Thursday, February 10, 2011

Reviews from the Vault: The Rock (1996)

This time of year being the time of opportunity for the Academy to dump all of its garbage that was denied release at the end of 2010, I have not felt the need to review films that you no doubt have already guessed suck. That being said I miss reviewing films, so I have decided to dig up the one golden nugget spawned by the infamous human explosion-- Michael Bay. Produced and Directed by Bay, The Rock stars Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, and the devilishly good looking Sean Connery. Feeling that America is in need of an awakening by a true "patriot", General Francis X. Hummel and his crew of soldiers commandeer Alcatraz (The "Rock") the intension of destroying San Francisco Bay and thousands of American citizens with the aid of biological weapons. Summoned to assist with the demise or apprehension of these anarchic warriors are Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (Cage)- a biological warfare specialist, and John Patrick Mason (Connery)- the only individual to ever escape from Alcatraz. With a pregnant wife currently in San Francisco, Goodspeed wants nothing more than to get the job done and return home to his wife. Will this odd partnership have what it takes to save the day? Explosion! Gunshot! Slow motion! Explosion! Welcome to a Michael Bay film. However, The Rock differs from other Bay projects in that it doesn't take itself too seriously. There is nothing worse than laughing at an action scene that intends to simply rock your socks off. In this instance, the audience tends to share the same sense of humor as the director and cast of The Rock. Aside from the awesomely ridiculous thrills and effects, this film actually contains a few three-dimensional characters, top-notch acting, and Connery! Bay certainly has a fascination with the armed forces, but that is okay considering it adds authenticity to the films military mechanics. These days it takes grand diversity for a film to stand on its own (i.e. the good guy dies, the couple doesn't stay together), but sometimes it's okay to give the audience exactly what they want. I would not recommend buckling up for an oscar-winning drama, but I would recommend having a little fun- because that is what The Rock has to offer-- earning a strong 3 stars.

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