THE ROCK

US, 1996, 135 minutes. Colour.
Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, John Spencer, David Morse, William Forsythe, Michael Biehn, Vanessa Marcil, John C. Mc Ginley, Tony Todd, Bokeem Woodbine, Claire Forlani, Danny Nucci.
Directed by Michael Bay.

The Rock is one of Michael Bay’s most successful films. He had begun directing action films during the 1990s, including Bad Boys and then Armageddon. After directing Pearl Harbour and then The Island, for which he did not get good reviews, he directed the Transformers series, some of the most popular films at the box office, despite very bad reviews.

This is a film about Alcatraz, capitalising on the fact that people did not escape from the island (Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood). However, Sean Connery plays a British agent imprisoned on the Rock for thirty years for obtaining secrets about American conspiracies. At the death of his wife, though a decorated general from Vietnam, goes over the top and wants to get justice, especially for his men who have been underpaid, from the American government. He steals chemicals, sets up rockets on Alcatraz, takes eighty-one tourists as hostages.

The action of the film concerns Nicolas Cage as an academic expert on poisonous gases and Sean Connery as the agent. Connery relishes his opportunity for character actioners as well as action drama. Nicolas Cage did many of these films. Ed Harris is very good as the general. There is a very strong supporting cast.

The film has a great deal of character development for this kind of film as well as an enormous amount of action, including a mayhem car chase through the streets of San Francisco.

The film was the last film produced by Dom Simpson, who was in partnership with Jerry Bruckheimer. Jerry Bruckheimer has continued with expensive spectacular action films in the ensuing years, especially the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

1. A film of action? Conspiracies? Characters? Military and financial issues in the United States?

2. The outlook of the producers, the big spectacle? Action, special effects? The work of the director – and his emphasis on stunts and effects?

3. The strong cast, character actors? Giving some strength to the film?

4. The plausibility of the plot, the takeover of Alcatraz, the operation to disarm the rockets? The heightened crisis? Chases and mayhem? Conspiracy theories?

5. Brigadier General Hummel’s story? At his wife’s grave, talking to her, his grief? His going over the edge? The elaborate plan? His men and their loyalties? Especially Major Baxter, Captain Hendrix? Their support of him? The raid to get the poison gas? The attack on the military, not lethal? The tour of Alcatraz, the sudden takeover, the imprisoning of the guide, the hostages? Setting up headquarters on the Rock? Setting up the rockets, facing San Francisco? The phone call with his demands, the reasons, the military pensions? His aides, his employing tough and ruthless military? The deadline? The contact with the FBI, with the White House? His despising of the young White House assistant? The discovery of the team inside the Rock? The confrontation, the rock falling, the guns and the subsequent massacre? His shock? Discovering that Mason and Goodspeed were on the Rock? His decisions, the pressure from the military thugs, from Baxter? The firing of the rocket, altering its course, aimed towards the sports event, going out to sea and exploding underwater? The military confronting him? Baxter betraying him? The shootings? Mason and his helping but Hummel dying? His aim, wanting to call the bluff of the American government, failing?

6. Stanley Goodspeed’s story? In the laboratory, the gases and the disarming of the toy? The dangers? The corrosive effects of the gases? His fondness for the Beatles, buying the record, at home? His girlfriend, her explaining she was pregnant? Wanting to marry him? The phone call, the FBI calling him in, the interrogation, going to San Francisco? Warning Carla not to go? The interrogation of Mason, his naïve approach, getting results? The confrontation with Womack, his dangling from the building, Goodspeed having to rescue him? Getting the car, the chase through the streets of San Francisco, using his brains, finding Mason’s daughter’s address, going to the Presidio? Calling the police? Saving face? Going underwater, with Mason, with the team, the expertise, the dangers? The massacre and their being left alone? Finding the rocket, disarming it? Mason and Goodspeed being captured, the threats, inside the cell, Goodspeed’s ranting against Mason, the opening of the cell? Finding the other rocket? Mason staying, saving Goodspeed from the killer? The gun, the fights, going to the lighthouse? Getting the gas, the single ball, putting it in the mouth of the military man? Disarming the rocket? Sending up the flares, the split-second timing and the warning not to bomb the Rock? His decision about Mason? The bequest and his going to Kansas with Carla, finding the information?

7. John Mason’s story, his past, British agent, the information, the American conspiracies? Imprisoned for thirty years? His escapes? His appearance, being interviewed by Paxton? Paxton failing? His interactions with Stanley? His bashing the wall in, seeing Womack? His attack on him, throwing him over the building? His escape, taking the vehicle, smashing his way through San Francisco, meeting his daughter, the explanation of his life, story? The police arriving? Stanley saving face? His plan, his knowledge of Alcatraz, in his memory? Going underwater, the entry, the fire and opening the door, progress, the massacre, their being pursued and caught? The escape from the cell? The rockets, deciding to leave, returning to save Goodspeed, Goodspeed offering him the escape, the bequest?

8. Commander Anderson, his expert squad, the plan, orders, their being killed, his loyalty stance?

9. Baxter and the other associates, their loyalty to Hummel, the promise of the money, turning against Hummel?

10. The FBI, Womack, the other advisers, their knowledge about Mason, their decision to get him out, Womack’s hostility, suspicions all the time, tearing up the pardon, following the process and seeing the danger?

11. Paxton, the FBI, his interrogation, his interactions with Goodspeed, complimenting him, agreeing with him about Mason?

12. The American generals, the White House meeting, the strategy plans, processing the chemicals? Getting them on time?

13. The phone calls, the slush funds, getting the money, needing more time?

14. The importance of the timing, the jets flying towards Alcatraz, the flares, the attack being called off, the explosion on the island – and the opportunity for Mason to escape?

15. A macho film, Carla’s presence and her pregnancy, the daughter?

16. Formula material – but done with big budget and flair?