You'll Feel the Need to Feed on Speed!

Rating: 9/10 (20 April 2006)

If viewing this film for the first time, you should get a powerful visceral experience which is all too rare today. In fact, I'd venture to say that this is one of the last movies to offer full-fledged excitement before current computer FX overwhelmed Hollywood so that all action films now have a veil of superficiality covering everything (yes, "Speed" also had computer FX, but they were surreptitious back then). I'd say, around the mid-nineties, after "Seven" or so, all the action films became closer to computer games rather than actual action-adventure FILMS. "Speed" was, in many ways, a last gasp of film action in the pure sense - you feel that pulse of the old-style slam-bang dazzle right from the opening credits, moving down an elevator shaft which could be a computer simulation, but immediately it gives way to classic jeopardy involving flesh-and-blood villains (Hopper), sweaty victims-in-peril, and sweatier tough cops-as-heroes (Reeves, Daniels) coping with horrendous dilemmas. OK, some of the modern bland action thrills already pervaded this thriller, but it's still much too real compared to all the silly moving pictures pervading our theaters in the 21st century.
This is also that rare film which really never has a slow moment. Some might label that aspect as unrealistic, but this is what it was meant to be - it's de Bont's finest hour; he was a director of photography before this and produced only adequate pictures after this. Somehow, he captured a perfect formula for this, his inaugural stewardship. It's great for a first viewing, but I was caught up in watching this several times in the nineties, to try and duplicate those visceral shocks a 2nd & 3rd time. I also found it was one of those movies I could watch with a couple of other people in the room and get caught up in the excitement as a group experience - there was never time to speak of other matters during some slow spots, as in during most other films. We, meaning the audience, are on that bus with the passengers after the first half-hour and for the next hour of a super-ride that everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. And you'll probably want to give it a try at least one more time afterward.
Reeves' performance as the hero is an aberration for his film career. All the reasons to be mystified by his success in movies or his penchant for slow-witted, laughable characters are missing. He'd had a chance to play a straight action hero before, in "Point Break," but he was an older boy there; here he's a young man, a coiled spring built in the mold of serious action heroism. When he threatens the deranged villain, there's no chance to mock his style, to be amused at his efforts at intensity - he's a lethal, dangerous figure here. I almost believe now that some substitute for Reeves was placed in most of his scenes here, since he never returned to such effective presence. Then, of course, we have Bullock. This was where her impish quality, with some moxie thrown in, got its greatest workout - no surprise at all that she became a big star after this. To say that she manages the perfect note in all her scenes is...well, let's just leave it at that. Plummer in a brief role as the jaguar driver - priceless! (He returned in the weak sequel, against all odds). Hopper and Daniels, as well as Morton, lend great support, as do all the supporting players on the bus (Ruck and the big guy playing Ortiz stand out). And speaking of the bus... I state now and for the record, no movie has ever utilized a bus to better effect - ever!