Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #554 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-06-24
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 131 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
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

Amazon.co.uk Review
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 Description
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

Customer Reviews

The Rock
The Rock is one of the best action films around. The action scenes are fast-paced and exciting, and the plot (even though it just links the action scenes together) is intelligent and thought provoking. It involves a former marine commander who is angry about the US government refusing to pay out retributions to the families of marines on secret ops. He eventually takes the step of kidnapping tourists on Alcatraz island and threatening San Fransisco with poison gas. Although the Commander is threatrening to kill millions of people, it is easy to see his point of view, and understand his motivation. To get rid of this, the government sends in a chemical weapons man (Nicolas Cage) and an escaped prisoner of the island (Sean Connery). Although most of the action scenes are all about gunplay (which is very well done) there is also a brilliant car chase towards the beginning of the film when Connery (in a Humvee) tries to escape from Cage (in a Ferrari Testarossa).
Overall, this film is fantastic, and was well inside the top 50 of FHM's top 50 bloke's films.
Five Stars.
No question.

One of the best films around
This has to be one of the best action thrillers i have ever seen. The fact that Sean Connery is still making films like this is amazing as well.
The plot is about General Hummmel, who feels that the widows and families of the soldiers have not been treated fairly so he hi-jacks a load of canisters of deadly poisonous gasses. I won't give the rest away but im going to say that this is one of the best action movies ever. The bantering and humour between Nic Cage and Sean connery is great.
The special features are the usual that you will find on any DVD (i.e. Making of, Deleted Scenes etc) but are well worth the money.
The best thing of all, this is the fully uncut version - The BBFC censored 17 seconds of violent content, which is now reinstated.
All In All : Definatly a worthy purchase.

Sean, what more do you need?
Sean Connery basically playing at being Jame Bond, is this a good thing, at his age you would not have thought so. But dispite his aging frame he manages to be both hard and cool, bringing the screen to light everytime he makes an appreance.

The Rock is great popcorn cinema, beleive me you'll get through a ton of the stuff whilst watching this action classic. There is a desent enough plot, but lets face it, this is all about guns, explosions and fast passed film making. After a very short while you forget that this is a very silly film and just watch with you mouth slightly open and brain in relax mode.

Cage is good, as he usually is. But anyone could have played that role, infact I think John Cusack would have been perfect for it. Having said that he manages to stay somewhere near to Connery's level, but never takes the spot light (it's a good actor that can acheve this).

All in all a film to be enjoyed with a beer and not pondered too much after.