The Rock (1996) | Canadian First Time Watching | Movie Reaction | Movie Review | Movie Commentary

[@mkultra7492]

It's so funny that George said the theory that Mason is James Bond, that's a extremely popular theory about the movie that many people just think of as a fact because of how well it works!

[@FlickFreaks]

I was gonna post that fun bit of trivia, but it was awesome when he had the thought himself.

[@GorramT]

It’s crazy HOW well it all lines up. There’s a breakdown video here on YT that explains it all. The writer definitely did it on purpose. “I’m Stanley Goodspeed (I’m Pussy Galore)” “Well of course you are”

[@jmsmys13ify]

Pretty sure it works so well because the writers made it work. They basically wanted him to be Bond. It wasn't a coincidence.

[@sumelar]

Yup, I love that he put that together like the rest of us.

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

I agree with it. According to the original stories Bond was an SAS soldier first. Who else could swim that distance ;)

[@Braincleaner]

the Bond idea is actually very popular with this movie, there's a video where someone went over the timeline of early Bond movies and his missions and it lines up pretty well with the time Mason was in jail for.

[@Gurra88]

That reminds me of the Kevin McCallister = Jigsaw theory, but it's pretty dumb and nonsensical if you dig a little. If Kevin is Jigsaw the first HA movie would have to take place in 1962 which doesn't really make sense as it looks very late 80s/early 90s, as it was released in 1990. People get bored and just have to make up shit.

[@anonymes2884]

Well, _Connery's_ Bond at least, kind of, if you squint a bit (the other guys - and remember they're all the _same_ guy pre-2006 - were _clearly_ not in jail in the 70s and 80s). But yeah, this is one of those fan theories I have a lot of time for - it's totally harmless, has zero "gatekeeping" component and is just a bit of fun :).

[@salvadormendoza8535]

@@Rocket1377 what about if they just assigned the 007 for the next agent on the list, like "hey, ive heard that the 'muricans captured 007" then say "no, he's just here" and Brosnan appears. Supposely 007 must be a secret so is not like everybody knows who is him

[@salvadormendoza8535]

@@ThreadBomb what youd expect after being 30 years in prison?

[@Do0msday]

@@ThreadBomb Prison changes a man.

[@ADifferentVibe]

Perfect example of a decent movie where the actors, writers, and even composers balanced out Michael Bay’s frenetic directing. My favorite Bay film.

[@rneelymedia9152]

It’s Bay’s best.

[@woeshaling6421]

agreed on the actors making the film what it is

[@Jediel1823]

And 2 of the uncredited writers (script doctors) for this movie were Aaron Sorkin and Quentin Tarantino.

[@manicms]

I'd say the crew made a fantastic movie in spite of the director. Bay's notable contribution is not messing it up.

[@sebastianshades4]

The shower massacre scene is so powerful. Ed Harris and Michael Biehn shouting back and forth is so good. Ed Harris not wanting to harm the SEALs, and Michael Biehn saying he agrees with the General. So good…

[@CharlieBrown20XD6]

Yeah but I always laugh at WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU MAN lol

[@jackboyd9992]

"We've spilled the same blood in the same mud. You know goddamn well I can't give that order."

[@jeremybr2020]

It was a great scene, but at the same time its a scene that I also have the biggest problem with. When it comes to the Navy SEALS, they are considered some of the best marksmen on the planet. They don't miss what they are aiming at very often. And while the marines had the elevated position, and are also well trained, there is no way in hell that the SEAL team doesn't score a kill or 2. But in the movie they don't even score a hit, much less a kill. That just wouldn't happen.

[@William_Sk]

@@jeremybr2020 A small nitpick, but I agree. It would be nice to hear Major Baxter report to the Hummel in the aftermath that they suffered 2-3 casualties on their side.

[@jeremybr2020]

@@William_Sk I agree completely, it is a small nitpick. The Rock is hands down one of my favorite movies. It was one of the more memorable movie experiences I've had. At the time, when it was in theaters, Independence Day was taking all the hype. The Rock was a sleeper hit. I didn't see hardly any previews for it and didn't know what to expect when we went to see it. I was floored. I know a lot of Michael Bay films catch a lot of flack for its over the top explosions and scenes, but this was early Michael Bay. It was only his second film, preceded by Bad Boys. So Bay hadn't quite become that cliche yet.

