Overview
A biochemist and a rogue agent must infiltrate a fortress to save hostages and prevent a deadly attack.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- propulsive
- irreverent
- tense
- action movie night
- 1990s nostalgia
What critics said
Critics broadly agreed that the film delivers stylish, visceral thrills and strong lead chemistry despite implausible plotting, excessive violence, and thin intellectual substance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Stanley Goodspeed and John Patrick Mason must enter and navigate Alcatraz after it is seized by General Hummel's force.
Stolen VX gas warheads and the threat of launching them at San Francisco drive the rescue operation.
The inexperienced FBI biochemist Goodspeed depends on Mason's prison knowledge, field instincts, and escape history.
The film uses Alcatraz assaults, shootouts, military hardware, and escalating explosions as its dominant visual engine.
Films like The Rock, and why
Con Air
high-octane terrorism thriller combining military stakes, irreverent humor, and a mismatched specialist duo
Executive Decision
visceral 1990s action spectacle built around a crisis, government operatives, and escalating hostage stakes
Mission: Impossible
stylish action thriller featuring a charismatic older operative, covert institutions, and a high-stakes urban threat
Lethal Weapon 3
buddy-action chemistry, explosive set pieces, and a criminally experienced partner aiding an official investigation
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Bay
- Release Date
- 1996-06-07
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (5395)
Cast
- Sean Connery
- Nicolas Cage
- Ed Harris
- John Spencer
- David Morse
- William Forsythe
- Michael Biehn
- Vanessa Marcil
- John C. McGinley
- Gregory Sporleder
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Rock about?
- A reluctant FBI chemist and a legendary Alcatraz escapee race through a fortified prison to stop a rogue general's nerve-gas ultimatum.
- What is The Rock like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Rock as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Rock violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Rock as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Rock?
- Critics broadly agreed that the film delivers stylish, visceral thrills and strong lead chemistry despite implausible plotting, excessive violence, and thin intellectual substance.
- Which films are like The Rock?
- Films with a similar feel include Con Air, Executive Decision, Mission: Impossible, and Lethal Weapon 3.
- How long is The Rock?
- The Rock runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Rock?
- In United States, The Rock streams on YouTube TV.
