Chapter 73: Director and Characters

Intense explosions and action sequences rolled across the screen one after another, punctuated by deadpan humor that relieved the audience's tension just before their nerves snapped. Applause broke out across Alcatraz Island for the umpteenth time as the film finally reached its climax.

"Hurry, hurry up!"

The tense, excited voices of moviegoers came from behind. Sarah understood exactly how they felt. The Air Force's Hornets were bearing down on Alcatraz Island; if Goodspeed couldn't make it out in time, the island would be reduced to a sea of fire.

"Run! Hurry up and run!"

Even the nearby media section erupted with cheers rooting for Goodspeed.

Goodspeed was already injured and his consciousness was blurring. But his pregnant fiancée was waiting in San Francisco, eighty-one hostages were still trapped in the Alcatraz Island prison, and the Federal Government's airstrike was already underway. He had to force himself to stay awake and fire the green flare!

"The film's pacing has started to slow down," Sarah murmured.

The film's pacing noticeably slowed here. The visual tones grew deeper and heavier, perfectly capturing a perilous, hanging-by-a-thread atmosphere. Accompanied by the intercutting shots of the fighter jets tearing toward Alcatraz Island, Goodspeed struggling to his feet to send the signal, and the frantic FBI agents, the film flawlessly conveyed the nerve-racking anxiety of a moment where no one knew if the mission had succeeded.

Who said Duke Rosenberg only knew how to shoot fast-paced action scenes? This shot palpably laid bare the complex emotions of every character on screen.

It was a feeling Sarah couldn't quite explain, but Duke Rosenberg's gorgeous visuals and the heavy, swelling score brought out the absolute best in each other.

The telephoto shot from a distance was especially striking, capturing the exact moment the protagonist set off the green signal—a symbol of hope and resolution. The scene cut to the FBI command center in time with the music. When the order to abort the attack came down, the audience's white-knuckled tension finally broke, dissolving into hope.

Although the film still had the dramatic "bomb POV" sequence coming up—a scene that served as the crowning technical achievement of the whole production—the true emotional catharsis of the story had already concluded!

General Hummel, a national hero, had resorted to treason to secure compensation for his fallen comrades, only to pay with his own life. He could have quietly retired and lived out his twilight years in peace. Mason vanished into the crowd, finally grasping his long-desired freedom "before that thing of his lost its function." Goodspeed, meanwhile, walked away with a beautiful wife and the truth behind the Kennedy assassination—the mystery of the century.

Regarding General Hummel, Sarah felt a slight twinge of regret. Would the price of his and his comrades' lives be enough to secure proper honors for the fallen soldiers?

But after a moment's thought, Sarah let that regret go. The film had actually answered that question implicitly: the Federal Government, so adept at covering up the truth, couldn't be counted on at all. If justice couldn't be entrusted to General Hummel, it naturally couldn't be entrusted to a president who knew the truth either.

They did not compromise with terrorism, but they were adept at shirking responsibility and turning a blind eye.

When the film ended, Sarah had no desire to attend the premiere's press conference. She was most interested in the film's young director, but having interviewed Duke Rosenberg before, she could more or less see that he didn't like dealing with the media. His words were often just boilerplate statements prepared by PR in advance. Directing was a behind-the-scenes profession, and he likely wouldn't bring up any fresh or interesting topics at the press conference either.

Delegating the interview duties to her cameraman, Sarah simply sat there, savoring The Rock, which she had just watched.

The film's thrilling excitement was unquestionable. Duke Rosenberg's directing techniques were more mature and polished, and the performances of the main actors were nothing short of perfect.

Sarah remembered perfectly well that before Goodspeed, Nicolas Cage's career path had always been unconventional, wild, and fringe. He frequently played neurotic characters and had barely touched mainstream blockbusters. Yet he absolutely nailed the nerdy Goodspeed. His eyes darting left and right from nerves, his bouncing leg in the cabin, and the forced smile he squeezed out when alone with Mason—all of it brilliantly showcased his acting chops.

Christopher Lee's role, which had been hyped to legendary status beforehand, could only be described as a massive success. With his silver-white hair and beard, face full of wrinkles, deep resonant voice, and cold temperament, the image of a majestic, calm, wise, brave, and decisive old agent leaped onto the screen. That fierce aura—indescribable yet clearly palpable—made people involuntarily associate the character with his real-life experiences. He was absolutely the natural choice for John Mason.

General Hummel, played by Ed Harris, was her favorite character. His nearly four-minute monologue at the beginning was simply stunning. The medals covering almost his entire chest spoke of his merits, while his soliloquy to his late wife revealed a profound depth of devotion. There was no more perfect image of a soldier...

