Every actor/actress definitely gets a film in his/her career which turns out to be a milestone for their careers. This film Speed was a fortune turner for Keanu Reeves. Its not that he was not there or didnt has the potential to make it to the top, but you certainly need fortune favouring you and this flick gave him a great stardom presence and a stamp of a solid action hero.....
I believe many of us still remember the ever thrilling moments of this picture when it was showcased in the cinema halls way back in 1994. Even today after so many years it has the same addiction and viewer ship as it had before! It can rightly be said that this one, surely is one of the best actions films made and the one which carries its thrill for the whole 90 minutes+ and never looses it even for a second......
The movie starts with an elevator coming down as you see the scores popping on the screen along side - a great work of cinematography. Suddenly an explosion! The elevator is torn apart from its strings and starts cruising down at a lightning speed. However, it halts in between due to the dynamic brakes specially applied to elevators for such accidents. The rescue team including Jack (Keeanu Reevees) arrives and heroically saves the lives of all who are trapped. The question for the rescue team is Why was such an act done and who is behind it? And here comes the dark man - Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) (Ex police men - Bomb division).Howard used to work for the police department in the past and was called off duty due to loss of his thumb - making him unfit for the police department. He was a bomb expert and extremely good at his work but despite his hard work and skill he was thrown out on grounds of disability. He was a volcano that erupted
but was rolled down consequently.
Not accepting his defeat, he decided to teach the department yet another lesson. This time he sets a bomb on a local city bus. The specialty of the bomb is that it gets activated once the speed of the bus reaches 50 Km/hr and it shall explode if the speed falls below that speed! The situation is - we have people in the bomb as hostages sitting on a moving live bomb, the speed of the bus cannot be reduced, no passenger(s) can get down! To add to it the driver of the bus is shot and now we have a citizen/hostage - Annie (Sandra Bullock) to drive it out the whole hell lot of time Isnt it a superb plot in itself? Yeah it surely is...
So will Jack be able to get all to safety? Will the bus explode in the city itself? Will the passengers die in any mishap? That’s the thrill that you should experience by watching the film. I have almost revealed the plot since I think it is a thrill and not a suspense shared... but what I have not revealed is the execution and the tremendous pressure and thrill you might experience while watching this superb film.
It has to be said that Keanu Reevees and Sandra Bullock were just outstanding in this movie and may be former was way better. The film was tailor made and was supported by great camera work and superb screenplay. Every scene in the film has a sure shot connection to the next one and so on. This movie required a pacy execution and director has managed it handsomly well...As it starts you can’t stop yourself by watching it till the end - I can bet that. The scenes in the bus are breathtaking and right on money all the time. It’s a dreadful journey with many setbacks and risks involved that you will definitely enjoy.
Directed by Jan de bont and written by Graham Yost is one of the best thriller films that I have ever seen. There are very few films that stay in your mind for a very long time and this one shall be there for ever. The punch is such everlasting.
Music plays a very very important role in making any film a hit or interesting. A thriller has to be supported with great background score. I am not sure who has given music, but whomsoever has done that, its must be his best work till that date. The background score is just great and it only increases your pleasure while watching those lovely scenes thought the film.
The star cast was powerful and all have acted very well. Sandra Bullock was very cute and she has portrayed the character perfectly and also has shared great chemistry on screen with the Macho man - Reevees
So the final verdict is that if you want to see a real tight thrilling picture, then this is the only one which can stand your enthusiasm...
Enjoy....