Teague take us through how to use a pistol properly in a movie and how weapons are badly handled in other movies. Great to listen to since Harry and Marshall are interuptted every couple of seconds by gunfire on the range. The gun styles are each given names like the Gangster Pull' 'The Wyatt Earp Pull' and 'Entering a room.' Marshall and Harry both appreciate that these moves look good but in reality aren't effective.

3. The Rock on Movie Magic:

A discovery channel television program promoting the movie concentrating on the Cable Car stunt, the finale of the movie. It compares the practical effects and computer effects that the movie uses,Includes talking heads with Michael Bay, Hoyt Yeatman (Visual Effects Supervisor), Rae Griffith (Visual Effects Producer) and John Murrah (3-D Artist).

4. Special Effects: The Dive Sequence:

Discussion about the model work in the sequence which is narrated by Hoyt Yeatman (Visual Effects Supervisor). Alright if you have a movie with a lot money.

#PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION: Movie Trailer, television ads and a short featurette about the movie preimere which took place on Alcatraz itself.

OUTTAKES: Short scenes of Connery, Cage and Harris in the movie.

Secrets of Alcatraz: A short 15 minute documentary which covers the history of the rock from its time as military prison, state prison, focal point of the native American Civil Rights Movement and its current status as a wildlife reserve.

Jerry Bruckheimer Interview: Great interview with the most famous producer on the planet covering his life, his movies and his love of photography. Essential if you want to know anything about the guy.

SUMMARY

Fantastic movie. Pure popcorn pleasure wrapped up with good quality DVD extras. With this movie I learn't it is always important to know how to shoot someone correctly in a action movie.

 

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