Speed (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) is a young up-&-coming LAPD SWAT specialist in 'Speed', a high-octane action/thriller directed by cinematographer Jan de Bont. Action begins early on when psychopathic bomb squad expert, Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) rigs an elevator full of people to plummet into the basement if his $3.7 million demand isn't met. Jack foils the bomber's plan, rescues the hostages - and the bomber is, to say the least, pissed. As retaliation, he blows up a city bus; then contacts Jack to warn him that a 2nd bus has a bomb attached to it. Not only that, once said bus reaches 50 mph, the bomb is armed; and it the bus were to drop below that magic number of '50' mph ... it will explode!
Howard also warns Jack that if any attempt at a rescue is made, he'll detonate the bomb himself. Managing to get aboard the bus, Jack gets help from one of the passengers, Annie (Sandra Bullock), who takes over the wheel when the bus driver is injured. And while Jack tries to guide the bus through Los Angeles' rush hour, & keeping the bus at that magic #50 or higher, bomb expert Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels) tries to find Howard's location & figure out a way to diffuse the bomb before it either explodes, or the bus runs out of gas. Everything culminates in a powerful climax that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Can the SWAT team stop Howard Payne's malice? Or will the passengers all perish?
Not only is the premise for this film great, but the execution of the entire movie equals it. Great action movies are rare; there's always some ridiculous plot twist at the end to ruin everything; or you're inundated with implausible maneuver after another. Thankfully, the balance of action, suspense, visual panache, & characterization is all intact. The action I speak of is perfectly orchestrated mayhem (various stunts, special effects, stake-outs, vehicles barreling down the highway, cars being pummeled, buses flying through the air, etc.). In fact, I'd say this is my favorite pure action flick since 'Die Hard'. 'Speed' thrives because it INVOLVES us. We feel like we are Jack; that we are Annie; that we're driving ... desperate to keep that mph needle above 50. And the idea that some lunatic (as portrayed so well by crazy Dennis Hopper) could devise a plan like this in the real world is a scary thought. Keanu Reeves is no thespian, but he acquits himself very well here in the action hero mold. And newcomer Sandra Bullock oozes both charisma & spunk; it helps that her chemistry with Reeves is palpable, as well.
There's nothing intellectually challenging about this movie. There are some plot contrivances (how could the bus never drop below 50?). The dialogue is of an 'action film' standard. But you won't mind too much as the characters are winning, there's humor, a little romance, & the story is inherently, propulsively thrilling (and draining, but a good draining). All I know is, my pulse was racing during the entire film, the 2 hour running time flies by, & I had a ball watching it.
Howard also warns Jack that if any attempt at a rescue is made, he'll detonate the bomb himself. Managing to get aboard the bus, Jack gets help from one of the passengers, Annie (Sandra Bullock), who takes over the wheel when the bus driver is injured. And while Jack tries to guide the bus through Los Angeles' rush hour, & keeping the bus at that magic #50 or higher, bomb expert Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels) tries to find Howard's location & figure out a way to diffuse the bomb before it either explodes, or the bus runs out of gas. Everything culminates in a powerful climax that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Can the SWAT team stop Howard Payne's malice? Or will the passengers all perish?
Not only is the premise for this film great, but the execution of the entire movie equals it. Great action movies are rare; there's always some ridiculous plot twist at the end to ruin everything; or you're inundated with implausible maneuver after another. Thankfully, the balance of action, suspense, visual panache, & characterization is all intact. The action I speak of is perfectly orchestrated mayhem (various stunts, special effects, stake-outs, vehicles barreling down the highway, cars being pummeled, buses flying through the air, etc.). In fact, I'd say this is my favorite pure action flick since 'Die Hard'. 'Speed' thrives because it INVOLVES us. We feel like we are Jack; that we are Annie; that we're driving ... desperate to keep that mph needle above 50. And the idea that some lunatic (as portrayed so well by crazy Dennis Hopper) could devise a plan like this in the real world is a scary thought. Keanu Reeves is no thespian, but he acquits himself very well here in the action hero mold. And newcomer Sandra Bullock oozes both charisma & spunk; it helps that her chemistry with Reeves is palpable, as well.
There's nothing intellectually challenging about this movie. There are some plot contrivances (how could the bus never drop below 50?). The dialogue is of an 'action film' standard. But you won't mind too much as the characters are winning, there's humor, a little romance, & the story is inherently, propulsively thrilling (and draining, but a good draining). All I know is, my pulse was racing during the entire film, the 2 hour running time flies by, & I had a ball watching it.