The Rock - Criterion Collection

Rating:
Summary: The Rock Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: The Rock is quite possibly one of the very best action movies ever. It's amazing cast, great action sequences and incredable dialogue and one-liners brighten up the screen. I unfortunatly own the normal edition because the Criterion Collection wasn't out yet. Believe me if it was I would have bought it. I have to assume the Criterion collection is unbelievably amazing. A whole second DVD of extra stuff. I also own Gladiator on DVD and I really appreciate the second disk.

I will quickly discribe the story to you. A US general gone mad[gen. Hummel (ED HARRIS)] takes over Alcatraz(or the rock)threatening to launch a battery of very dangerous gas rockets into the heart of San Francisco. The US government decides to send in a SWAT team of Navy Seals. Along with the Navy Seals the government sends chemical weapons specialist Stanley Goodspeed(Nicholas Cage) and the only person to successfully escape Alcatraz, John Mason(Sean Connery). The SWAT team enters the rock and all members are brutally killed in a major battle, except Goodspeed and Mason. It is now up to them to defeat a platoon-full of elite marines before the entire San Francisco population is inhialated.

The Rock is a truly superb movie and will be enjoyed by all. It has a great story,cast & crew, dialogue and action scenes. Stanley Goodspeed's fiance is really hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Great DVD !!!
Review: This is one of my favorite action films, one reason is because it has a lot of humor in it, mostly coming off of Connery and Cage's (odd-couple like) relationship. The DVD is in outstanding quality, has DTS and DD 5.1, and a great anamorphic transfer of the film and it's a Criterion disc!! The soundtrack will virtually blow your speakers away!!! Great action, good humor, a great DVD.

Rating:
Summary: ALL THIS, PLUS PRELL
Review: Finally - justice, of a sort. I'd like to take this moment to thank Michael Bay for his commentary on THE ROCK - CRITERION COLLECTION for admitting, with a laugh, that there really was no logical reason for the boiler under Alcatraz to both be operational AND on fire - it's this kind of moment in the commentary on this special edition that makes this whole package both entertaining and very fun. CRITERION strikes again with yet another well packed, sharp looking DVD set that is a must for collectors of film. While THE ROCK may never win awards, it still manages to win over new fans and old fans all the time. And CRITERION has done their best again to bring the most to this DVD set. I drop this one star simply because the second disc, while option filled, has its soft spots that feel a little padded to fill out the disc. The outakes on the disk are few, and most feature Ed Harris in a fit trying to get his military double speak in line and on camera. Both Cage and Connery make the outakes, but only have two each - and in one they share the screen. But the AMC MOVIE MAGIC episode is included, as well as a short (but interesting) history of Alcatraz, plus Navy Seal weapons training (where I learned how to clean, fire, reload, and hold a gun with such detail that I feel I may have learned too well). An interview with Michael Bay is included as well - which is informative. Disc one does feature the audio commentary and is entertaining and always interesting. Film image is crisp, sharp and very clean. And the sound, with the right system, is snappy, fresh and very much a living thing. THE ROCK - C.C. is a must buy for anyone who enjoyed the movie - and for those who found it fun in passing, this edition will win you over again.

Rating:
Summary: A visually astounding adrenaline rush.
Review: A whiteknuckle thriller and a true triumph of style over substance, Michael Bay's 'The Rock' would be wholly unbelievable were it not for the fact that it never slows down to give it's audience time to think. From one frame to the next, it moves quickly and brutally. Gun fights and explosions act as punctuation marks for every scene. For sheer 'bang-for-your-buck' entertainment, you can do no better. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has this genre of film so nailed down, it's impossible to deny the sheer power of this film. Add to it four great performances by Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, and the always amazing Sean Connery and you have a movie so thrilling you may just have to reupholster your easy chair after hitting EJECT. The story revolves around retired Marine Ed Harris who kidnaps a bunch of tourists and sets up base on the deserted prison island Alcatraz. He demands restitution to the families of his fellow Marines who have died during covert operations. If his demands are not met, he will launch rockets containing a deadly (to say the least) chemical agent on San Francisco. Nicolas Cage is a skilled FBI scientist, trained in chemical warfare and Michael Biehn is the leader of the Marine group who will attempt to break into Alcatraz and stop Harris's plan. The FBI will use Sean Connery to help them break into Alcatraz (as he is the only man ever to break out of The Rock). The problem there is that Connery is a British spy who has been unrightfully imprisioned for the past 30 years and has quite the chip on his shoulder about it. 'The Rock' speeds it's way from here to there, never taking the time to do any real character development or plot analysis (aside from Harris' character, no one in the film really seems that well layered), and that is decidely a good thing. The action sequences in the film are truly amazing, including a car chase through the busy streets of San Francisco and a massive gun fight between the 'good' and the 'bad' marines. The film is also laced with more one-liners then your average TV-sitcom, sparking the films 'quiet times' with a great amount of personality and wit. This is certainly not a stupid film by any means, even though some of the plot devices are trite and predictability hangs over the outcome. But for 136 minutes we are riveted and thrilled. This is a wild roller-coaster ride that you will not be sorry for getting on. The special 2-disc Criterion set is loaded with extras, verything from interviews and making-of featurettes, and the film's transfer is gorgeous. A great way to enjoy the film and a nice addition to any action film fan's collection.