[@ventusvero4484]

The Rope in the Shower. This is an older thing, but existed and i've seen them as recently as within the last 5 years. They were clothes strings (there would have been a tiny hook on the opposite wall to wrap and hold the knot) so travelers could handwash garments and hang them to dry on the makeshift clothesline with the tub under it. I've heard it was more for emergency spill controls or particularly fragile garments you didn't want laundered by someone else.

[@Atoning_Unifex]

I've always wondered about that, thank you!

[@Video_Crow]

You still see them fairly often on cruise ships and hotels with pools - to hang up swimming gear after hitting the pool or beach.

[@glasgowjohn7831]

it's been 30 years for confirmation a big thank you

[@DerekHartley]

And he specifically requested the hotel and the penthouse knowing it'd be there.

[@dabe1971]

So not heavy duty dental floss then....?

[@garykuovideos]

As a session musician, I had the honor of performing on the soundtrack to this film. Composed by Hans Zimmer protégé Nick Glennie-Smith and recorded at the legendary Paramount scoring Stage M, it was a fantastic project to work on. Enjoy!

[@christofferjenzen78]

No way!! What an honor,this is one of the most iconic soundtracks of the 90´s,its so iconic,it gets the blood pumping. Awesome work.

[@linked2dio26]

Fun fact this film went on to heavily influence the mission "Prisoner 627" of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (the original version mind you). In addition Hans Zimmer did the soundtrack for the game Aswell

[@XX2Media]

I loved Nick Glennie-Smith’s work on The Man in the Iron Mask, as well. Phenomenal score!

I thank you for your service! :)

[@tr0nb0y]

This was the first R rated movie I ever watched in theaters. It was for a friend's birthday and his dad took a car full of us teenagers to see it. Blew our 13 year old minds and still holds a special place in my heart.

[@shreknet]

It's was rated R? lols

[@Gurra88]

@@shreknet maybe because of the implicit in and out scene or curse words? The rating system is so snowflaky

[@magicbrownie1357]

I was twelve when I went to see JAWS. By myself. An eye-opening experience to say the least.

[@reesebn38]

@@magicbrownie1357 OMG! Me too. I was 11. I will never forget the Audience reaction. People in their seats kept doing the wave. Jumping up out of their seats and then back down. Over and over for 2 hours straight. Of course that was nothing compared to seeing Star Wars 2 years later. We had the best generation for movies. Remember seeing Close Encounters and The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future. Those were mind blowing experiences.

[@KWin246]

​@@Gurra88 I can tell you're American because of this comment. Rest of the world sees the constant violence as the likely reason for the rating.

[@cyberdan42]

This is Bay at his best. Action-packed, well-placed comedic moments, just enough plot and heart to hold it all together. A superb example of pure entertaining fun.

[@thegunslinger1363]

Ed Harris was brilliant in this movie. He's fantastic in most films he is involved in. The score from Hans Zimmer in the intro is incredible.

[@aaronburdon221]

Agreed. The abyss was also another movie where he especially shined. Though, i remember hearing that filming that movie was a nightmare.

[@thegunslinger1363]

​@@aaronburdon221 Yeah that's an epic movie from Cameron.

[@Amphibiot]

Apparently, the majority of the score was written by Nick Glennie-Smith, and Hans Zimmer was more of a supervisor. One of the violinists who performed it back then commented on Popcorn In Bed's reaction to this said it was Nick Glennie-Smith.

[@CaesiusX]

​@@thegunslinger1363speaking of which, I always thought *Ed Harris* would have been way better than *Arnold Schwarzenegger* as *Harry* in *_True Lies._* Certainly more believable as both a super spy _and_ computer salesman.

[@MikeB12800]

One of those actors I don’t think ever gave a bad performance. Loved him in A History of Violence.

[@richardkinley8872]

That scene in the shower room is still one of my favorite scenes in a any movie! The speech and the back and fourth between Biehn and Harris and the music…it just hits you in the feels.

[@peartree8338]

There was a quake mod back in dinosaur times which was called Navy SEAL and I used to pretend I was the SEAL team going into Alcatraz whenever I played it. 😄👍

[@generic_sauce]

This is easily one of Michael Bay's best movies, 90s was peak Bay 👌

[@Hexon66]

Virtually the textbook definition of "damning with faint praise". 😉

[@dnllrnt]

The outtakes are a mix of hilarious and unsettling. Connery escaping to the hotel elevator, the door wouldn't close no matter how many times he pressed the button. Him screaming, "Close ya cunt!" Had me dying.

