Name: The Rock
Genre: Adventure, Action, Thriller
Released: 1996-06-07
Duration: 137 min
Rating: 7.2
Cast: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, John Spencer, David Morse

The Rock

Breaking In to Save Lives

Taglines Alcatraz. Only one man has ever broken out. Now five million lives depend on two men breaking in.

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The Rock

Questioning the Truth Behind Historical Events

Taglines Honey, you wanna know who really killed J.F.K.?

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The Rock

Philosophy and Humor in Unusual Circumstances

Goodspeed You enjoying this?

Mason Well, it's certainly more enjoyable than my average day: Reading philosophy, avoiding gang rape in the washroom. Though it's less of a problem these days. Maybe I'm losing my sex appeal.

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The Rock

Discussion on Unusual Experiences with Corpses

Goodspeed You've been around a lot of corpses. Is that normal?

Mason What, the feet thing?

[looks at the twitching corpse]

Goodspeed Yeah, the feet thing.

Mason Yeah, that happens.

Goodspeed Well, I'm having kind of a hard time concentrating. Can you do something about it?

Mason Like what? Kill him again?

Goodspeed Listen, I'm just a biochemist. And most of the time I work in a glass jar and lead a very uneventful life. I drive a Volvo--a beige one. But what I'm dealing with here, is one of the most deadly substances the Earth has ever known. So what do you say you cut me some friggin slack?

Goodspeed A really elegant string-of-pearls configuration. Unfortunately, incredibly unstable.

Mason And what exactly does this stuff do?

Goodspeed If the rocket renders it aerosol, it could take out an entire city of people.

Mason Really? And what happens if you drop one?

Goodspeed Happily, it'd just wipe out you and me.

Mason How?

Goodspeed It's a cholinesterase inhibitor. Stops the brain from sending nerve messages down the spinal cord within 30 seconds. Any epidermal exposure or inhalation and you'll know. A twinge at the small of your back as the poison seizes your nervous system- DO NOT MOVE THAT! Your muscles freeze, you can't breathe, you spasm so hard you break your own back and spit your guts out. But that's after your skin melts off.

[Mason has lifted the chem round to look at it]

Mason My God.

[wide-eyed as he looks at chem rounds]

Goodspeed Oh, I think we'd like God on our side at the moment, don't you?

[smiles grimly]

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The Rock

Military Hierarchy and Identity in Dialogue

Gen. Hummel I thought I'd been in the service a long time... name and rank, sailor.

[thinking Mason is a SEAL]

Mason It's Army, actually.

Maj. Baxter Answer the question. And address him as "General, sir.

[Mason looks at him]

Mason Captain John Patrick Mason, General, sir, of her Majesty's SAS. Retired, of course.

Gen. Hummel You're a long way from home, Captain. How the hell are you involved in this?

Mason Oh, I have a unique knowledge of this prison facility. I was, uh...formerly a guest here.

Gen. Hummel Have they bothered to tell you who I am, why I'm doing this, or are they just using you like they do everybody else?

Mason All I know is, you were big in Vietnam; I saw the highlights on television.

Gen. Hummel Then you wouldn't have any fucking idea of what it means to lead some of the finest men on God's earth into battle and then see their memory betrayed by their own fucking government!

Mason I don't quite see how you cherish the memory of the dead by killing another million, and, uh, this is not combat. It's an act of lunacy, General, sir. Personally, I think you're a fucking idiot.

Gen. Hummel The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ].

[slightly smiling; [Thomas Jefferson]

Mason Patriotism is a virtue of the vicious," according to ]. Thank you for making my point.

[[Oscar Wilde; Hummel strikes him in the back of the neck]

Gen. Hummel Where are the guidance chips? Where are the guidance chips?!

[aims pistol at Mason's head]

Mason I destroyed them.

Gen. Hummel That's a bad move, soldier.

Mason Does that mean you'll execute us both?

[referring to the tourist]

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The Rock

Winners and Losers in High-Stakes Situations

Mason Are you sure you're ready for this?

[Gives Goodspeed a handgun; walks up staircase]

Goodspeed I'll do my best.

Mason Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen!

[stops and motions back to Goodspeed]

Goodspeed Carla was the prom queen.

Mason Really?

[faintly impressed]

Goodspeed Yeah!

