Review of The Rock (1996) by Renzo V — 10 Jan 2014

"GETTING INTO ALCATRAZ".

- Michael Bay's 'The Rock' from 1996 is a full American action movie, set within the walls of the infamous Alcatraz prison. This is a good example of an instant classic. It was nominated for an Acadamy Award for Best Sound Mixing, and I can only agree that the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is brilliant. The unlikely heroes in this movie are the characters of Nicolas Cage (Con Air, Face/Off) and sir Sean Connery(James Bond), who are trying to stop villain Ed Harris (The Abyss, Enemy at the Gate). Supporting them are Tony Todd (The Candyman) and Michael Biehn (Aliens, The Abyss). Get ready to rock!

Marine General Francis Hummel (Harris) has lost many good men on the battlefield and is furious that the government refuses to pay benefits to the families of his fallen comrades. With some of his devoted troops he has come up with a plan. They steal a stockpile of lethal VX-gas rockets from a military bunker. Shortly after they seize control of Alcatraz during a guided tour and take 81tourists hostage in the prison cells. Hummel threatens to launch the rockets on the San Francisco mainland unless the government pays them 100 million dollars. The Pentagon and FBI come up with a plan: they will send in SEAL Commander Anderson (Biehn) and his men, accompanied by Doctor Stanley Goodspeed (Cage), who is a chemical weapon specialist to neutralize the rockets. There's only one problem; in order to get inside the prison walls they will need the help of John Mason (Connery), a former MI-6 agent who was the only person ever to escape from Alcatraz.