Speed (1994/I)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Jan de Bont

Writer (WGA):

Graham Yost (written by)

Release Date:

10 June 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

Get ready for rush hour.

Plot:

A young cop must save the passengers of a bus that has a bomb set to explode if the bus goes below 50 MPH.

Plot Keywords:

Bus | Bomb | Rescue | Explosive | Elevator

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Keanu Reeves	...	Officer Jack Traven
Dennis Hopper	...	Howard Payne
Sandra Bullock	...	Annie Porter
Joe Morton	...	Capt. McMahon
Jeff Daniels	...	Det. Harold 'Harry' Temple
Alan Ruck	...	Stephens
Glenn Plummer	...	Jaguar Owner
Richard Lineback	...	Norwood
Beth Grant	...	Helen
Hawthorne James	...	Sam
Carlos Carrasco	...	Ortiz
David Kriegel	...	Terry
Natsuko Ohama	...	Mrs. Kamino
Daniel Villarreal	...	Ray
Simone Gad	...	Bus Passenger #1

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Australia:MA (Special Edition DVD) | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:U | USA:R (certificate #32945) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Ballerina Clown - 255 Main Street, Venice, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Some of the shots of the subway train as it runs off the rails are of a miniature model.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Camera visible strapped to the side of the bus as it leaves the highway.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Security Guard: Hey, this area's restricted.
Howard Payne: Oh, hi. Yeah, I know. They called me down here. Some of this wiring got screwed up.
Security Guard: Nobody called it down to me. I'm going to have to see a work order.
Howard Payne: Yeah, just a second. There you are.
[stabs security guard in the ear with a screwdriver]
Howard Payne: Nothing personal.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Robot Chicken: Donkey Punch (#2.19)" (2006)

A classic action film.

In what is certainly Jan de bont's best film, and Keanu's best role before Neo, this has earned its place as one of the best action films ever. Good action films have good story lines to justify the explosions and violence. There is no exception here. The story is a simple one, which sets up the scenes for plenty of tension and action. If I was to make one criticism, I think it was in the part played by Dennis Hopper. He didn't come across as entirely convincing, but the rest of the film made up for this and it seems alright. It's a pity that de bont thought he could do it again in speed 2, and another pity that Sandra bullock agreed to be in it. Keanu made the right decision to not appear in this, as this seems a polar opposite to the first film. Ignore the second, the first is, to me, a classic in its genre.