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Action thriller

The Rock (1996): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Rock (1996) movie poster

The Rock is a 1996 action thriller directed by Michael Bay, starring Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Harris. It runs 2 hours 16 minutes and earned $335.1 million worldwide on a $75 million budget. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.

IMDb rating
7.4/10
worldwide gross
$335.1M
award nomination
1
Metascore
58
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The Rock (1996) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 16m (136 min)
Director
Michael Bay
Original language
English
Budget
$75M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Rock About?

The premise of The Rock without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A volatile former general seizes control of Alcatraz Island, holding it hostage and threatening San Francisco with a nerve gas. With time running out, an inexperienced FBI recruit is forced to team up with a resourceful and reluctant convict. Together, they must navigate the notorious prison fortress, overcome treacherous obstacles, and stop the general’s destructive plan before it’s too late.

The Rock Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • u.s. navy seals
  • alcatraz
  • chemical weapon
  • u.s. marine corps
  • u.s. marines
  • fbi federal bureau of investigation
  • general
  • vx nerve gas
  • commando
  • nerve gas
  • chemical bomb
  • car chase
+38 more
  • two word title
  • time bomb
  • colored smoke
  • aircraft
  • warplane
  • jet aircraft
  • airplane
  • weird
  • cool
  • tourists
  • washington quarter
  • male protagonist
  • poison
  • clothesline
  • buddy movie
  • character repeats someone else's dialogue
  • comic relief
  • cruise missile
  • hazmat suit
  • group
  • 1990s
  • car goes over cliff
  • seal team
  • hostage situation
  • brigadier general
  • chemical weapons expert
  • ambush
  • force recon marine
  • escape attempt
  • weapons specialist
  • held at gunpoint
  • poisoned by gas
  • former mi6 agent
  • navy seal team
  • fbi director
  • armed standoff
  • breaking into prison
  • ransom demand
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Cast & crew

The Rock Cast

Nicolas Cage leads the cast, with Sean Connery and Ed Harris. Directed by Michael Bay.

From the director

More from Michael Bay

More films directed by Michael Bay, best-rated first: Transformers, The Island, Bad Boys and Armageddon.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Rock Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Rock 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.

Plot

The Rock Plot Summary

What happens in The Rock from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Rogue Force Recon Marines, under the command of the valiant Brigadier General Francis Hummel, take control of a cache of rockets armed with VX gas, an exceptionally toxic chemical weapon, from a Naval Weapons Depot. Alongside his second-in-command Major Tom Baxter (David Morse), Hummel seizes Alcatraz Island, taking 81 tourists hostage and locking them in prison cells. He threatens both the FBI and the Pentagon with the launch of the VX rockets against San Francisco unless the government provides a ransom of $100 million from a military slush fund. This money is intended to support his men and the families of Recon Marines who perished on covert missions he commanded, but for whom no compensation was offered.

Full summary

The whole story of The Rock, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Rock Box Office & Budget

The Rock grossed $335.1 million worldwide on a $75 million budget, 4.5 times what it cost. $134.1 million came from the US and Canada and $201 million (60%) from the rest of the world.

1996 box office

Worldwide gross

$335.1M

4.5× its budget

US & Canada
$134.1M
International
$201M
Budget
$75M
US & Canada 40% Rest of the world 60%
Awards

The Rock Awards & Nominations

The Rock was nominated for 1 Oscar.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

The Rock Trailers & Videos

4 videos: 3 trailers and 1 featurette.

The Rock ≣ 1996 ≣ Trailer #2
  • Trailer The Rock ≣ 1996 ≣ Trailer #1
  • Trailer The Rock (1996) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers
  • Featurette Nicolas Cage..The Rock..1996 talks about Connery and his career...with Jimmy Carter
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Rock?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who orchestrates the heist at the Naval Weapons Depot?

Cars

Cars in The Rock

45 cars on screen, including the 1986 Chevrolet Caprice and the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice.

All 45 cars
  • 1986 Chevrolet Caprice in The Rock 1986 Chevrolet Caprice Important role
  • 1987 Chevrolet Caprice in The Rock 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Important role
  • 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider in The Rock 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider Important role
  • 1992 Ford Crown Victoria in The Rock 1992 Ford Crown Victoria Important role
Details

The Rock Also Known As

29 alternative titles, including “The Rock - Entscheidung auf Alcatraz” and “石破天驚”.

Also known as
  • The Rock - Entscheidung auf Alcatraz
  • 石破天驚
  • 더록
  • The Rock - Fels der Entscheidung
  • Скала
  • 勇闯夺命岛
  • La roca
  • Skála
  • A Szikla
  • O Rochedo
  • Kaya
  • Twierdza
+17 more
  • The Rock - paluu helvettiin
  • ยึดนรกป้อมทมิฬ
  • ザ・ロック
  • Ο Βράχος
  • הפריצה לאלקטרז
  • صخره
  • Fortăreața
  • 더 록
  • Скалата
  • A Rocha
  • Скеля
  • Le Rocher
  • 絕地任務
  • Uola
  • Skala
  • Hrid, კლდე
  • Nhà Tù Đá

Seen The Rock?

FAQ

The Rock FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Rock, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Rock?

The Rock runs 2 hours 16 minutes (136 minutes).

When was The Rock released?

The Rock was released on June 7, 1996.

Who directed The Rock?

The Rock was directed by Michael Bay.

More films by Michael Bay

Who is in the cast of The Rock?

The Rock stars Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Harris.

How much did The Rock make at the box office?

The Rock grossed $335.1 million worldwide ($134.1 million domestic, $201 million international) on a budget of $75 million.

How is The Rock rated?

The Rock has 7.4/10 on IMDb, 58 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.

Was The Rock nominated for any awards?

The Rock received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does The Rock have a post-credit scene?

No. The Rock has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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