His two monologues in the film also showcased his profound line delivery and acting skills, while Mason's line "He's a soldier, not a murderer" and the president's line "We've overlooked a great soldier like Hummel" defined the nature of this character—he was a patriot!

Sarah even thought that Ed Harris was fully qualified to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Unfortunately, the film's subject matter and genre...

Setting aside the three leads, even the actress playing Goodspeed's fiancée stood out. Perhaps due to the character's limitations, she didn't have much room to flex her acting skills, but her gorgeous on-screen presence was a breath of fresh air. Her soft aura naturally inspired a protective instinct, perfectly justifying why Goodspeed had to risk everything to save her!

While she wasn't a seasoned critic, as someone who worked in the industry, Sarah possessed a solid foundational eye for acting. The leading cast of The Rock had been downright phenomenal.

If one included Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves, who were made famous by Speed, Duke Rosenberg clearly had a unique knack for casting and motivating actors on set.

Just think about it—Duke Rosenberg, who commanded all the human and material resources of The Rock, was only twenty-three years old. This was only his second feature film and his first A-list blockbuster, yet his mastery was enough to put many directors in their forties and fifties to shame.

However, the young director so highly praised in the female reporter's mind only answered a few boilerplate questions before handing the press conference over to the actors, who were far better at holding the media's attention. He then slipped away into a private lounge off-limits to the press.

This was required by the film's promotional strategy. In this day and age, no film's marketing was centered around the director. Even for Jurassic Park, which premiered in June, the promotional focus hadn't been placed on Spielberg.

"Sofia..."

Looking around without finding his mother, Duke walked straight up to Sofia Coppola and asked, "Where's my mom?"

"Aunt Leah just took a phone call," Sofia said, pointing to the chair beside her. She waited for Duke to sit down before adding unhurriedly, "It sounded like a lingerie manufacturer. She had to rush off to New York."

Hearing this, Duke immediately thought of Victoria's Secret. It was Saintphia Company's biggest account at the moment, so it had to be an emergency. Pulling out his mobile phone, he dialed his mother's number and spoke with her briefly. It was exactly as he had guessed.

"Hi, Duke."

A brunette woman walked over. "Long time no see."

"Shania..." Duke stood up and gently shook the hand the singer offered. "You came to the premiere too? Why didn't I see you?"

"I arrived a bit late." Shania Twain raised her hand to smooth her hair, which was slightly messy from the sea breeze. Just as she was about to say something, her manager walked over and reminded her, "Shania, we should head back to San Francisco."

"Right away."

Waving to the person behind her, Shania Twain leaned close to Duke's ear and whispered, "I'm staying in suite 1706 at the Fairmont Hotel on Mason Street."

"I like that room." Duke gently blew on a stray lock of hair floating by her temple.

Offering a smile to Sofia Coppola, Shania Twain turned on her high heels and walked away, leaving Duke with a thoroughly sexy view of her back.

"That wasn't your first time, was it?" A deadpan, slightly nasal voice rang in his ear. Sofia crossed her arms and looked at him, deliberately jabbing, "Looks like you won't have any shortage of women around you."

"What can I say..." Duke shrugged, putting on a highly punchable tone. "Blame it on me being the most charming director in Hollywood."

Sofia Coppola immediately rolled her eyes, just short of making a gagging motion.

It was only with familiar friends like Sofia that Duke ever cracked such jokes. He wasn't a rigid, dogmatic person, nor was he exactly overflowing with comedic talent.

Starlight danced across San Francisco Bay as ferries shuttled back and forth between Alcatraz Island and the San Francisco docks. After the baptism of clamor and on-screen explosions, the island had returned to a peaceful silence.

Late into the night, after Duke disembarked, he said a few words to Sofia and headed straight to his date at the Fairmont Hotel. And on this night, he wasn't the only one in a hurry. Down south in Los Angeles, the premiere ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium had also come to a close. Tom Cruise and the other main actors left brimming with confidence amid the encirclement of media reporters.

The creative teams for both films could finally rest, but the crew and staff were still hard at work. It wouldn't be long before the curtains rose on the midnight screenings. Survey and market research personnel across the country were rushing to major theater chains to collect feedback from the midnight screening audiences, allowing the distribution companies to make timely and appropriate adjustments.

The midnight screenings were the exclusive domain of hardcore fans. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt's massive fanbases were already waiting in the wings, just waiting for the moment the film started.

Compared to the overwhelming star power of the Interview with the Vampire cast, The Rock's midnight screenings were at an inherent disadvantage. In this era, directors practically didn't have fanbases of their own. Even combining the box office draw of Ed Harris, Nicolas Cage, and Christopher Lee, they probably still fell short of Tom Cruise's immense star power.