Every year, new summer blockbusters come along which promise to excite and delight audiences with a mix of action and spectacle. While some succeed, many fail, and audiences are often left unimpressed by what’s on offer.
But rewind the clock back to 1994 and one summer blockbuster blew away audience expectations. That film was the action-thriller, Speed – a tense, exhilarating picture about a bomb on a bus.
Directed by Jan de Bont (in his directorial debut), Speed starred Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Daniels, Joe Morton, and Dennis Hopper. Speed made its theatrical debut in June ‘94, and this year the film celebrates its 30th anniversary.
For those who have never watched Speed (you crazy people), the movie follows LAPD SWAT bomb disposal officer Jack Traven. In the movie, Jack becomes aware terrorist Howard Payne has planted an explosive device on a transit bus and that bus is currently riding around the streets and highways of LA.
Once the bus reaches a speed of 50 miles per hour (mph) the device will arm. If the bus then decreases its speed below 50mph, the bomb will detonate and the bus will explode.
With Jack desperate to save as many lives as possible, he tracks down the moving bus and gets on board. However, Jack has to find a way to disarm the bomb without slowing down the vehicle or without removing any of the passengers.
If you’ve forgotten how great the premise of Speed is, then scroll back up and re-read the plot description. There are very few details you need to worry about, because it is really very simple.
All you need to concentrate on is the bomb on the bus and the 50mph rule. These are the two key plot details which are important, and they act as the perfect hook for the movie.
Questions soon arise from here, such as how is Jack going to stop the bus from blowing up(?), how is the bus going to stay above 50mph(?), and will the bus have enough fuel to keep going(?!) yet all of these questions and more are answered in the film. Speed sets out its premise very quickly, establishes the rules, then goes to town on exploring these finer details.
At various steps along the way, the movie is able to increase the drama by highlighting all of the problems that can occur when a bus is in motion, including traffic, that pesky fuel issue, and a lack of road. And it does all this with a spring in its step and the gas peddle pushed firmly to the floor.
What makes Speed an excellent action-thriller, and to be clear this is an excellent action-thriller, is the way the movie keeps adding problems into the mix. Jack has to get onto the bus, he then has to deal with a problematic passenger, followed by an injured driver, and so on and so on.
Even situations which should be everyday occurrences, such as the bus turning a tricky corner, suddenly become a big deal. The rules state the bus can’t drop below 50mph and this quickly makes tackling a corner a difficult thing to do.
All of these minor plot twists are peppered into the story to ensure the audience’s eyes remain firmly locked on the screen. The beauty of Speed is its relentlessness and the way it attempts to cover as many bases as possible.
OK, some of the plot developments do border on the preposterous, with one in particular revolving around the bus having to jump a 50ft gap in the freeway, but by the time this comes along (just past the halfway point in the movie) it’s easy to let it slide. The suspense, the tension, heck the whole kitchen sink is thrown at the bus and it is exciting to watch.
The only time Speed loses momentum is during the final act, after Jack and the passengers finally get off the bus. Leaving the vehicle should have been the end of the movie, but the film unwisely attempts a last minute showdown in the subway between Jack and terrorist Howard Payne.
This scene is ‘unwise’ because it plays like an afterthought and is simply not as exciting as what came before. There was tension on the bus, but once everyone is off the vehicle the tension disperses and no last minute in-person interaction between Jack and Howard can bring it back.
The good thing is, this is the only part of Speed which doesn’t hit the high bar; everything else, in the film is excellent. Well, maybe Keanu Reeves’ wooden line delivery is questionable, but co-star Sandra Bullock more than makes up for things.
Bullock is the true star of this picture, playing the role of passenger-turned-temporary driver, Annie Porter. Her every scene is a delight and she becomes the passenger we hope and pray makes it through to the final reel.
The 1990s served up many great action movies, from Twister and Independence Day, to True Lies and Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Speed is up there with the best of ‘em. As its name suggests, Speedmoves at a break-neck pace, with lots of fun plot twists coming thick and fast, and this ensures the entertainment level remains high.
If you’ve not watched Speed in a while, then be sure to stick it on your watchlist. I guarantee you’ve forgotten how strong it is, and how good director Jan de Bont is at bringing pulse-pounding action to the screen.
Should you wish to hop on board the ultimate thrill ride, Speed is currently streaming on Disney+. The movie is also available on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K, and digital.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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