Speed - Máxima potencia

I can't understand anyone rating the film 10, neither 1. The plot is ridiculous but if you can suspend belief, makes for an enjoyable action packed film.

I rewatched Speed yesterday and still really enjoyed it even though quite a few things sounded dated or cheesy. At the time it came out it was a huge hit because the main leads had really good chemistry, so it didn't matter if the acting or dialogue was cheesy. Adding the civilians to it and getting them involved in the drama made it feel more suspenseful and the tension never wavers in this film, so it goes by surprisingly quick. Don't watch it if you're expecting Oscar worthy performances, just a good action flick to keep you entertained for rainy Sat.

Speed is one of my favorite action movies of all time, just a notch below contemporaries like Terminator 2 and Die Hard. The premise is so simple that it's almost a parody of movie pitches (Homer Simpson's line was "I saw this movie about a bus that had to SPEED around a city, keeping its SPEED over fifty, and if its SPEED dropped, it would explode! I think it was called 'The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down'."). Fortunately this film came to be much better than the sum of its parts, and it's deservedly remembered as one of the most entertaining films of the 90s.

What distinguishes Speed is its humanity, due in no small part to the character of Annie (Sandra Bullock). The best example of this is the moment when Annie, while driving the bus, thinks she has struck a baby stroller. She becomes so distraught that she lets go of the steering wheel, never mind the fact that she is in charge of driving a bomb-laden bus through the L.A. suburbs. It's one of several moments that draw us into the film by helping us identify with the characters, and it's all the more elegant for its simplicity. This movie isn't complex, but it doesn't claim to be.

There is a certain irony that Speed succeeds so well on a human level, since Jan de Bont is not generally considered an "actor's director". He started as a cinematographer, and even when he talks about directing he discusses technical aspects and seldom mentions working with actors. Nowhere was this more evident than Speed 2, which pretty much killed his directorial career. Given that, it's all the more remarkable what he pulled off in the original Speed, as everything seemed to come together for him.

The overall performances really serve this picture well. Keanu is at his best (which is to say, mediocre), Sandra launched a career based on this movie, and Dennis Hopper did a wonderful job as the sardonic villain. Plus he has one of my favorite bad-guy lines of all time (Traven: "You're crazy." Payne: "Poor people are crazy, Jack. I'm eccentric.").

8/10

If ever there was a film I wished I had seen at the theater,this would be the one.It's a great combination of a well written story, great direction,and a great cast.It's one of those films that you want to like so much,and it does not disappoint.The only thing that bothered me about the film is perhaps is the insertion of ill timed corny remarks ("He lost his head"),and the ending could have been done better,but overall a great action film worth owning.

An American action thriller; A story about a Los Angeles cop who boards a moving city bus rigged to explode to attempt to rescue passengers. This is an inventive film that centres on breathtaking action, foregoing character development for impressive aerial shots and moving vehicle camerawork, mind-boggling stunts and brilliant pyrotechnic special effects. Camera positioning puts the audience right at the centre of the action all the way and provides the excitement. Sandra Bullock is good support with a twinkle in her eye, and Keanu Reeves gives a commanding performance - they have a good chemistry. Dennis Hopper is well cast as the diabolical villain. It's a terrific adventure and embodies the perils and thrills of speed. Sound and sound effects are also impressive, duly recognised at the Academy Awards.