Some brain-dead spots, but exciting **SPOILERS**

Rating: 6/10 (25 February 2003)

"Speed" features some exciting action and good acting, but it also features some scenery-chewing and script idiocy. However, it's a good enough popcorn movie to entertain, as long as you know it's not terribly smart.
First, the good: Sandra Bullock had a breakthrough role in this film and it's easy to see why. Despite the testosterone overload of films in this genre, she comes across as both strong and vulnerable. In fact, she's the one person in this movie besides Jeff Daniels that feels genuine and so the audience (male & female) can easily identify with her. She does brave things but always because she has to do them, not because she's an idiot who wants to prove something. Kudos to the writers and to Bullock, who glows onscreen here.
Speaking of idiots proving something, Keanu Reeves and Dennis Hopper fall into that category. Reeves lets it lay back, though, and that works more than Hopper's typical Snidely Whiplash-style villain, who at one point starts spewing a bunch of pseudo-philosophical nonsense about how the PD won't let the bomb "become". Smack the writers and Hopper, and give Keanu credit for trying to overcome the material.
The plot is laid out pretty well most of the way through, except for two glaring "you've gotta be kidding me" moments. First, at one point the PD direct the bus -- which has to stay above 50 MPH -- onto the 105 freeway, which at the time had not opened yet, and then they're surprised when there's a section that hasn't been built. Second, anyone familiar with the 105 freeway knows that even complete, it's a lousy choice for what they want; why not take the 405, which connects to the 5 on either end, giving you the option (going north) to get the hell out of LA? Why not take the 10 and do the same thing? The 105 is only 25 or so miles long. Third, and most egregious, there is NO WAY IN HELL a bus can leap the gap shown in the freeway, and even if it could (if, say, a ramp had been placed there, which it hadn't), it would never be able to maintain a wheel speed registering 50 MPH or above. It's a simple law of physics.
The second instance is the ending. Having handcuffed Bullock onto a support rail in a subway car, and Reeves not having the handcuff keys, and the controls being shot to hell and the brakes not working (a very contrived situation), Reeves decides to save the day by speeding up so he'll disrail and smash into most of subterranean LA. Huh??? Wouldn't slowing down to a minimum speed work very nicely? I mean, all you need to do at that point is come to a stop without getting killed so someone can bring in a hacksaw, right? The resultant crash is all very fun, but ultimately stupid.
Anyway, like I said, it's a pretty good popcorn movie, and it's loads better than its sequel. I gave it a 6 for entertainment value.