The Rock (2 Disc Collector's Edition) [1996] [DVD]

Between his high-octane debut, Bad Boys, and 1998's wannabe blockbuster Armageddon, hotshot director Michael Bay forged his dubious reputation with this crowd-pleasing action extravaganza. In Rock, a psychotically disgruntled war hero (Ed Harris) seizes the island prison of Alcatraz and threatens to wage chemical warfare against nearby San Francisco unless the government publicly recognises the men who were killed under Harris's top-secret command. Nicolas Cage plays the biochemist who teams up with the only man ever to have escaped from Alcatraz (Sean Connery) in an attempt to foil Harris's terrorist scheme. As one might expect, what follows is an action-packed barrage of bullets, bodies, and climactic confrontations, replete with enough plot contrivances to give even the most jaded action fan cause for alarm. It's a load of hooey, but the cast is obviously having a grand old time, and there's enough wit to make the recycled action sequences tolerable. --Jeff Shannon

In director Michael Bay's filmography, The Rock came between his high-octane debut Bad Boys and 1998's Armageddon, and consolidated his dubious reputation as the purveyor of crowd-pleasing action extravaganzas. Here, a psychotically disgruntled war hero (Ed Harris) seizes the island prison of Alcatraz and threatens to wage chemical warfare against nearby San Francisco unless the government publicly recognises the men who were killed under Harris' top-secret command. Nicolas Cage plays the biochemist who teams up with the only man ever to have escaped from Alcatraz (Sean Connery) in an attempt to foil Harris' terrorist scheme. As one might expect, what follows is an action-packed barrage of bullets, bodies and climactic confrontations, replete with enough plot contrivances to give even the most jaded action fan cause for alarm. It's a load of hooey, but the cast is obviously having a grand old time, and there's enough wit to make the recycled action sequences tolerable. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

On the DVD: The Rock special edition two-disc set presents the movie on Disc 1 with a selection of subtitles and a cut-and-paste group commentary with director Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, ex-Navy Seal Harry Humphries, Ed Harris and Nicolas Cage. The editing together of separate comments is a frustrating experience and the energy of conversation, which often enlivens a DVD commentary, is lost. Picture is anamorphic 2.35:1 and sound is vivid Dolby Digital 5.1.

The special features are contained on Disc 2. "The Production Secrets" section includes an interview with the Navy Seal adviser on set, who demonstrates the correct way to shoot your gun, and special effects secrets. "The Secrets of Alcatraz" offers a short history of the infamous prison. There's also an interview with Jerry Bruckheimer which simply demonstrates how little he has to say. Storyboards, production designs and out-takes (including a stressed Ed Harris) are also included. But nothing here really excites or informs and most of it is very Americanised, making this a special edition that doesn't seem all that special. --Nikki Disney

DVD Special Features:

Disc One : The Movie
Audio Commentary
Disc Two:
Analysis Of The Dive Sequence
"Movie Magic"
Outtakes
Production Stills
Storyboards : The Morgue
Production Design Drawings
Hollywood Gunplay
Jerry Bruckheimer Interview
"Secrest of Alcatraz"
The Rock World Premiere
Theatrilca Trailer ,BR> Navy Seals on the Range

Languages in Dolby Digital 5.1 : English
Subtitles: English, English for the hearing impaired, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Widescreen 2.35:1

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 manoeuvres. 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.

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson (Top Gun, Crimson Tide)--—Simpson actually died just prior to the film's release--—reunited with director Bay, who had collaborated with the pair on Bad Boys the previous year, The Rock benefits from a trio of likeable leads in Connery, Cage and Harris (yes, even the villain of the piece is somewhat endearing), a thundering music score and a bevy of explosive set-pieces that combine to create an action-packed thrill ride of a movie.

Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage star in this action-adventure blockbuster. Millions of lives hang in the balance after a military madman (Ed Harris) seizes control of the island prison of Alcatraz and threatens to launch deadly poison gas missiles at San Francisco. With time ticking away, a chemical weapons expert (Cage) and a cunning federal prisoner (Connery), who happens to be the only man to have broken out of Alcatraz, must now break in and disarm the missiles.