Speed (1994)

Speed is a thrilling adventure dealing with a chilling threat from a psychotic terrorist. Everytime I watch it, I'm always on the edge of my seat because it's a film laden with galvanized action. The suspense is crafted in such a way as to exhilarate one minute and unnerve the next.  In our society of "extreme" action in sports, thrillseeking, and violence, Speed was the poster child for the movement during its day.

However, Speed isn't about rollercoasters or race cars or anything of that sort that might come to mind when we think of that word, "speed", in association with thrills. An angry retired cop tests the mettle of the LAPD by rigging a bomb to a Los Angeles city bus. There is a small catch-- a game if you will-- to this scenario however.  When the bus goes over 50 mph, the bomb becomes armed. And if the bus goes any slower than 50 mph afterwards, the bus'll go bye-bye. The madman wants $3 million of compensation money for his duties with the LAPD bomb squad. It is up to Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves), his partner (Jeff Daniels), and a civilian named Annie (Sandra Bullock) to keep the bus in gear, and keep the people on board the bus safe from the weapon and each other.

 

Popcorn

85%

Speed is an ultimate action adventure that executes on a grand scale. The intensity of the film is appropriate, which is crucial for this movie to work. The best term I would apply to the anxiety engendered by the film is "nervewracking". You don't know what will happen next as this unwieldy bus rampages at high speeds through the city limits of Los Angeles.

The action is non-stop from the get-go. The beginning scene where the insane retired cop, played by Dennis Hopper might I add, detaches cables from an elevator, holding the passengers hostage for $3 million is only the first bite of this porterhouse steak of gripping tension. Afterwards, an exciting car chase ensues wherein Jack tries to board the bus to warn the driver about the bomb.  This sets up the remaining acts as Jack tries to figure out a way to prevent this wheeling deathtrap from springing on numerous innocent lives.

The sequences are as creative as they come. The obstacles come one after another, bringing new challanges.  Jack and Annie must improvise to keep everyone on board safe. There is a brilliant segment where Jack goes underneath the bus at high speed figuring out how to disarm the bomb and he almost falls off before he is forced to stab the gas tank with his Phillipshead screwdriver to keep himself from becoming roadkill. The tank then leaks an excessive amount of gas, escalating the already palpably dangerous situation.

 

Smarts

75%

The best thing about this movie is unquestionably the screenplay. The complications and challenges Graham Yost writes pile up into what seem an insurmountable peril. And for a film in an often shallow genre, I found Jack and the passengers rather well characterized.  You connect with, like, and hope the best for the characters being terrorized.

The movie could have been nearly flawless if it werent for the acting. Keanu Reeves is-- well, Keanu Reeves. His monotone voice and wooden expressions really only worked well for his role as Neo in The Matrix, where they seems apropos for the role. Jeff Daniels' character didn't have enough material for him to really work with, or else I would have expected him to do something exceptional, as he is typically a pleasure to watch. Dennis Hopper creates this infinitely cheesy villian, but he fits the part and is good for a laugh.  Sandra Bullock isn't as dry as she comes off in most of her roles, but those moments where you see a spark of attraction between Jack and Annie play out rather clumsily.

The cinematography by Andrzej Bartkowiak is exceptional. The way in which he frames shots in the cramped bus cabin and films the highways and byways around L.A. accents the helplessness felt by those trapped on the doomed mass transit and builds trepidation in the viewer.  It grabs the attention of the audience and pulls them into the action so that they can fully immerse themselves and enjoy this pulse-pounding motion picture.

 

Final

Speed, despite the subpar acting, is a great action thriller. What it ingeniously accomplished in 1994 has turned it into a surprising modern classic.  Great entertainment is a understatement. When you're viewing Speed, your mind is fixed totally on the setting and clever premise provided. Jan De Bont, who was in fact a very sucessful cinemetographer before his debut turn here at directing, knows what is needed to catch the audiences eye and hold their short attention spans in terms of both mentality and eye candy.