A vengeful general and his highly trained commandos seize control of alcatraz island and threaten san francisco with rockets loaded with deadly gas unless the families of the men whove died under his command in covert missions are paid a million dollars a piece. Only two men can stop them. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 05/16/2006 Starring: Sean Connery Nicolas Cage Run time: 138 minutes Rating: R Director: Michael Bay

Hollywood superstar Sean Connery (The Hunt For Red October) joins Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage (1995 Best-Actor Leaving Las Vegas) in the action packed thriller of the year, The Rock! All of San Francisco is taken hostage when a vengeful General (Ed Harris Apollo 13) seizes control of Alcatraz Island, threatening to launch missiles loaded with deadly poison gas! With time running out, only a

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The area where this Criterion version really puts Buena Vista's to shame is in the special features department. Now for people who own the Criterion laserdisc of this film, these extra features might seem familiar. But for first-time viewers of the Criterion release of this film, you'll be very pleased with the extras you get here. Supplements abound on the second disc in this 2-DVD set, you'll have hours of enjoyment sifting through all of the extras presented in this package. The only gripe I have about this disc is the commentary track recorded for the film. Sean Connery is suprisingly absent from it. Which, for me at least is a disappointment. But that's only a minor gripe, this disc is one of the best Criterion has relased for a film on DVD. So throw out your old Buena Vista DVD/VHS/LD copies of The Rock, and get this Criterion DVD. I highly recommend it, especially if your a fan of this film.

29 of 34 found the following review helpful:

excellent film with great extra featuresJul 03, 2004
By Ted "Ted"
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

In this director approved Criterion Collection release, we are treated to some excellent materials.

The film follows the story of Francis Hummel (Ed Harris), a retired marine who takes hostages on Alcatraz island. His demand is that the families of soldiers killed in covert operations be given compensation. He treatens to launch VX nerve gas into the city of San Francisco if his demands are not met. A navy SEAL team is sent in to neutralize the threat. Helping out is Stanley Goodspeed (Nicholas Cage), a chemical weapons expert, and John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), the only man to have escaped from Alcatraz.

The film has great acting and there are some good laughs in the film also. There are many action packed scenes including a car chase through the streets of San Francisco and the cars are often airborne when they go on the hills.

The Criterion DVD has many special features and is on a deouble disc set.

Disc 1 contains the movie with optional audio commentary by Director Michael Bay, Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Technical advisor Harry Humphries, and actors Nicholas Cage and Ed Harris.

Disc 2 contains a theatrical trailer and TV spots, a video interview with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, a blooper reel, a special about the film's premiere on Alcatraz, scenes from a TV special "Secrets of Alcatraz" that contains interviews with actual former inmates and a history of the island from Native American times to modern times.

There is a special "Dos and Don'ts of Hollywood Gunplay" with the film's technical advisor Harry Humpries and Marshall Teague. This specail contains depictions of errors made in action films regarding the use of guns it emphasises saftey and common mistakes including gun drawing techniques that don't "work" such as the "gangster grab" or the "wyatt earp pull".

There are also 2 features on the films special effects. One is on the dive sequence and the other is on other effects, like the cable car crash. There are also storyboards, production stills and drawings.

This is a must biy for fans of the movie as well a fans of the Criterion Collection.

9 of 10 found the following review helpful:

An Intelligent, Adrenaline-Pumped Thrill Ride!Nov 25, 1999
By Michael Kropotkin "Kropotkin"
The Rock is one of the greatest of all action films. This is a movie that not only presents some incredible, if not stunning, action sequences, but also a smart plot and intelligent screenplay. This is a film that really works in it's genre to the fullest. Director Michael Bay is a master of this material and adds great style and vision to already excellent material. The screenplay by David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook and Mark Rosner has a touch of intrigue here, a touch of adrenaline there, a splash of rambo here, and the effect is great on the big screen. "The Rock" never slowes down but never gets dumb either. Elements taken from other films are lovingly polished to a gloss. Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Harris all give convincing performances that ignite the screen along with everything else. "The Rock" also has some of the best of all action scenes. The chase scene through San Francisco is pure excitement and thrills and amazingly filmed. "The Rock" is intelligent, action-packed, and a wild, thrilling adrenaline-pumped ride that's also wonderfully stylish.

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

Wait for Criterion Collection DVDJan 28, 2001

This is one of the few action movies I think still holds up and this DVD presents it pretty well but there are basically no little extra things on it. Wait for the Criterion DVD to come out. It will more than likely have an anamorphic transfer (since they started doing that), great sound and it will also have a lot of extras like a history on Alcatraz, outtakes and of course a commentary. But unless you really have to have it and don't care for supplements, you can't go wrong with this disc.

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