"The Rock" 1996

“The Rock”

I am going try to do my first theme. When an actor wins an Oscar their phone starts to ring. They are given opportunities that might not have come up before. I am always interested in the follow up choice they make. Some, I would hope were already in place prior to the win cause otherwise I would question their choices.

Nicolas Cage won the Oscar for his gritty portrayal of an alcoholic who decides to go drink himself to death in “Leaving Las Vegas”. I saw this movie when it came out as part of my Oscar movie marathon. This is one that while a powerful film, I don’t need to own. Seeing it once was enough.

So Cage followed up his win with “The Rock”. He was joined by Sean Connery who won his Oscar in 1988 for “The Untouchables“.

John Mason: Are you sure you're ready for this?
Stanley Goodspeed: I'll do my best.
John Mason: Your "best"! Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and f**k the prom queen.
Stanley Goodspeed: Carla was the prom queen.
John Mason: Really?
Stanley Goodspeed: [cocks his gun] Yeah.

It is a good action movie. Sean Connery and Ed Harris both elevate it beyond the standard fare. Nicolas Cage as Stanley Goodspeed is really average.

Stanley Goodspeed: Look, I'm just a biochemist. Most of the time, I work in a little glass jar and lead a very uneventful life. I drive a Volvo, a beige one. But what I'm dealing with here is one of the most deadly substances the earth has ever known, so what say you cut me some FRIGGIN' SLACK?

But it is a good movie.

Ed Harris and his team, including the great David Morse take over Alcatraz Island with a butt load of chemical weapons. They have hostages and the ability to kill a lot of people.

Cage is called in for his knowledge of the weapons, but they need help. They need the only man that ever successfully escaped from Alcatraz. Enter Sean Connery. He has been behind bars for years and is not happy about it.

Stanley Goodspeed: You enjoying this?
John Mason: Well, it's certainly more enjoyable than my average day... reading philosophy, avoiding gang rape in the washrooms... though, it's less of a problem these days. Maybe I'm losing my sex appeal.

Sean Connery steals the movie. It really could have been anyone else in Nicolas Cage’s place.

So as an Oscar follow up, it isn’t anything special. There is good action. A few laughs and some good suspense.

Agent Paxton: Congratulations, Dr. Goodspeed. You did it.
Dr. Stanley Goodspeed: Thank you, sir.
Agent Paxton: You know, for a while there, I didn't think you were going to make it. Well done, son. So where's Mason?
Dr. Stanley Goodspeed: Vaporized. Blown out to sea.
Agent Paxton: Blown out to sea, huh?
Dr. Stanley Goodspeed: Yeah.
Agent Paxton: [smiles] Poor bastard.
[They share a knowing glance]

There are car chases, prison breaks, crazed military. Overall a good flick.