[@zenarcher9633]

And Ed Harris repeatedly flubbing his lines, and completely losing his shit is scary to watch.

[@waterbeauty85]

2:03 George: "Ed Harris is a very intimidating man." Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert once said that Ed Harris is only 5 feet 9 inches tall but has such a commanding presence that he blows away everyone else on the screen.

[@heikira438]

Now THIS is how you do a 90s movie. What a time for cinema

[@onikaze8445]

hotel showers scene, it's a retractable clothesline, I have seen them in hotels but not always.

[@eurkedal]

Yes, fairly common in hotels all around the world. Never used it myself (company pays for laundry), but with the insane prices for hotel laundry, it's probably very useful.

[@topherwhite370]

The round thing in the shower is a laundry line for drip drying clothes. They are in hotel rooms for drip drying swim ware (so you don’t have to pack it wet) or the occasional spot cleaning of a garment. Or socks and underware when your trip gets extended (personal experience).

[@waterbeauty85]

1:52 It always gets me when that Marine says "They're not coming for us, are they sir?"

[@canceltheapocalypse8190]

Underrated epic movie score from Hans Zimmer. This soundtrack gets me pumped every time!

[@cafeabasedecinema]

Never was underrated and he didn't make it alone.

[@namelessjedi2242]

Nick Glennie-Smith did most of it, with Harry Gregson-Williams and Zimmer contributing.

[@Zaqster]

Cage is such a fantastic actor, if it's not on your list already, I'd highly recommend adding "Lord of War" to it. Fantastic movie with an incredible performance by him (and loads of other actors as well)

[@juanpabloloayza5921]

That's a good one!

[@aaronburdon221]

@@juanpabloloayza5921 concur

[@juanpabloloayza5921]

@@ThreadBomb wooo I totally forgot about that franchise. Very entertaining!!

[@DopeSauceBenevolence]

This has always been one of my favorite movies of all time. As a soldier, a lot of these lines give me goosebumps and have my neck hairs stand on end. Movies like this and Black Panther are so great because the villains are right. The things they want are genuinely good things, but the way that they go about trying to get them are bad. I cry almost every time I watch the SEALs breach the shower room.

[@MrPicklerwoof]

It seems incredible that Peter Jackson originally attempted to cast Cage as Aragorn and Connery as Gandalf for LotR. Would have been interesting! "You shall not paaash!"

[@anonymes2884]

Wouldn't have worked. All due respect to Sir Ian McKellen but if Sean Connery had been Gandalf no one would've believed it taking 3 movies to destroy Sauron :).

[@CrookiNari]

I was kinda stunned to find out recently that this movie was released in The Criterion Collection, being the only Michael Bay movie with that distinction. I wouldn't have thought any of his movies would be considered that prestigious.

[@almightycinder]

Even funnier: Armageddon also has a Criterion Collection release. KZbinr Patrick H. Willems has a running gag in his videos mentioning that Bay has two movies in the Criterion Collection.

[@VilleHalonen]

I hesitated to rewatch a movie I loved in my teens, but I'm glad I did. It works beautifully! It's kinda like Die Hard in Alcatraz. Even the Bayisms were tongue-in-cheek and really fun and somehow fit the overall tone of the movie. It's funny that Ed Harris is first and foremost intimidating for you. I first saw him in The Right Stuff portraying John Glen, the first American in space, and that made him an actor of heroic roles for me. (It's an excellent movie about the US space program. I believe people recommended it when you watched Armageddon. Three hours but worth it.) Also, that was a good guess about Hans Zimmer, Simone! He and Nick Glennie-Smith composed the score. One other tidbit: Don Simpson, who this movie is dedicated to, was Jerry Bruckheimer's production partner, known for bid-budget movies, provocative mouth, and a lifestyle that became his undoing. This was the last Simpson/Bruckheimer production. And you've watched quite a few Bruckheimer movies, of course, here and on Cinecringe.

[@innocuousalias6632]

Every time they commented about how over the top everything was I was like, Michael Bay, I thought everyone knew what you get with Michael Bay.

[@Edd25164605]

'Army, Actually. Of her Majesty's S.A.S. Retired of course'. What a total Boss!

[@gothnate]

22:00 George got it! It's not an "official" part of the story, but everything about Mason being Bond just fits perfectly. It's possibly one of the best headcannons apart from Jar Jar Binx being a secret Sith Lord.

