An FBI chemical weapons expert, and a former SAS solider turned political prisoner, must break into Alcatraz prison when a rogue military group, led by a renegade general, take it over and t... Read allAn FBI chemical weapons expert, and a former SAS solider turned political prisoner, must break into Alcatraz prison when a rogue military group, led by a renegade general, take it over and threaten a nerve gas attack on San Francisco.An FBI chemical weapons expert, and a former SAS solider turned political prisoner, must break into Alcatraz prison when a rogue military group, led by a renegade general, take it over and threaten a nerve gas attack on San Francisco.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 9 wins & 10 nominations total
- Marine Captain Hendrix
- (as John C. Mc Ginley)
Featured reviews
And then there are the heavyweights in acting, a rarity in action films. Ed Harris, Sean Connery, Nic Cage, and a few others are so talented in reading their lines in a unique way, one can see that these are truly great actors. I loved Ed Harris' character, since it was not the standard black & white type, but a complex person. Who would've thought I'd be saying "complex" in an actioner? Well, that's how The Rock surprises you, like a vicious left hook to the face. Oh yeah, the Hans Zimmer score is a knockout, as always.
All round great film with good acting with just the right amount of comic relief when it was most required. thumbs up fellas
This is Michael Bay audacity to bring his heart pumping action style to bear. The action is big time bombastic joy. And for the best effect, he allows the actors to have fun in between the action. Nicolas Cage brings a lot of his manic energy and a bit of his crazy humor. And Sean Connery brings the Bond gravitas to the action. Plus the Cage Connery duo is a lot of fun, and they have great chemistry together. This is the best kind of popcorn movie-making.
Did you know
- TriviaThere were tensions during shooting between director Michael Bay and Walt Disney Studios executives who were supervising the production. On the commentary track for the Criterion Collection DVD, Bay recalls a time when he was preparing to leave the set for a meeting with the executives and was approached by Sir Sean Connery in golfing attire. Connery, who also produced this movie, asked Bay where he was going, and when Bay explained that he had a meeting with the executives, Connery asked if he could accompany him. Bay complied, and when Bay arrived in the conference room, the executives' jaws dropped when they saw Connery appear behind him. According to Bay, Connery then stood up for him, and insisted that he was doing a good job and should be left alone.
- Goofs(at around 1h 45 mins) The coordinates given for Alcatraz when the missile is launched are 67°25'0"N by 37°25'0"W. These actually put you in Greenland. (Alcatraz is actually at 37°49'36"N by 122°25'23"W.)
- Quotes
John Mason: [while on the stairs leading to the prison morgue] 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 fuck the prom queen.
Stanley Goodspeed: Carla *was* the prom queen.
John Mason: Really?
Stanley Goodspeed: [cocks his gun] Yeah.
- Alternate versionsAlthough the film was shot in the Super 35 process, the HDTV version (which uses the 2001 Criterion Collection remaster) Pans and Scans as if it were shot in Anamorphic Widescreen instead of properly framing it for Full Frame as most Super 35 films are. The 4:3 version that is found on the original VHS release is mostly open matte with some mild cropping.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Green Fog (2017)
- SoundtracksSan Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)
Written by John Phillips
Performed by Scott McKenzie
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $75,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $134,069,511
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $25,069,525
- Jun 9, 1996
- Gross worldwide
- $335,062,621
- Runtime
- 2h 16m(136 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1