Speed (1994)

Too much of everything

Thanks for the memories!

I'll tell you why so serious

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Masterfully crafted!That's all I can say. I watched Speed in my early teens after it came out in 1994. It has been 23 years and I had vague recollection of the specific scenes in the story. However as I watched the film after decades long gap, I realized why this became a classic household, water fountain action film.Keanu Reeves was born to play this role. He exuded an ungodly calmness that is so rare a trait that every man wishes he possessed. The chemistry between him and Sandra Bullock's character Andy was just the right dosage in an unlikely coupling. If Keanue was the epitome of a man's assured calmness, then Sandra was just the opposite. Possibly she is the only one who can make a damsel-in- distress, overapologetic, tad bit clumsy and slightly nagging character so sexy.Before you read further I must warn this review contains many spoilers.The fact that I love about Speed is that it is a movie within movie. Even if the movie finished after the elevator saga, it would still be considered a decent flick. There are layers within layers and supersubplots within subplots.At one stage, Keanu after saving the world and hostage from an exploding elevator, he kept sweeping the area to locate the bomber.There was quote once I read - which is mostly probably apocryphal - regarding Einstein where he said: "The difference between other people and I is that when asked to find a needle in a haystack, I keep going."The intro was a three minute long of dizzying credit. But I still gave it 10 out of 10 and the scene reminded me of Einstein's quote.Keanu should really author a book on "How to be cool, calm and in control under pressure 101".. in fact, even the way he just stepped off the 'runaway train' exuded so much suaveness that it was as if he performed walking on water and it was 'no big deal'.There are so many details that stands out that made up the subplots and subcontext within the main theme. For instance, every character had his or her own space, niche and personality, starting with Keanu's partner, the 'Jamaican(?)' looking driver to the bus driver who even after getting shot signaled the entry with the latch to the 'communicator' who after giving robotic communication translated 'oh f**' to 'oh darn' to the criminal who reacted only to be assaulted by another hero... every character told a story and every frame was interesting. In is unfortunate, that producers do not spare so much detail into movies like they used to in the past.There was also the right dosage of comic relief. For instance, after repeated attempts when Keanu was drove up to the bus driver Sandra had a 'you got be kidding' look in her face as she said: "He is out of his mind" made me laugh like I haven't in a long time. Of course, it was only trumped by "...I received a ticekt for speeding..." scene later on that was dead on witty.Not to mention, the way the couple of stunt drivers veered the cars putting the cop cars to 90 degree blocking the way in the airport complete halt smacked of entire badassery.Can movies procure religious experience? I often wondered; not to be nutjobby. It is said Rothko's paintings could make people tear up. As I laid on my bed thinking about the calmness with which Keanu handled the entire programme, I couldn't help but think that so often people cut was in traffic, spill their coffee, mistakenly slam the door catching out finger, or accidentally poke with form and so often we lose it triggered at the slightest press of our buttons. So often! However, when calm and collected mental composure is held, no obstacle seems impossible.Movies like this opens the portal to the doorway on what really is possible for a self-actualized man to achieve once he was conquered himself.

This is one of the best action thriller films. A policeman (played by Keanu Reeves) and a bus passenger (played by Sandra Bullock) join forces to stop an extortionist (played by Dennis Hopper) from blowing up a bus load of passengers.The sequel Speed 2 is awful.

If I had written a review of "Speed" in 1994, it would have praised the special effects, the thrills, the tension, the uber-villainy, the charming comic relationship between Keanu and Sandy ...BUT: I watched "Speed" this week for the first time since 1994. The world has changed. Totally and irreversibly changed. Villainy is real and in our face. Explosions occur on a daily basis. It's just not fun to watch any more.It was a good movie. I supposed that it still is. It's just that I could not enjoy it the way that I did back then.

This high-octane thriller is a pretty good example of 'does what it says on the tin' film-making. There's a bus that'll explode if it slows down. End of story. The concept in itself is workable, but the film, directed by Jan De Bont's sure hand, is excellent, a real action classic with super-fast pacing and a storyline that never lets up. Things kick off with a tense rescue-trapped-passengers-in-an-elevator bid and are enlivened by an exploding bus shock scene.We're then into the heart of the story, on board of a primed-to-explode bus, and all the genre clichés are in place, albeit in a slick and well-oiled form. Keanu Reeves plays the young hero (not as good as in THE MATRIX but pretty good) and Dennis Hopper is his overacting nemesis, chewing the scenery with relish. There's a heady combination of stunt work, sudden death, explosions, and tense shoot-outs and the film truly lives up to its "Die Hard on a bus" tagline. The only weak links are a hang-dog Jeff Daniels, miscast in a non-comedic role, and Sandra Bullock, whose ditzy, screamy heroine quickly becomes grating. An intelligent script is the real highlight of this slightly workmanlike, but nonetheless excellent, thriller.