[@Mugthraka]

ITs not really a "head cannon" as much as an Unofficial thing or a Nod to Connery's character. A Bit like for a long time Schwarzenegger would be like "I'll be Back" in like 20 of his movies after terminator.

[@12thLevelSithLord]

@@Rocket1377 It works if you subscribe to theory that James Bond and 007 are both code names that belong to various agents throughout the decades.

[@markcarpenter6020]

Alcatraz actually does have mines and tunnels. It was originally a military fort that was turned into a military prison then into a federal prison and is actually well over 100 years old.

[@TheUnstableThinker]

This gives me hope that one day we'll get Con Air, and we can finally hear George say "Cyrus the Virus" with a straight face.

[@DoppelSkumm]

It's pretty much accepted headcanon that this is a James Bond movie. The timelines perfectly match up with Dr No and several other Bond movies. It may not have been planned that way, but it's totally a thing.

[@originalbadboy32]

Pretty sure Bay or the producers have said this isn't the case (of course). But yeah I'm ok with it.

[@Brian-qn7fn]

It is a fun theory, but it doesn't match up in several areas.

[@Dularr]

@@originalbadboy32 so many legal problems

[@originalbadboy32]

@@Brian-qn7fn depends what Bond timeline you are using. It absolutely can work, there is a KZbin video that goes through it all.

[@anonymes2884]

It's a really fun fan theory but I mean, they're all the same guy (pre-2006 at least) so how can it _possibly_ work ? Bond is _clearly_ not in jail in the 70s and 80s (it's actually _way_ worse than that - he turns into an Englishman !? JK of course my southern chums :).

[@jimstanley_49]

15:56 That _is the point_ of those water barrels on the highway. They slow you down on your way into the concrete barrier.

[@jp3813]

Michael Bay's 2nd film sandwiched between Bad Boys (1995) & Armageddon (1998). The first of the Nicolas Cage 90s action trilogy followed by Con Air & Face/Off the year after. One of the many Die Hard scenario movies of the 90s along w/ Speed, Air Force One, Cliffhanger, Broken Arrow, etc... The best thing about this though is that it feels like a crossover between three main characters: Goodspeed, Mason, & Hummel. Each of whom can easily carry their own prequels.

[@theendistheend123]

Would also LOVE to see them react to "Broken Arrow." Awesome movie

[@sugarymushroom]

The Rock is a movie I watch every single time I see it on TV. It is one of the best movies ever it had everything. Romance, intrigue, danger, action, comedy.

[@haydenlindquist7006]

I’ve seen this movie countless times, but the line in the shower room “you call it what you want, you’re down there we’re up here! You walked into the wrong goddamn room commander” gives me chills every single time. Also, George mentioned it but there is actually a theory that Mason is Sean Connerys original James Bond

[@tyrionlannister1628]

Love how you connected the fact this is secretly a James Bond film in the first 25 minutes 👍❤️

[@mikegarcia6979]

The Rock, Con Air, and Face/Off marked the rapid ascent of Nic Cage as an action star. Those of us who knew him for Adaptation and Leaving Las Vegas were pretty surprised to see it happen.

[@jerodast]

_Adaptation_ was half a decade after all of those.

[@lazyperfectionist1]

15:03 "Why would you stay _put_ if you're wrongfully imprisoned?" Well now, George, I can tell you _most_ people, _especially_ most people imprisoned in the US, will try to _escape,_ given the opportunity. It doesn't _matter_ whether they're _guilty_ or not. This is a point established in _The Shawshank Redemption._ _Everyone_ in whatever the prison is innocent if you _ask_ 'em.

[@Do0msday]

LOVE this movie. It's basically just organized chaos. Everything is going on all at the same time all over the place. Random explosions, the corniest/cringiest dialogue at the most random times, and tons of action makes this a really enjoyable movie. Plus I think Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage play off of each other really well both in their 'professions' as well as their personalities.

[@jaymantisgaming]

one of the small nuances to this film that i LOVE, is near the end when the marines are all arguing, just before they pull guns, General Hummel shouts 'STAND DOWN CAPTAIN!!'' but his voice cracks. seeing this as a teenager i thought nothing of it, but now i see it and its like, his voice cracked, showing fear. thats the moment the other marines attack, sensing weakness. like a pack of wolves finishing off the alpha that's too old and weak to lead. i love that little detail and others like it

[@waterbeauty85]

If you ever read or listen to interviews with Medal of Honor recipients, most of them say they feel a duty to all the other courageous service members who have recieved it to not bring dishonor upon the medal. I always think of that whenever I watch the scene when Gen. Hummel leaves his Medal of Honor on his wife's gravestone.