Rating:
Summary: Great Digital Transfer!
Review: If you want a review of the movie itself, check one of the other reviews. However, if you like this movie you would probably appreciate the Criterion Edition. This version of "The Rock" is a significant improvement over the original DVD release. The sound and picture are noticably better. Also, there is an entire disc of Bonus Features that you may find interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Welcome to the Rock
Review: First of all, I do not like Nicolas Cage that much. He overacts, has annoying hand motions, and thinks much too highly of himself. That said, this movie still really works. Sean Connery does a great job as the old spy who's unjustly imprisoned after all these years. This movie is not about substance. It is purely designed for style. And on the DVD format, it really shines. From the car chase to the planes, the picture quality is excellent and there are few DVD's that have better sound. So if you're looking to show off your DVD player and sound system, this isn't a bad choice. Plus the whole second disc of extras are really cool. The Rock has the right mix of action and comedy, and Ed Harris and Sean Connery do really good jobs. All in all a top notch DVD.

Rating:
Summary: For dts users only
Review: There is only one reason to get this new version of the rock, the dts soundtrack, which is awesome because so much of this movie is sound. So if you don't have a dts surround system you might as well keep your old copy of the Rock. All of the other feature are just plain boring, especially for such an exciting movie. The commentary is really bad. All of the voice-overs are recorded separately. Sometimes they'll get cut off before finishing the point they were trying to make. You'll also wonder if they are even watching the movie sometimes. The Jerry Bruckheimer "interview" is also pretty dull. It's just him talking to a microphone about his film career. Also the outtakes can't make up for the lack of deleted scenes. So the movie has to stand up on its own, which it does. If your surround sound system can play dts then this is definitly worth getting, its what dts surround sound was made for.

Rating:
Summary: A ROCKY BUT SOLID 2 DISK SET
Review: Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage team up for this solid action flick from '96. Co-Star Ed Harris gives new meaning to playing the "heavy". Connery plays John Mason, a man wrongfully imprisioned for 30 years, who is now asked by the U.S. Govt. to stop a group of millitary terrorists from using a deadly chemical weapon on the city of San Francisco unless their demands are met. Enter chemical weapons expert Stanley Goodspeed (Cage). The two are asked to join with a Navy Seal team to break into the famed prison Alcatraz where hostages are being held against their will and the chemicals are being stored. Director Michael Bay gets the most out of his actors, especially Cage, who in my opinion, can be at times over-rated as an actor. Fans of the car chase will be pleased with the way Bay orchestrates the action of this particular scene. As for the DVD and its extras: Truth is, while this 2 disc set is a vast improvement over the movie only version , the only thing that stood out! for me was the sound and picture quality. I would love to have heard from Connery on the commentary track (he also is listed as an Executive Producer on the movie). All in all as my review title says Rock Solid but I think the 2 disc set for ARMAGEDDON is better in content and presentation.

Rating:
Summary: Darth-Jeyl review The Rock-Criterion Collection
Review: Hey, Darth-Jeyl here, about to review the Rock-CC (Criterion Collection).

When I first saw the Rock back in 1996, it immediately became one of my favorite action movies of that year. It was for me, so rare to see an action film that was so focused on its story, character development, and at the same time be very entertaining. The story was good, the characters believable, the acting was solid, the soundtrack was powerful, and the directing was excellent. When the film was introduced to DVD for the first time in 1997, it left a lot to be desired. The DVD transfer for the film came straight from the Laser Disc version, and was non-anamorphic (Not enhanced for widescreen TV's). The DVD was also featureless, carrying only the teaser trailer for the film. The only good thing about the DVD was it's 5.1 Dolby Digital surround track. Four years later, when I heard about a Criterion version of the film coming out to DVD, I had low hopes. Why? Let me explain. This is the second time Michael Bay has released one of his films from Criterion. The first movie he launched from Criterion was Armageddon. Though the DVD featured a lot of extras, a 5.1 Dolby surround, and a new digital transfer, the video wasn't Anamorphic. That was a big disappointment, since the other DVD version of the film wasn't anamorphic either. So, when I heard that Michael Bay was re-releasing the Rock as a 2 disc Criterion edition, I thought it was going to be like the Armageddon Criterion Edition. Now that I got the DVD, let's move on to the full review.

