Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, Ed Harris, David Morse, William Forsythe, Michael Biehn, John Spencer, John C. McGinley
Director: Michael Bay
Screenplay: Douglas S. Cook, John Hensleigh, David Weisberg
Running Time: approximately 135 minutes
Grade: B-

THE ROCK is a fairly good action movie, with a few extra elements of suspense and mystery thrown in. The visuals, cast and story are all very good. The only thing detracting from the film are some sub-par villains, and a few too many extraneous plot lines.

In THE ROCK, we finally have a bunch of politically correct villains: no heinous Muslim terrorists, or lesbian biker slashers. No, the villains in this movie are those murderous thugs we all know and love: The US Marines. The head of the FBI, Womack (John Spencer), is not a very nice guy, either—but he’s not one of the true villains in the film.

The character of Cage’s girlfriend/fiancee—Carla, played by Vanessa Marcil—is one that probably could have been left on the cutting room floor. And a few of General Hummel’s (Ed Harris) henchmen could have been a little less cartoonish. But David Morse, as the General’s second-in-command put in a fine, brooding performance.

Michael Biehn, as Commander Anderson of a Navy SEAL team, and William Forsythe, as Special Agent Paxton, are both underused. John C. McGinley as Marine Captain Hendrix also has a small part. It’s rather surprising to see name actors in such small parts, but then again, maybe they are having trouble finding work. They all do fine in the parts they are called on to play, though.

Nicolas Cage is nowhere near his Academy Award winning performance of LEAVING LAS VEGAS, but he does a fairly good job as the slightly nerdy FBI chemical weapons expert, Stanley Goodspeed (why the funny name? No idea.) Ed Harris is good, though not spectacular as the black-ops Marine General.

His character is a departure from the run-of-the-mill, ex-military psycho threatening to blow up the world: his purpose is noble. Therein lies another of the film’s problems: I never understood why the military and FBI didn’t consider meeting the General’s demands. They seemed rather reasonable, especially considering the alternative if his threat had succeeded.

And then there’s Sean Connery as the elusive John Mason, the only prisoner ever to escape alive from the notorious prison, Alcatraz. Not that he really exists: the FBI doesn’t want anyone to know there is such a person. His background provides the mystery elements in THE ROCK. He is, as usual, excellent. From his mangy, disheveled, long, gray hair and prison outfit, to an executive suit, to the combat gear he wears when on Alcatraz, he captures the essence of his character: a top-level agent, intelligent, charismatic, clever and resourceful. Imagine Connery’s James Bond, locked away for thirty years, and you’ll have a good idea of his character in THE ROCK.

THE ROCK provides most of what a good action movie should. Although it falls short in a few of the details, the setting, lead performances and the pacing of the film carry it through. Even at well over two hours, it never dragged. And from the moment he shows up on screen, THE ROCK becomes Sean Connery’s film.