[@najhoant]

Fun fact: the pilot who drops the bomb at the end was played by Jim Caviziel, a.k.a. Jesus in "Passion of the Christ" and John Reese in "Person of Interest"

[@InfiniteEvolver]

You two should definitely watch the movie "Broken Arrow"(1996) that stars John Travolta and Christian Slater! John Travolta plays an awesome bad guy in that movie and it's directed by John Woo!

[@namelessjedi2242]

Yep, one of the other really good action films from that era.

[@vladyvhv9579]

It's also got an epic soundtrack.

[@mauricioramirez5948]

That scene where they're yelling at each other inside Alcatraz is so damn epic.

[@PurushaDesa]

Michael Bay will never make a better film than this. It’s fantastic. MVP is Ed Harris - he adds real serious drama to this.

[@renzero9206]

This is Bay's best film by a mile. Great action, great story, great performances. The dialogue between Biehn and Ed Harris is 1st class. You can see both their points of view and the shitty situation they find themselves in. Glad you finally got to experience one of the best actions films ever made.

[@JS-wp4gs]

Fun fact: for obvious legal reasons they couldn't outright say it in the film itself but the writers intent was that connery's character in this film was supposed to be james bond, with the implication 'james bond' wasn't actually a person but an identity provided to certain intelligence agents (which also explained why he was played by different actors in those films) and what happened is he ended up getting caught and disavowed by the british government, getting dumped in prison for decades as a result

[@MikeTaffet]

42:03 One of my favorite events of the year in SF is called Fleet Week. You get to see jets flying over the San Francisco Bay, including right over Alcatraz, as well as over the city. So this shot of the Jet flying with the towers in the background is something you can see in San Francisco every year in October

[@MichaelJones-mc7ud]

This is one of my favorite action movies of all-time, and one of the best in the 1990s. For me, this movie takes me back to a time in my life when things were so care-free and its a great Time Capsule of the 1990s too. I am happy you both enjoyed it and Frank Hummel is one of my favorite characters in action movies. He is a man of honor that was pushed to his breaking point after having to endure countless lies, smoke screens, and gaslighting from the powers that be. He could not make effective change through the normal channels and he felt this was the absolute, final option to make them listen. He is a amazing and nuanced character and Ed Harris killed it. Also, Don Simpson was one of the most prolific and controversial producers in Hollywood for many years. Don Simpson died from a drug overdose sometime in 1996 and this movie was dedicated to his memory. I read an article about him in a 2006 issue of Playboy that talked about his wild parties (BDSM, people on leashes being beaten with whips, etc) and his drug addiction. In the early to mid 1990s, he was spending over $60,000 a month on drugs alone. Read up on him, it was wild. You were also onto something with the James Bond theory. There have been debates about him being James Bond for over 25 years, and there are videos on KZbin that tries to prove this point. Many of them take some very long leaps of logic, but a lot of the evidence is fairly convincing. Check it out!

[@mathewdebol923]

The soundtrack for this movie went SO HARD! From start to finish it’s perfect

[@FlyinMunky]

"And that's why we're watching the movie." I could give you the biggest hug Simone. That is my biggest pet peeve when watching movies with people. "Just watch!" Lol

[@anonymes2884]

Although, much as I enjoy their reactions, I did have to chuckle when George made a wisecrack about how obvious that was but then _still_ proceeds to speculate at some length about what exactly is going on in the movie :).

[@johndrews206]

21:54. You are correct. He is james bond. It lines up with the JB time line from the 60s

[@timothyburrows9622]

Atropine is used for nerve agent exposure but you stab yourself in the leg, not the heart. Also, you can find videos online that point out all the reasons this is Connery's last Bond movie.

[@Ivy94F]

Saw this in the theater opening weekend. It was a BLAST!! The audience had so much fun watching this!

[@merchillio]

One the first movie I remember seeing thinking “yeah… the bad guy kinda has a point and isn’t evil”

[@DavidRomigJr]

“At least Connery is not Spanish.” Do you mean in Highlander? In that he was ancient Egyptian who changed his name while living in Spain. The fun of a long-lived immortal.

[@WeirdGuy4928]

One of my favorite 90s action movie. I love when the bad guys are made well.

[@geocacher79]

Mason being James Bond is a popular fan theory. There is a really good video explaining it all floating around on youtube.

