Speed (1994)

Speed (1994)

9/10

Starring

Keanu Reeves

Dennis Hopper

Sandra Bullock

 

Directed by Jan de Bont

 

There is one thing Speed had over numerous action thrillers done in the 90s before it, it skipped the cliché and decided to go for the unique. The movie is fast paced, energy intense and a movie you watch siting on the edge of your sit. You do not want to watch speed when you got to go pee, because the possibility of you wanting to pause this flick even for a second is not likely. Speed goes for the throat holding you hostage from start to finish.

The director takes the you into consideration, he did not try to make you seem silly when things happen even though they were unrealistic and you know a bus can't jump fifty feet. There is hardly time to get bored as things were always intense. He just wanted to thrill you and the script was ready to give you an ending that was not the end. When you think it is over, the movie is like, “gotcha!”

With a well creamed action director, a good script and fantastic performances you have a film that will for years to come be one of the best fast paced action movies you can see.

Jack (Keanu Reeves) and partner Harry are LAPD SWAT bomb disposal officers sent from their unit to investigate an elevator hold up. This is because a bomber Payne (Dennis Hopper) threatens to blow up the elevator full of people if a $3 million ransom is not paid to him. Jack suspects that the bomber was going to kill the people regardless and comes up with an idea to save them, even if the bomb goes off. After the incident Jack and Harry track down Payne whom they suspect was nearby, but Payne escapes not without some injuries and Harry gets shot in the leg. Jack and Harry are praised and Harry gets promoted to detective. Payne still holds a grudge against Jack and blows up a bus right before Jack and contacts him telling him he has rigged up another bus with a similar bomb then gives Jack all the info to locate the bus. The catch is, the bomb is activated when the bus reaches 50 mph and will detonate if it drops below 50 mph.

Jack gets himself on the bus and after a perp thinks Jack is after him starts shooting hurting the driver and the bus gets out of control. This is where Sandra Bullock's character Annie comes into focus, she takes over driving the bus while Jack has to find a way to save the people onboard, stop the bomb and as you can guess survive all these to catch the bad guy.

Speed won best sound effects at the Academy and BAFTA awards. It was a critical and commercial success. Due to its huge success critically and commercially, Fox wanted a sequel. Speed had gained a lot of praise and featured in the list of best films from numerous magazines and critics. Keanu Reeves passed on the idea, but Bullock went ahead with it. With the same director Fox thought this was going to be as good as the first, but the sequel was a dud, critically panned and not at all a financial success.

I will forever remember this movie as one of the best movies that Keanu Reeves has ever done.