Story: When a highly decorated, retired Marine General (Ed Harris) and his army seize a stockpile of chemical weapons, and take over Alcatraz (aka The Rock), he demands Restitution to the families of the soldiers that died in covert operations. If the payment is refused, he will launch the chemical weapons at the heart of San Francisco. As the Pentagon debates on how to handle the situation, they decide to send an elite Navy Seal team to go into Alcatraz, disarm the weapons, and take the island. Since the power of the chemical weapons is extreme, they bring in an FBI Chemical Expert, Stanley Goodspeed(Nicolas Cage) to help them with the disarmament. The problem, how do you get into Alcatraz? Since all known experts on the island are dead, they bring in a former Alcatraz prisoner John Mason(Sean Connery) who once escaped Alcatraz, to assist the team on getting in. Thanks to Mason's knowledge, the team makes it into the island undetected. However, after walking in to an unsuspected trap, everyone on the team except Mason and Goodspeed are killed. Now, it's up to a chemical freak who has never seen combat, and a former prisoner who hasn't seen combat for over 30 years, to carry out the mission alone. Their problem? They've got 20 professionally trained killer marines on the hunt for them, 15 deadly chemical weapons to defuse, the entire population of San Francisco to save, and only 15 hours to complete the mission.

Disc 1-The Movie: The Rock on Disc 1, is presented in it's original aspect ratio 2.35:1 in an anamorphic transfer. Which means it's ENHANCED! Not only that, but it's also got a new digital transfer that looks absolutely gorgeous. There are hardly any signs of grain, the colors look very solid, and the letterbox framing is very accurate. This is one of the best transfers Criterion has ever released for a film. For the audio side, we get 4 audio tracks. A Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround sound tracks, a 2.0 Dolby surround, and a Commentary Track. To sum up the audio for ya, if you have a 5.1 Dolby or DTS setup, it will destroy your home. From the beginning of the film, the surround sound action is nearly constant. If you want to see what the audio is really made of, go to chapter 11(Car Chase), and crank up the audio. The Commentary track for The Rock features Director Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, actors Nicolas cage and Ed Harris, and technical advisor (and ex-Navy SEAL) Harry Humphries. Please keep in mind that this is not a group commentary. This is one of those commentaries where each participant recorded their portion separately and were than edited together. I know a lot of people who despise these types of tracks, but for this particular one, it really works. Each participant has something very useful to say about almost every scene in the movie. If you really want to know a lot more about the Rock, check out this track, it's actually the best part of the whole set in my opinion.

Disc 2-The Features: For the second disc, we get an average amount of features that are common on almost every 2 disc set. There is a lengthy interview with Jerry Bruckhimer that I found quite nice, an analysis of the dive sequence which is really cool(All those swimmers were puppets!), a movie magic episode on the film's special effects, a really nice documentary about the dos and don'ts of Hollywood gunplay, a documentary on Alcatraz itself which covers almost every aspect of the island's history, promotional material such as trailers, TV spots, and The Rock world premiere on the Alcatraz island itself, and a bunch of story boards and production drawings.

Final Comments: Well, this disc was a pleasure to get. I can finally watch the Rock as it was originally intended on my 16x9 television. I'm glad Criterion did all the right stuff with this DVD.

Goods: Great movie, good acting, Excellent Transfer, Great sound, wonderful commentary track, nice extras, and ENHANCED!

Bads: Though the second disc has many extras, some of them have almost nothing to do with the movie. Many people might find some of the extras pointless.

Darth-Jeyls rating: 8 out of 10

Rating:
Summary: I can't cut his balls off with a trimmer, now can I?!
Review: A great all round action film, which has me SHOUTING AT THE TV, everytime! From my hatred of the evil marine pair, and enthusiasm towards the SAS operative, the film succeeds in driving emotion from me!

With a unbelievable cast, from the Veterans Connery and Harris to the talented supporting cast, with the likes of David Mason, the film is one exciting moment after the next. Some may be screaming at me for not mentioning Cage in the line-up above, but to be frank I felt that this was yet another of his performances that left me wanting to shout "PLEASE GO TO AN ACTING CLASS!" He is unconvincing and at times, just annoying... (as you can tell I'm not a fan)... however for me Connery carries the film with ease, and Cage is lost very easily amonst the acting giants. With my most favourite scene as Connery and Harris' confrontal, it's a pure genius of a script which is carried through with fantastic deliverance and rapport between the actors.

Harris is a joy to watch, and he draws my attention in every scene, even when the action was far away from him. His portrayal of the torn Brigadier-General, is what I will always remember him for.

Are the Marines truly terrorists, or patriots as they claim... Each one is driven by different ideals, whether leadership, justice, revenge, loyalty, greed, or even pure viciousness, and it's that blend that makes them and the story unpredictible.

After watching the film I am filled with such pride to be British, which is thanks completely to Sir Sean's character and performance... it is so refreshing to see a modern American film where we are in fact not the badies, but instead cruial to the plot's closure and 'happy ending'. Although he is in fact a criminal and spy, he is a lovable rogue... and Connery draws on elements of his Bond career and characterisation extremely effectively to support his part in the film!

The film is definately NOT to be missed, especailly if you are either a Connery, Harris, or Cage fan, you shall not be disappointed.

"What have I done?" You've just bought an amazing adventure of a film.