Speed
Published August 8, 2011
Film info
- Title Speed
- Director Jan de Bont
- Year 1994
- Run time 1hr 56m
- Genres Crime, Adventure, Action
- Tagline Get ready for rush hour
Jack Traven, an LAPD cop on SWAT detail, has a fearless nature and a keen understanding of the criminal mind, but he is also rather reckless. Together with partner Harry, they rescue a dozen hostages from a booby-trapped elevator rigged by a psychotic ex-cop. With his plans foiled by Jack, the bomber makes alternative arrangements - rigging a city bus to explode if the speedometer drops below 50 mph. It's then up to Jack to save the passengers, including feisty Annie, the passenger who is forced to take the driving wheel after the driver is shot.
Live Blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 1:08 | Woah, these graphics haven’t aged well. |
| 3:29 | Those are some long credits, too. Far too much of ye olde graphics. |
| 4:56 | “The light is on, but you never know what really might be broken.” |
| 6:28 | Mmmm, Keanu to the rescue. |
| 8:27 | It’s been a while since I’ve seen this film, I wonder if it will put me off lifts again. And buses. And the subway. |
| 10:57 | “Shoot the hostage.” |
| 15:15 | Who knew lifts were quite so heavy? |
| 25:24 | Not getting dead is about as much as you can ask if you’re the star of an action film. |
| 26:20 | “Guts’ll get you so far and then they’ll get you killed.” |
| 28:09 | Does he know he left his coffee on the roof of his car? I mean, it’s not a priority right now but still. |
| 29:48 | Terrorists are all so specific |
| 32:34 | She’s one of those people that is all happy and ‘morning’ at 8am. |
| 36:26 | It’s amazing there is all this build-up just to get to the bomb being armed. |
| 38:05 | This also puts a lot of faith in the fact that speedometers are correct. |
| 42:57 | It’s a good job he had lots of shirts on, so he can strip off gradually through the film. |
| 45:27 | Passenger relay is fun. It’s like Chinese whispers. |
| 49:55 | This must be why people play those bus simulation games, to pretend you can’t slow down. |
| 52:55 | Much of this is unbelievable, but it is so, so good. |
| 59:15 | The LAPD people really shouldn’t be encouraging her. |
| 1:00:10 | Interactive TV. He was ahead of his time, that bomber. |
| 1:03:25 | I am finding it hard not to quote this film out loud. Mr C gets mad. |
| 1:08:57 | It took hims three hours to get away from the airport, and he is right back there again. |
| 1:10:55 | Why doesn’t he hold the phone to his other ear? |
| 1:17:59 | She makes me laugh so much, screeching from the front. She must feel quite trapped, behind the wheel though. |
| 1:26:51 | Mack needs to learn how to say please. |
| 1:29:48 | How does she know how to stem the gas pedal and tie the right knot and everything? |
| 1:39:28 | “Poor people are crazy, I’m eccentric.” |
| 1:44:57 | He’s almost trying to be John McClane with his one liners, but he’s not quite there. |
| 1:47:19 | The brakes don’t work but the throttle is a-okay. |
| 1:50:32 | If Speed 2 is anything to go by, this intense relationships always fail thing is true. |
Conclusions
One of my very, very favourite films. I’ve seen this a gazillion times, and know plenty of the lines off by heart, and it never gets old. We decided to rent it because it was available in HD, and the older films look a lot better when they’ve been upscaled.
I think my comment above really sums it up: “Much of this is unbelievable, but it is so, so good.” There’s plenty to guffaw at - perhaps a bus really could jump over a gap like that, but it really wouldn’t look like that when it landed. How can they scrape past all those cars and still stay above 50? No matter. Keanu is at his grumpy best, and if you discount the irritating mushy stuff, which is thankfully only a couple of scenes, then it’s my perfect film.
Rating: 5/5
Rating: 5 / 5