[@ShinNorimaro]

Great movie. One of my favorite all-time scenes of intensity was Hummel demanding they Seals drop their weapons. Did you notice the SEAL Commander was Kyle Reese in Terminator and Corporal Hicks in Aliens?

[@TheMsLourdes]

Alot's happened since then.... The delivery on that line there is gold ;)

[@Jamall_Toys]

I joined the military when the dvd came out. And after basic training this movie can be heard and seen in all the dorms every weekend for years until Black Hawk Down came out. I can still repeat the shower room scene word for word. (almost, getting old)

[@cryhwks]

"Is he a wizard?" Talking about Nic Cage. Funny enough, he does play a Wizard in a movie.

[@handsomeDRAC]

Highly recommend Con Air and Face/Off. Two more Nicolas Cage action movies that followed The Rock. These are peak 90's Cage movies.

[@ryanrmcshane]

13:57 it’s a clothesline, guys. A lot of hotel showers/tubs have them so you can hang things to dry. They pull out of one end and fasten to the other so the span the length of the tub.

[@haddow777]

Oh goodness. If you want to watch the funniest movie with a scene of tourists visiting the prison cells at Alcatraz, you have to watch So I Married An Axe Murderer. It's an early Michael Myers movie. Hugely underrated and so funny you'll break a spleen.

[@peppyzanadu]

“Don’t be rough with my Hummer, Simone.” LMFAO…!!! 😂

[@JulianP311]

I’m actually wincing every time they say “why won’t they just pay the money?” I can’t believe that it is literally a foreign concept that YOU DON’T JUST PAY TERRORISTS!

[@Hexon66]

Reagan literally paid Iranians to hold host hostages for a public relations stunt. Reagan literally paid the mujahedeen, when they were fighting the Soviets. Reagan literally paid the contra terrorists in Nicaragua (as well as other Central and South American countries) with money from illegal weapons sales to Iran. So, no, paying terrorists is nowhere near a foreign concept to the American government, particular when it's *their* terrorists.

[@cassu6]

Still terrorists have been paid multiple times

[@ssmagicmark849]

It's not like they could pay it in Canadian dollars.

[@ideologybot4592]

I'm watching this for the second time because it is otherwise a really good react, but I'm in the same boat. It's really, really stupid every time George says it. Even beyond the deterrence of future terrorism, they'd have to pay AND keep it hushed, which would be effectively impossible. Hummel is asking for people's careers and a media circus, along with a possible damning of the reputation of the American government at home and abroad. No administration with the slightest bit of self-preserving instinct would ever pay.

[@isaiahrilles6922]

11:29 i like this particular shot because Michael Bay shared how Connery appreciated his skill and work when doing this shot. He even defended Bay in a meeting with the producers about trying to shorten the shooting days because they are running out of money. Connery stepped in and said: "This boy is doing a good job"😂

[@pokes404]

I am not much of a Michael Bay fan, but I really do love this movie. By far his best film, in my opinion.

[@kokemon84]

The island is very good too

[@pokes404]

@@kokemon84 I wish The Island were made by a different director. It's a very interesting idea, with some very talented actors; however, it gets "Bay-ified" into an adrenaline-fueled Summer Blockbuster that I personally just don't think works in the end.

[@chaddon7685]

​@@pokes404It's like two sixteenth films with the tonal shift. And I actually like that movie.

[@rickneely7141]

This was a well done film on several fronts: (a) superb acting, (b) crisp dialogue, (c) great backdrop. The timing of the release was also critical - Michael Bay's directorial style (constant camera movement, tight edits) was still pretty fresh, the intense music score had THREE composers from Hans Zimmer's music production house working around the clock to deliver on time, and it was Nicholas Cage's FIRST action film. I also think the nature of the chemical weapon threat always in play truly added to the audience's nerves as well. On a side note, my DAD rarely rents the same movie more than once from the video store (back in the day)- he rented this one THREE times :)

[@jculver1674]

In the original script, Nicolas Cage's dialogue was full of f-bombs and other profanity, but he decided that his character shouldn't swear, since he was playing a dorky Everyman who's in over his head. So he replaced all the scripted profanity with improvised stuff like "gee whiz", "a-hole" and "Zeus' butthole". The only time he swears is in his fight with Captain Fry and Captain Darrow at the end, as a way of showing that he has been toughened up by the movie's events.

[@Julie-gp4qd]

Alcatraz is an interesting tour. Weird to walk thru the cells and consider what it was like then. The staff lived on the island with the prisoners.

