It would be an understatement to call Michael Bay a punching bag for film critics around the world. Mention of his name has become code, even among the casual moviegoing public, for “bad movie.” This reputation, however, is unfounded. In point of fact, Michael Bay is one of the most visually interesting directors working in the industry, and constantly creates incredible sequences no other filmmaker can replicate. For the best example of his gleefully manic, beautifully destructive style one needs only to see the director’s second film, The Rock (Bay, 1996).
The Rock has a simple premise. Military general Francis Hummel (Ed Harris), enraged over the United States government covering up the deaths of his black ops team members, steals chemical weapons and takes over Alcatraz Island – holding eighty-one civilians hostage and demanding millions of dollars be paid to the families of his fallen comrades within forty hours. Recruited to stop him are FBI chemical specialist Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) and a former British spy who escaped from Alcatraz named John Mason (Sean Connery). This setup is used to create a series of thrilling set pieces as the heroes race against time to stop Hummel and his crew from destroying the city of San Francisco. In any other action film, this would be where the complexity of the plot begins and ends. No so here. For you see, Hummel is actually deeply conflicted about his actions and goes out of his way to avoid using lethal force – his theft of the chemical bombs notably features his strike team using darts and knockouts to subdue the guards. In the end, it is revealed that he never intended to launch the missiles at all. This moral complexity lends the story a sense of tragedy and gravitas it would lack otherwise, and Hummel’s death is far from the triumphant moment one would expect; he is betrayed by his own men after revealing his true intentions and weakly mutters “what have I done?” as he bleeds out in a corner. In addition to this, Goodspeed and Mason undergo their own arcs: Goodspeed learns how to be a field agent, while Mason goes from a gruff and antagonistic character to being Goodspeed’s mentor figure.
The story, however, is not what makes The Rock an incredible film. Rather, it is Bay’s direction and John Schwartzman’s cinematography. The camera glides down hallways, follows silhouettes across hills, and frantically follows the chaotic action. No matter how frantic and chaotic the camerawork gets, however, the mise-en-scene is impeccable. Every shot in the film has a stunning use of composition, light, or color – usually all three combined. Standout sequences for these visuals include the rocket heist at the start of the film, the shower massacre, and Goodspeed’s desperate attempts to pop flares before Alcatraz is firebombed into oblivion. This film contains some of the most stunning shots I’ve ever seen in a high-octane action flick. From the opening shot alone of four soldiers carrying a coffin, silhouetted against a stormy sky, it is clear that a technical master is in control of the picture. Those shots flow smoothly from one to the next, creating a sense of movement and energy to every scene that never lets up until the credits roll.
This visual beauty compliments the film’s gleeful approach to destruction and violence. The striking use of light and shadow make Hummel’s theft of the rockets an exhilarating thrill ride as his men rush through the dark blue lights of the base, stealthily wiping out the guards while blending into the rain and darkness. Careful editing and camera movement combine to make it feel like the film is propelling you further into the base along with the men. The camera sweeps with them to the door of the vault, crashing right into the door’s window, then sliding into the vault itself. It is a marvel of filmmaking and just one of many amazing set pieces like it.
The Rock is an incredible, intense roller coaster of a movie. When people ask me why I like Michael Bay’s work, this is the movie I tell them to watch. It is the peak of ‘90s action spectacle, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Author Biography
Yaakov “Jacob” Smith is a student in the University of North Carolina’s Film Studies program. He aspires to be a movie director one day and hopes to continue his studies through graduate school. When he is not studying movies, he dabbles in photography and creative writing, and reads novels.
Film Details
The Rock (1996)
USA
Director Michael Bay
Runtime 136 minutes
Blu-ray
USA, 2008
Distributed by Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment (region ABC/123)
