Goat3001

By now I've seen three movies starring The Rock. The Rundown, Walking Tall and Be Cool. I remember back a few years ago when I heard the Rock was hitting the movie business and leaving wrestling, which made me think "oh great, another failed WWF to Hollywood jump", but I have to admit that I was wrong.

I enjoy all three of the movies I've seen the Rock in and I've enjoyed his acting and I think that his acting made those movies better. Granted, he's no Oscar contender but he's a legit action actor (IMO).

I walked into the Rundown thinking that it would be another 90 minutes of action that is entirely forgettable. However, I enjoyed the movie more than a lot of other action-comedies I've seen in a while. The Rock was a big part of why.

He was also my favorite charactor in Be Cool. It was good to see him successfully play something other than a complete hardass like he did in Walking Tall and The Rundown.

Again I don't see him winning any Oscars anytime soon but I think he's a good action star. Probably one of the better around. He's better than Vin Diesal for sure. However, I still don't know if he can carry a movie on his own. He had Sean William Scott in The Rundown and a bunch of guys ahead of him in Be Cool. Walking Tall, although enjoyable IMO, wasn't as good as the others. I'm going to have to see him in starring roles by himself more to see if he can carry a whole movie himself.

Anyone else think he would play a good Master Chief if they made a Halo movie?

glassdragon

Hmmmm, i believe he pretty much carried The scorpion king by himself. If you liked those 3 then you should definately check that one out. As for him as an actor, I always knew he would make a good actor since that's pretty much all he was doing in wwf at the time. I rather enjoy The Rock's performances and hope to see more from him in the future. Oh and i like Vin Diesel too btw. I don't have any problem with him either.

AGuyNamedMike

I think he does a fine job on the screen (have seen Scorpion King, Rundown, Walking Tall, haven't seen Be Cool yet). I remember him on SNL a couple of years ago and he was great at comedy, and I would really like to see him do more. Is his role in Be Cool pure comedy gold?

Charlie Goose

The first time he hosted SNL was one of the best episodes I've ever seen. He's got some chops for broad comedy. He also does the brooding hero type well.
He's got a special charisma. When he first started in the WWF, he was hated because he was jammed down everyone's throats too quickly. Then he started to shine on the mike with a large collection of catchphrases, and won over the crowd with his spark.

fumanstan

I've enjoyed all the films of his that i've seen. I haven't caught Be Cool yet, although i hear from a lot of people he was the best part of the film.

The only problem really so far is that his films really haven't been a big success.

Yocke

I always like him, but he tends to choose quite crappy movies to star in.

raven56706

Hopefully Doom will be good..... Hopefully being the key word

Nuff

He has a lot of on screen charisma. I have thoroughly enjoyed his movies even with them being a little under qualitied.

Honestly he reminds me of a more polished Arnold early in his career. Both just took hold of the movie with their presence and made it theirs...only Rock can act better than Arnold could at this point in his career, heh.

Edited to add: Oh and watch out if the Rock ever lands a role that does for him what Terminator did for Arnold!

matome

I like him. He's very personable and has adequate acting skills for the parts he's played so far.

Troy Stiffler

Seems like a cool guy. Definately not a jerk-celebrity.

I like his onscreen presence. He's right at home with bone crunching, body slamming sound effect.

I thought The Rundown was wonderful. Each action sequence had nice staging, buildup and pacing. And it was geniunely funny and soulful. Oh, and put a Johnny Cash song in any movie, and I'm putty ... I flipped during the Dawn of the Dead remake opening credits!

Walking Tall was alright. Too short, thin, and comedic (esp. Knoxville, who was cool, but funny at inopertune times). It ends so quickly that you don't have time to not like it.

Jackskeleton

He really does add a film pressence. I liked him in the roles he's been in.

If you smell what the film is cooking.

steebo777

I loved him in Be Cool. Too bad the rest of the movie sucked.

GuessWho

"Are you threatening me? Are you threatening me with pee?"

Star Wars Guy

Walking Tall is the only one that I haven't seen, but I thought he did a good job in his other ones. Here's hoping he can carry Doom and make it a watchable movie.

pdinosaur

don't forget the rock can speak coherent english, unlike the early (and maybe even latest) arnie incarnation.

i've not seen be cool, but i think the rock's SNL and WWE days should demonstrate he does well in a comedic genre. it's too bad Big Show weren't so huge and generally unattractive, he's got good delivery as well.

with the right roles, he could go far.

dwayne johnson for prez in 2040.

devilshalo

fixed

Anyways, there was a time he was to be in a movie/biopic about King Kamehameha and I think that would have been a real test of his acting ability (no wise-cracking, eyebrow raising.. a true Conan-esque performance)

ianholm

He's cool in my book!

jaeufraser

I think he's great. No, he's no great dramatic actor, but what he is is a great action star. His movies have been from ok to pretty good, and I don't think any filmmaker has really tapped his potential. But he's charasmatic, he's fun, his acting ability is beyond that of Ahnold or Sly, and quite frankly...when Rock beats the crap out of someone, I buy it.

Here's hoping for some balls to the walls action movies with Rock in the lead.

Bobbin

He's a hell of a lot better than you'd think for a wrestler. In fact, I'd suggest that he retire from wrestling and just do acting. He's awesome; even Arnie thinks so! (remember at the beginning of The Rundown?)

jaeufraser

I think he pretty much is retired from wrestling. He goes back occasionally, but as far as I know his contract hasn't been renewed, and even if it was he rarely wrestles.

Terrell

I guess I'll be the dissenting voice. I don't like him as an actor. Then again, I don't like any wrestlers as actors. To me, he's basically not acting. He's just playing the same character he played in the WWE. I just don't think he's ever going to be able to draw, because I don't see many outside hardcore wrestling fans caring about him or his movies. He's not terrible, he's just the Rock character and that's about it.

DoubleDownAgain

Did you see Be Cool??? He was the best part of that P.O.S> & Nothing like any of the other characters he has played. It sounds like you have alot of preconcieved notions about him.

jaeufraser

Have you ever watched The Rock wrestle? Because based on the above statement, I have to assume not becuase quite frankly, his Rock persona is nothing like his movie characters. Save for the occasional signature move (mainly the Rock Bottom) worked into the fight scenes, he's never played the brash, trash talking show off he did in the WWE in a movie. Sure he makes wisecracks here and there, but I don't see how anyone can say it's the same character.

amped

He's entertaining. From the tv appearences on SNL and talk shows to his movie roles, he's just fun to watch. Except for Scorpion King, I've seen most of his work and I have yet to be disappointed and look forward to his future movies.

Terrell

Yes I have, and that's precisely why I said that. He's basically playing the Rock character. In Scorpion King, Walking Tall, and Rundown, I was looking at the same character I saw in the WWE, just in a different setting. I just don't see any difference. Personally, I don't consider Arnold anywhere near a great actor even though he improved greatly in his career, but I'll take him anyday over the Rock as an action star.

No, I haven't see Be Cool because it looked absolutely horrendous.