[Cocks his gun]

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The Rock

Defining Combat in a High-Stakes Situation

Commander Anderson Have you ever been in a combat situation?

Goodspeed Define combat, sir.

Anderson Shep?

LT Shepherd An incursion underwater to re-take an impregnable fortress held by an elite team of US Marines in possession of 81 hostages and 15 guided rockets armed with VX poison gas.

Goodspeed Oh. In that case, no, sir. Excuse me a moment.

[runs to the bathroom and throws up]

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The Rock

Tension and Miscommunication Among Characters

Goodspeed Do you know how this shit works?

[Holding VX nerve gas]

Capt. Darrow Do you know how this shit works?! Come on, come on, I don't need the gun. I'll put it down, come on. Let's play! Come on, come on!

[Holding his knife; flashes his knife]

Goodspeed Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Stan Goodspeed, FBI. Uh, let's talk music. Do you like the ] song "]"?

[[Elton John; [w:Rocket Man|Rocket Man]

Darrow I don't like soft-ass shit!

Goodspeed Oh, oh, you don't, OK. Well, I only bring it up because, uh... it's you. You're the rocket man! How do you like how that shit works?!

[he fires the rocket out the window, taking Darrow with it]

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

The Rock

America's Vibrant Spirit

Taglines America is Rocking!

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The Rock

Heroism and Honor Amidst Controversy

Chief of Staff Hayden Sinclair Three tours in ], ], ], ], three ], two ]s and the ]– Jesus. This man is a hero.

General Al Kramer Well, I think "legend" might be a better description, Mr. Sinclair.

Sinclair Yeah, well, now we can add kidnapping and extortion to his list of accolades.

Gen. Kramer Mr. Sinclair, General Hummel is a man of honor.

[mildly indignant]

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The Rock

Perception of Treason and Patriotism Over Time

Brig. General Francis X. Hummel We'll be branded as traitors. The gravest capital crime, punishable by death. Couple of hundred years ago, a few guys named ], ], and ] were branded traitors by the British - and now they're called patriots. In time so shall we.

[addressing Marines; [George Washington|Washington; [w:Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson; [w:John Adams|Adams]

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The Rock

Tensions Rise in a Critical Standoff

Commander Anderson Stand Fast!

Mercenary Drop your weapons!

General Hummel Hold your fire!

Agent Paxton It's a fucking trap.

General Hummel This is General Hummel, drop your weapons... Drop em!

Commander Anderson Anderson here, General Hummel. Commander. Team Leader.

General Hummel Commander Anderson, if you have any concern for the lives of your men, you will order them to safety their weapons and place them on the deck.

Agent Paxton This is not happening...

Commander Anderson Sir, we know why you're out here. God knows, I agree with you. But like you, I swore to defend this country against all enemies— foreign, sir... and domestic. General, we've spilled the same blood in the same mud. And you know god damn well I can't give that order.

Navy SEAL We're dead!

General Hummel Your unit is covered from an elevated position, Commander. I'm not gonna ask you again. Don't do anything stupid. No-one has to die here.

Commander Anderson You men following the General: You're under oath as the United States Marines, have you forgotten that? We all have shipmates we remember, some of them were shit on and pissed on by the Pentagon. But that doesn't give you the right to mutiny!

[raising his voice]

General Hummel You call it what you want! You're down there, we're up here! You walked into the wrong goddamn room, Commander!

Commander Anderson Stand fast!

General Hummel Goddamn it, Commander, one last time. You tell your men to safety their weapons, drop em on the deck.

Commander Anderson I cannot give that order!

General Hummel I am not gonna repeat that order!

Commander Anderson I will not give that order!

General Hummel What the hell is wrong with you, man?

Commander Anderson Stand fast!

Navy SEAL Oh, my God!

Mercenary Let's waste these fuckers.

General Hummel One last time. You order your men to safety their weapons...

General Hummel Cease fire! Cease fire! Cease fire!

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The Rock

Tensions Rise Among Military Leadership

General Al Kramer Frank, it's Al Kramer.

BG Francis Hummel Hi, Al, how you doin'?

[chomps a cigar]

Kramer I don't know, Frank. Ah, why don't you tell me. Got a lot of very, very worried people here, Frank.

Hummel I'll come straight to the point. Eighty-three ] have died under my various commands. Forty-seven in northern Laos and southern China.