[@lobachevscki]

This is, without any drop of irony, one of the best movies of the 90's. Well directed, well paced, well acted, a complete classic, so much so it is in The Criteron Collection. This was peak Bay and anybody who doubts of his talent should watch this movie. It has well passed the test of time way better than other more ""serious"" movies of that era.

[@kevinnaber790]

It’s a clothesline in the bathroom, some hotels or cabins have such an amenity for drying delicates or other things. There’s a drain, water resistant flooring, and usually good airflow so a bathroom can be a useful place for this use.

[@MartinFransson]

Ed Harris is such a great actor! One of my favourite movies, even if it cheesy 🙂

[@theaikidoka]

At 13:50 - George was right, it's a retractable cord. You pull it out and loop the end around a hook on the opposite wall, then hang clothes to dry or to soak up steam (helps to get creases out after travelling). Edit: oops, others have said this too.

[@Shiny7054]

With the music and the payoff, this movie has one of the most feelgood endings I've ever seen in an action movie

[@AdityaKaul-dm8fk]

Tbh Hummel dying as he did was bittersweet. He was a good man driven to evil actions. His cause needed resolution.I wish there was something along the lines of the fallen men's families being compensated anyway but knowing how govt works...crisis solved = crisis forgotten.

[@stevethemagicninja]

13:54 The thing in the shower is a drying line to hang wet towels or swimwear. There is usually an anchor/slot to secure the knot across the shower/tub.

[@cheekyboomboom8973]

STILL holds up as arguably the best action movie. I've seen it like 10 times on TV reruns alone, maybe 5 more times since digitally and love it every time, lol.

[@CharlieBrown20XD6]

I need them to do CON AIR and FACE/OFF next lol

[@Polymathically]

I was lucky enough to stay on Alcatraz overnight as a Boy Scout back in the early 90s. We stayed on the first floor of Cell Block D. My cell was the 2nd or 3rd from the far left corner. I also live about an hour away from San Francisco, and go there to hike whenever I have free time. So whenever they use the city in movies, I always go back and see what details, inaccuracies, etc. I can find. The Rock is one of my favorite 90's action movies, so I've had plenty of opportunities to go through it in detail. About half of that car chase doesn't even take place in San Francisco (those parts are split between Los Angeles and San Pedro), and what does involves some awkward backtracking and going in the opposite directions what what's being described. They were never even once on California Street. There's a 1968 movie called Bullitt that starred Steve McQueen and featured a famous car chase in San Francisco, and with real driving stunts (and in one case improvised) done by McQueen itself. It was the first car chase of its kind in films, iconic, and set a high standard that most others have only come close to reaching. It may not have been a flashy spectacle like The Rock, but it was far more dangerous, and its continuity holds up when mapped out. The only thing that makes sense in The Rock's car chase is that Connery to drive from cable car explosion at Jones & Pacific Avenues on Russian Hill to the Palace of Fine Arts in only a few minutes. Other notes: The actor who plays the agent who calls Goodpseed a chemical freak (and seen at 14:18) very briefly shows up in Armageddon, another of Michael Bay's films. He's the one who takes Rockhound into custody at the bar. Stenson Drive doesn't exist in San Francisco. Jade's house is on West 37th Street in San Pedro. The FBI mobile command center is shown to be situated at a warehouse on Pier 39. In reality, Pier 39 is a heavily developed shopping center and tourist trap in Fisherman's Wharf. Judging by the camera perspective and the layout of San Francisco's piers, those establishing shots were taken on Pier 23, looking southeast (as in, opposite direction from Alcatraz) towards the Bay Bridge. You can see Piers 19, 17, 15, and 9, with the distinctive Pier 7 walkway jutting out a little further than the others in the distance. Given that Pier 19 was converted from a warehouse to a parking garage, it's most likely the place where the command center scenes were really filmed. Also, Pier 17 was recently made the location of the Swiss consulate, and the Exploratorium was relocated to the renovated Pier 15 in 2013. Also, the stadium shown in the missile launch was actually Candlestick Park, which was far south. The Oakland Coliseum is to the east and relatively close to Alcatraz.

[@shgjjj2879]

We are 5 minutes into the movie and Simone's is having a great time. This is the power of a great movie.😊

[@andrewgrant6516]

The movie certainly supports the reading that Connery is playing a retired and abandoned James Bond.

