Speed 1994 Film Starring Keanu Reeves
Action Thriller Directed by Jan de Bont and Starring Dennis Hopper
Sep 10, 2009
LAPD Bomb Experts Jack Travin and Harry Temple battle an insane but brilliant bomb maker that has wired a bomb to an LA Bus set to detonate if the bus’ speed drops below 50 mph.
Speed's Plot and Key Characters
A bomber (Dennis Hopper) has wired an elevator in an LA office building and after destroying the cables sends the city a ransom demand threatening to destroy the emergency brakes. Jack Travin (Keanu Reeves) and Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels) are amongst the officers sent to assess the situation. Travin decides that the bomber will most likely detonate the emergency brakes regardless of whether he gets the money or not. Thinking quickly they attach the elevator to a crane on the roof and manage to save the passengers. They find the bomber and he is apparently killed.
Unfortunately the bomber is not dead and has already come up with his next plan to get his ransom money.
After detonating a bomb on one bus killing the driver, the bomber calls Jack and tells him of a second bomb set to detonate. Racing to scene he reaches the bus moments after it has driven above 50 mph and the bomb is armed. Jack meets feisty passenger Anne (Sandra Bullock) who drives the bus after the driver is wounded by a man with a gun who believed that Jack had come to arrest him.
Jack’s friends and colleagues work to get the passengers off the bus, unfortunately, if any of them attempt to get off then the bomber will detonate the bomb.
A Lot of Action and Not Much Else
Speed is a film that is concerned with action and thrilling stunts. The bus does things that no bus has ever done before, and apparently each of the incredible stunts was done using an actual bus and was not the product of CGI. Reeves and Bullock have a good on screen chemistry, with the rest of the passengers being made up of average men and women all of whom just happened to have caught the wrong bus.
The bus races around LA and crashes into almost everything in sight. Other road users either get out of the way or their vehicles are smashed into debris. Under Bont’s direction the pace never lets up. The characters themselves have little to no back story but then in a film like this back stories are unnecessary.
Jack’s character is a cliché. He seems to be a reckless cop, something that has become the trend following on from Die Hard, but fortunately the script has not be written to allow Reeves play the part straighter than Willis in Die Hard so he is not quipping or making jokes every few lines. This was the film that made Bullock famous, and she works hard to play the put-upon hereon who is struggling to cope with the bus and the lives of everyone onboard that are suddenly in her hands.
Speed chooses action over substance. Reeves, Bullock and Hopper all bounce off one another nicely. Hopper’s portrayal of the insane but clever bomber matches Reeves’ performance as the policeman attempting to catch him whilst trying to save innocent people. Bullock is the eye candy and damsel in distress but she is also a good female character who steps up to drive the bus when everyone else is panicking.
4/5
Speed is an excellent action thriller with awesome stunts and a diabolical villain.
Basically, grab some pop corn, then sit back, relax, and enjoy.
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