[[w:United_States_Marine_Corps_Force_Reconnaissance|Force Reconnaissance Marines]

White House Chief of Staff Hayden Sinclair Southern China? We never admitted we sent troops into China.

Hummel Who is this? Identify yourself.

Sinclair White House Chief of Staff Hayden Sinclair, General.

Hummel How old are you, Chief of Staff Sinclair?

[stands up]

Sinclair I'm 33-

Hummel Well, Mr. Sinclair, you've probably got no fucking idea what I'm talking about. By your ninth birthday, I was running black ops into China. My men were responsible for over 200 enemy kills. Now put some rigging tape over Mr. Sinclair's mouth, he's wasting my time!

Kramer Ah you want to continue, Frank?

Hummel Remember Operation Desert Storm? Those surgical hits made by our smart bombs, covered so well on CNN? It was my men on the ground that made those hits possible by lasing the targets. Twenty of them were left to rot outside Baghdad after the conflict ended. No benefits were paid to their families. No medals conferred. These men died for their country and they weren't even given a goddamn military burial. This situation is unacceptable. You will transfer 100 million dollars from the Grand Cayman Red Sea Trading Company account to an account I designate. From these funds, reparations of $1 million will be paid to each of the 83 Marines families. The rest of the funds, I will disperse at my discretion. Do I make myself clear?

FBI Director James Womack Except for the Red Sea Trading Company. What is that?

Hummel Identify yourself.

Womack This is FBI Director Womack, General.

Hummel It's a slush fund where the Pentagon keeps proceeds from illegal arms sales-

Kramer Jesus, Frank! This is classified information!

Hummel You alert the media, I launch the gas. You refuse payment, I launch the gas. You've got 40 hours, till noon day after tomorrow to arrange transfer of the money. I am aware of your countermeasure. You know, and I know, it doesn't stand a chance. Hummel from Alcatraz. Out.

[disconnects video call]

The Rock

Trust and Redemption in Uncertain Times

John Mason So what do you have in store for me, Womack, when this is over?

FBI Director James Womack You'll get your life back, Mason.

Mason But you could have given my life back years ago. Why should I trust you now?

[walks away, but turns back to Womack]

Womack You've got my word.

Mason Will you shake on it?

[Womack nods. Both men shake hands but Mason attaches a rope on Womack's hand and throws him off the balcony.]

The Rock

Changing Perspectives on Parenthood and Responsibility

Carla You didn't really mean what you said about bringing a child into this world... being an act of cruelty, did you?

Goodspeed I meant it at the time.

Carla Stanley, "at the time"? You said it seven-and-a-half seconds ago!

Goodspeed Well... gosh. Kind of a lot's happened since then.

The Rock

Prepared for Action and Excitement

Taglines Cocked, locked, and Ready to Rock!

The Rock

A Soldier's Regret and Determination

Brig. General Francis X. Hummel I miss you so much... There's something I've gotta do, Barb. Something I couldn't do while you were here. I tried. You know I tried everything, and I still don't have their attention. Let's hope this elevates their thinking. But whatever happens... Please don't think any less of me.

[Visiting his wife's grave; places flowers; Places his Medal of Honor on the tombstone and kisses it]

The Rock

A Farewell Between Two Unlikely Allies

Stanley Goodspeed Womack tore up your pardon, John.

John Mason But of course. I knew he would.

Goodspeed The S.D.U.s and the scuba gear should still be where we came ashore. If you can get to the Pan Pacific Hotel, there's clothes in my closet, $200 in the Bible, Room 26.

Mason Well, it's been a long time since I've said thank you to anybody... but thank you. Well, Stanley, I guess this is where we go our separate ways. I'm sure you understand the etymology of your name, "Goodspeed".

Goodspeed Yeah, God speed: To wish someone a prosperous journey. Why?

Mason Well, if you fancy a journey, I recommend Fort Walton, Kansas.

Goodspeed I was thinking of Maui.

Mason No... Forget Maui.

[puts something into Goodspeed's hand]

Goodspeed St Michael's Church, Fort Walton, Kansas. Front pew, right leg, hollow. Is this what I think it is- MASON!?

[reads piece of paper; looks back at Mason, but he's disappeared]

The Rock

Prepare for an intense experience

Taglines Get ready to rock!

The Rock Quotes