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A Reel Life film section

Issue: Spring 2013


Speed (1994) movie review


A bomber with a grudge places a bomb on a bus. Once the bus reaches 50 miles per hour, to drop below that speed will set off the bomb. Bomb tech Jack Traven (Keavu Reeves) gets onto the moving bus too late and must, with the help of his team, prevent the bomb from 'becoming'.

He is aided by a young woman Annie Porter (Sandra Bullock) who takes over driving the bus.

Speed is an unpretentious, unashamed run-for-your-life action flick. It does has high speed action, but it also has characterisation, humour, empathy and a genuine motivation for the villain and for the heroes.

Movie poster, Speechless; Festivale film review

Movie poster, Speed
Get ready for rush hour.

This is one of the best of the action films. It has chase scenes and action scenes, but it never wastes the audience's time by dwelling on them. The object of the action is to move the story along. And move it does. Good fun, engrossing and satisfying.

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by Ali Kayn
Australian release 30 June 1994
For credits and official site details, see below
Search Festivale for more work by the film-makers below.

See also: Keanu Reeves (47 Ronin, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Lake House, Constantine, Something's Gotta Give, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, Sweet November, The Replacements, The Devil's Advocate, Chain Reaction, Johnny Mnemonic); Sandra Bullock (The Thing Called Love, The Net, Demolition Man, Hope Floats, Practical Magic, 28 Days, Forces of Nature, The Proposal, The Heat, Speed 2, Premonition, The Lake House, Miss Congeniality, Miss Congeniality 2, While You Were Sleeping

Just the facts:

Title: Speed (1994)
Written by: Graham Yost
Directed by: Jan de Bont
running time: 116 mins
rating: M

The Players: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton, Jeff Daniels

IMDb entry

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