Don't let appearances fool you

Rating: Null/10 (29 May 2002)

On the face of it, this just seems to be yet another action movie by Jerry Bruckheimer, with big muscles, and bigger guns. However, it is in fact a pretty good movie, thanks mainly to the fact that the main character, Stanley Goodspeed (played by Nicolas Cage) is not a gung-ho, all American hero. He does not relish being in his position (stuck on Alcatraz with a bunch of crazy SEALS and crazier marines armed with big fat missiles), and has some dry lines which he uses well. I won't reveal the plot, but its not up to much anyway, so no loss there... Sean Connery as usual, delivers a James Bond performance - the only kind of role he can pull off - as an ex-SAS, ex-MI6 agent, who was imprisoned on Alcatraz and escaped. (By the way, isn't it funny how all the British guys in action films seem to be SAS soldiers or spies - you'd think we were trained to trained to whip up a Vodka Martini from birth!) Anyway, the best bit of the movie in my opinion is when Connery says: 'losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and f**k the prom queen'. The only problem I had with the movie, (and it is seriously minor), is that one of the marines punches Sean Connery, and says, 'f**king English prick, did I ever tell you my father was Irish?' Sean Connery is SCOTTISH!!! What an ignorant thing to say! The Irish have got absolutely no problem with the Scots, and it is typical Hollywood attitude to classify all of the UK as England. Next thing we know, they'll be saying that Europe is one country! Anyway, sorry for nattering on; in conclusion, The Rock is an above average action film, and well worth renting out.