There are many things I love about The Rock. In fact, there are perhaps no things I don’t love about The Rock. In particular, I love the dialogue.
- “I cannot give that order.” “I am not going to repeat that order.” “I will not give that order.” “What the hell is wrong with you, man.” (Really, the entire exchange between Ed Harris and John Connor’s dad during the least sexy shower scene since Psycho.)
- “I’d take pleasure in gutting you … boy.”
- “Your ‘best’? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen.”
- “You’ve been asked by an old friend … You’re being ordered by a superior officer … Now you’re being given your last chance by a man with a gun. Put the phone down.”
- “Hey man, you just fucked up your Ferrari.”
- “FBI … Freeze, sucker.”
- “I’m not a soldier, Major. The day we took hostages, we became mercenaries. And mercenaries get paid. I want MY FUCKING MONEY.”
- “How do ya like how that shit works?”
But one throwaway line somehow even trumps that. It’s just so simple and unnecessary that it’s genius.
It comes after all the Navy SEALs have had their shower accident and Mason (Sean Connery) has subsequently abandoned the mission. He is walking to the Alcatraz shore to swim back to the mainland. Goodspeed (Nic Cage) is following, pleading with Mason to stay and help him thwart the rogue commandos. And while Goodspeed is yelling at him from behind, Mason just keeps walking and says the best line in the movie.
