Thank you for posting, Roxie, I enjoyed reading this. I have never seen the first movie, Lady R, so can't comment on it. I dispute a lot of what thisauthor says, but I did find it interesting and well written. For example, this statement:

The question of authorship frequently crops up when dealing with Cage’s films. Given the actor’s tendency to exceed the confines of his roles—to colour outside of the lines—his presence naturally overshadows that of all but the most adept filmmakers. David Lynch, Spike Jonze, Werner Herzog, and the Coens diligently contain Cage. Or, more accurately, they ensure that their films have the necessary elbowroom for Cage to move around in.

Filmmakers who are less skilled don’t do this, or they don’t realize they have to do this. Cage explodes out of control in The Rock, too cartoony even by Michael Bay’s standards. And more recently, the usually adept Neveldine/Taylor team mismanaged what could have been the best asset of their Ghost Rider sequel. In that film, it feels as if Cage’s overflowing mania is competing with that of the film’s directors, instead of achieving that harmony of coauthorship that marks Cage’s best films. 

I am inclined to agee with the first paragraph, but no way with the second, The Rock is one of Nic's great performances, and he made that movie. Cartoony, come on, that is rediculous, it is epic performing!