Speed is light and totally lovable

Rating: 9/10 (13 July 2017)

Speed is the definition of a film that knows what it is. It finds its tone and it excels.
The film tells the story of Jack Traven, an LA SWAT officer. After the film immediately catches the audience's attention with a high-pressure hostage situation in a downtown LA elevator (an exploit that provides smart indirect characterization of our leads), the film deals mostly with a city bus on the highway. A bomb expert has rigged the bus, and if its speed drops below 50 MPH, the explosive will detonate, The narrative takes twists and turns, and as our protagonists decipher clues left behind by the villain, the viewer is always highly engaged. The always-evolving plot is very smartly designed. While the series of difficulties our characters face is numerous, it is never confusing. Plot arcs appear and resolve themselves in such a way that the audience is never lost, in fact the clues are simple enough for the audience to play detective along with the characters.
The characters in Speed are all very simple but very strong. We learn about who the characters are by seeing them react in high-pressure situations. This is ideal in making people who seem real and it is executed effectively. By the time the movie ends, it's hard not to feel pride and relief for the characters after seeing the hell that they go through and their courage. This is an action movie, but it constructs its characters with more nuance than most acclaimed dramas.
Speed isn't afraid to be what it is, and that is perhaps its biggest triumph. All of the film's action is totally over-the-top. The bus infamously makes a totally unrealistic jump across a giant stretch of uncompleted highway, and the viewer is left laughing at its sheer stupidity. But, the film wears the insanity on its sleeve and isn't embarrassed by the craziness. If you wanted a serious police drama, Speed wasn't the right choice.
If you want to crack open a beer and just enjoy a smart, funny, and just plain fun action movie, Speed is the right choice.