[@johnnysure1]

I drove John Spenser in my limo some 25 years ago (back when I did that for a living...) He was a chatty fellow, so once I realized he was the sort of actor who you could ask about his movies (characters actors are usually flattered to be recognized, stars you don't ask) , I asked "so did they really dangle you off the side of that building?" He said, "well, I'm a longtime TV/theatre actor in my 50s who has just been cast in a Michael Bay/Jerry Bruckheimer movie starring Sean Connery, probably the only time that was ever going to happen. I had quickly realized that Michael Bay had probably the greatest eye I had ever seen on a director. He could move the camera five feet and turn a boring shot into something amazing. So when he came up to me and said, "well, we could shoot this whole thing against a green screen, or we could actually dangle you off the side of the building." I asked which would look better and he assured me that the real thing would look A LOT better. So I let them dangle me off the side of a building."

[@Ereldor]

FUN FACT: Sean Connery was Peter Jackson's first choice to play Gandalf, but he turned the role down after saying 'he couldn't understand the script.' So, he offered the part to Sir Ian McKellan, and the rest is history...

[@cyborgcable]

You HAVE to watch Bad Boys. Not a lot of people have reacted to it and its a fun 90s classic! Same producers/director team up. Amazing reaction guys!!

[@armchairgravy8224]

If the water bottles explode you know you're watching a Michael Bay movie! 🔥

[@jacklegend5798]

If you enjoyed this movie you might also enjoy Broken Arrow. John Travolta is the villain.

[@bigdream_dreambig]

15:56 The highway water barrels aren't pointless; they're a safety measure! They're intended to slow down an out of control car more gradually than if it were to smash into a concrete wall or divider or something.

[@shreknet]

I'm happy George brought up the Bond thing because that's how I watch this film. I pretend Connery's character is an elderly Bond.

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

I'm pretty sure the vast majority of people who know both characters go with that idea, I certainly do 😊

[@xjstalex1332]

For me this movie had 1 of the most "i can't imagine any other actor playing that role"moment!And that's Ed Harris as General Hammel!

[@alexbrunner1900]

You should watch Con Air. Another fun, action-packed, Nic Cage movie.

[@Slosher52]

10:00 "Mean Gandalf". Funny you should say that. Sean Connery was an early consideration to play Gandalf in Peter Jackson's LOTR. I believe he was even approached to do it, but said he "didn't get it".

[@vsgg]

Great reaction as always! If I could recomend a movie where you wonder who the bad guy is, The negotiator, Samuel Jackson, Kevin Spacey, you'll love it!

[@MrGpschmidt]

Michael Bay's finest hour. This was Cage's first film after winning the Oscar and basically the birth of 'Nic Cage' from here on end.

[@jamesandthefatcat9464]

awesome! good reaction, Awesome movie..still Rocks!! i listen this movies sound track, some times, when i play MMO games. RIP Sean Connery, he was Awesome person.

[@Abaddon231]

This was the first movie I saw on DVD in DTS surround sound at home. What an experience.

[@TearDownGenesis]

@13:00 that "contraption is for hanging clothes. it has a slot on the other side of the tub that it slides into to form a line for drying clothes.

[@MrBigPicture835]

Funny Thing: Nicolas Cage did play a wizard in the Disney flick "Sorcerer's Apprentice".

[@boomhall]

It's been forever since I've watched this and maybe it's actually answered in the movie which is why I never thought about it until now but... Mason worked out the timing on the spinning cog/ spitting flame furnace thing and so is able to roll through it to allow the team access to Alcatraz by opening the metal door from the other side. If the door opens from the inside why didn't he just open it when escaping in the first place rather than rolling through the flaming machinery?!?

[@a3sthetik]

Hi Simone and George! I just wanted to let you know that I love your content and keep doing what you are doing! Much love from Cali. Cheers!

[@upgradED32]

Welcome to the generation of movies I grew up on. The 90's. Many of these films in the 90's were awesome starting in 1994 mostly with Speed, The Mask, The Lion King into the late 90's. This movie was a summer blockbuster in 1996 with Independence Day, Twister, Mission Impossible, Eraser, The Cable Guy. Loved the reaction. The Rock in 1996 and Face/Off in June 1997 are my two coolest summer movies by Nicolas Cage. 👍

[@alexsnow3319]

almost 900 Billion military budget. In 1996, really 1995 while filming, was just below 300 Billion. 100 million was only about 3% of the budget. It IS sizable back in the 90s. Today it would be about 1%