The Rock (1996)

The critic calls it the most satisfying of Michael Bay's blockbusters and praises its role in establishing Nicolas Cage as an unlikely action hero. Bay's enthusiasm for stunts and destruction proves highly contagious.

The critic finds The Rock breathlessly exciting despite its loud, bombastic style and editing flaws. Standout elements include Bay's action choreography and Ed Harris' conflicted villain, along with the strong buddy chemistry between Cage and Connery.

The review praises Bay for propelling a mix of combat war movie, Die Hard-style actioner and adventure on high octane despite clichéd dialogue and implausible plot. It singles out the best San Francisco car chase to date.

The film pounds the captive viewer into submission with nonstop action in a manic style. Connery is up against something bigger and scarier than Alcatraz in this huge-scale action movie.

The film is a nonstop aural bombardment that beats viewers into submission, slick and forceful but largely unconcerned with character. It epitomizes trends in Hollywood filmmaking that have made many people very rich while impoverishing audiences.

The critic calls it an above-average big-budget action film with enough macho behavior and explosive thrills to please genre fans, despite credibility problems. The fast, ferocious direction and solid performances from the lead trio make the slick, silly ride entertaining.

The film is pure why-not bravado, pumped-up and staggeringly dishonest but exciting just the same. It features stylish, crazily vigorous elaboration on a bare-bones storyline with flagrant salesmanship in its shooting and editing.

This is a pure popcorn picture that is inescapably entertaining, a high-octane kick-butt actioner with top-flight actors and an ultra-slick package. Director Michael Bay delivers a hard-hitting, fast-moving thriller that works overtime to engage the audience.