Is Speed the greatest movie ever made? Probably not. But when you’re watching it, it definitely makes a hell of an argument.
One of the great Die Hard knock-offs – even better than any of the Die Hard sequels – Jan de Bont’s directorial debut is perhaps the ultimate summer movie. It’s a high-concept thrill ride whose title tells you exactly what you’re in for. It solidified Keanu Reeves as an action star, kicked Sandra Bullock’s career into high gear and announced De Bont as a director to watch.
My son is 12 and has recently been curious about when he’ll be allowed to see R-rated films. I know that if I keep pushing them off, he’s going to end up sneaking with his friends and seeing the wrong ones. So, a few weeks back, I told him I would allow him to watch one rated R movie with me, and I would choose it. I chose Speed because aside from some strong language and a bit of violence, it’s not too much more intense than the Marvel movies he’s seen.
But it was also because it was a grown-up movie I knew Mickey could follow, without the convoluted mysteries of a cop movie, the political complexities of a terrorism thriller or the complicated world-building of a dystopian adventure. Several times in Speed, the villain is described as “crazy, not stupid,” and you could slightly tweak that for Speed: it’s “simple, not stupid.”
For the uninitiated – who, honestly, should just close the review right now, watch Speed and then come back – the film works off a killer hook: Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) is an L.A. cop who foiled the schemes of a mad bomber (Dennis Hopper). Hopper’s character seeks revenge, so he calls Jack and tells him he’s put a bomb on a commuter bus. The bomb will be armed once the bus hits 50 mph; if it drops below that speed, the bus will explode. Jack commandeers the bus, keeping it moving while attempting to save the lives of the commuters on board.
There’s not much I can say about the making of Speed that isn’t better covered in Kris Tapley’s exhaustive but wonderful year-long podcast, 50 mph. The film benefits from a great premise – Die Hard on a Bus. And while the script went through a few iterations – including nearly being the setup for Beverly Hills Cop III — its hook remained the same: a nonstop, propulsive thrill ride told almost entirely in motion.
The film’s first 20 minutes set the tone, as we watch a group of colleagues stuck in an elevator while Jack and his partner, Harry (Jeff Daniels) attempt to free them. De Bont lets us know exactly what we’re in for, exquisitely layering in the suspense as the elevator dangles precipitously, at one point anchored only by a construction crane. The banter between Reeves and Daniels is funny, but also clearly and effectively sets up their characters. Harry is the smart but cautious vet, and Jack’s the action-oriented hot shot ready to take a risk. The duo’s “pop quizzes” are fun banter, but they also give us a clear look into their thinking and tactics. Hopper gives great chaotic energy by shorthand; when his bomber has Harry at gunpoint, it’s easy to fear he’ll just go off. And the sequence gives us more insight into Jack’s recklessness by having him actually shoot his partner in the leg to try and stop the bomber – a great callback to the discussion they were just having, but also proof that Jack will stick to his guns.
Graham Yost’s script – with an uncredited assist from Joss Whedon – is a beautifully constructed thing. The setup is great, but it could easily wear thin if the momentum is off. But the movie keeps finding new obstacles to throw in Jack’s way – whether that’s a freeway backup or the loss of an entire stretch of road in the movie’s best stunt. A bit involving a baby carriage is a fantastic bit of suspense and misdirection – my son’s jaw dropped and all color drained from his face before the reveal that the carriage was just full of cans – and the film never seems to lose momentum. A subplot in which Harry tries to find the identity of the bomber gets us off the bus just enough so that the film never plods. It keeps moving, with enough likable characters, poppy dialogue and reversals to keep us constantly entertained. I could quibble about the extended third act on a subway, but other than feeling like a bit too much movie, that sequence is still a blast to watch and ends with one of the great bad guy dispatches.
As I wrote in my look back at The Flintstones, summer of 1994 was one of the last in which the big films were still largely dependent on practical effects and stunt work. While there’s a bit of CGI trickery used in Speed – they really did jump the bus, but used digital tools to create the gap in the freeway – the majority of the film is practical. You can feel every bump in the road, and computer-generated explosions will never have the visceral oomph of real ones. De Bont started as a cinematographer – famously working with Paul Verhoeven and serving as DP on movies like Die Hard and The Hunt for Red October – and he instinctively understands how to capture action. He knows just how the sun should gleam off the bus and how important it is to catch the entire vehicle midair for that jump sequence. Speed’s action sequences are thrilling and suspenseful, up there with the best action movies of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
I remember laughing when I saw Keanu Reeves’ name pop up in the trailer; I was only 13 at that point, and I basically only knew the actor from Bill and Ted. How was he going to be a tough guy, I thought? And for several years before and after Speed, Reeves had to fight the impression that he was a dunder-headed mimbo; it’s only been in recent years that his stoicism and physicality have been celebrated.
But he’s great in Speed. There’s a leanness to Jack, both in physicality – Reeves apparently panicked De Bont by showing up with his head shaved – and in demeanor. He’s brusque, constantly thinking, almost vibrating with a readiness to jump into action. When the hostages are stalling as they evacuate the elevator, he’s not above screaming to get them into action. His arc in the film is how he softens toward the people’s helping; it’s so subtly woven in that I didn’t even notice it until this most recent rewatch. Jack’s time with the commuters on the bus forces him to change his tactics, reassure them and gain their trust.
And Speed would never work if those commuters were not likable. Like a classic disaster movie, Speed populates its cast with a roster of ordinary people, not so much giving them arcs as much as letting the actors portraying them bring just enough personality and backstory to the character to make us care. Only a few faces – most notably, Alan Ruck as a goofy tourist having a really bad day – are familiar, adding to the feeling that these are average, everyday commuters with their own lives off the bus, adding to the suspense and earning our investment.
Of course, chief among those faces is Sandra Bullock’s as Annie. Speed wasn’t her first film – it wasn’t even her first hit; she’d co-starred with Sylvester Stallone in Demolition Man the year prior – but it was her highest-profile role at that time, and her most noteworthy performance. Thirty years later, it’s easy to see why this role catapulted her to superstardom. Without Annie, Speed would be just another high-octane, non-stop thrill ride. But Bullock’s smart, sunny presence brings a welcome dose of heart and humor, and helps personalize the stakes. I don’t know that I buy the tacked on romance between the two – given the film’s final line, I don’t think the screenwriters do, either – but Reeves and Bullock have so much chemistry together that I really don’t care. These two just bounce off each other so well.
In fact, Speed’s casting is one of its chief strengths. Reeves and Bullock are great, and I love the warmth and humor of the personalities on the bus (Ruck’s “oh darn” at a crucial moment is one of the film’s best jokes). But nearly every role is perfectly played. Joe Morton is great as the no-nonsense police captain. Daniels, just months away from Dumb and Dumber, elevates the normally thankless role of the doomed partner. Hopper is a great villain, as unhinged and unpredictable as Reeves is focused and lean. The potential for Speed was always there on the page, but the cast elevates it.
What else can I say? This is one of the great action movies. Thirty years and one wretched sequel haven’t robbed it of its energy, wit or audacity. In fact – as I’m sure I’ll say time and again this summer – the practical nature of its stunts and effects just makes it feel more visceral and classic. This is the epitome of “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore” movies. Today, Speed would be almost fully CGI and shot on the Volume. And who wants that?
Honestly, this is the rare movie that I could put on at any time (I’m tempted to watch it again right now). It’s an all-timer, and I’ll happily take the ride any time.