Am I the only person who thinks Speed is just bad? (1 Viewer)

[Paul_D]

I consider myself a rather sceptical action-film viewer. In fact, the only action films I have truly loved are Die Hard, Predator and, yes, Speed. Needless to say it isn't my favouite genre. But of the films I do like, the common characteristic has to be a healthy sense of the absurd. Cheesy one liners are one thing (and all three above have them in ample supply). But to have an expertly crafted action film, which doesn't take itself seriously, but whose actors perform with a degree of dignity and restraint, is the formula for a superb action yarn. I thought Speed was one of action's most watchable entries since Bruce Willis' seminal adventure. It has a ridiculous plot. The script is full of corny dialogue, that just stays on the good side of the cheesy line. The bad guy hams it up, but isnt embarrassing, and is suitably ruthless and intimidating. Key characters die in spectacular fashion, heightening the drama. The tension is cranked up to near-breaking-point levels. Well directed. And Sandra Bullock is adorable.
For most action films, I would have to agree with the thread header Theo. But for Speed, I gotta whole-heartedly disagree.

I just don't think that's true but it is true he has very little range. However, his B&T and Parenthood roles are very much in that range. He just has to be a surfer-dude and he's damn convincing. He is the character and that to me is a good performance.

I agree. In the right role, Keanu doesn't need to conjour a Shakespearian range of emotions. For me, his range is defined by Point Break. He IS that surfer/FBI-agent. Every film he's done since then has just been Keanu-the-surfing-agent on a new mission.

 

[mark_d]

Came out of the cinema having seen Speed and I had been blown away by what I'd just seen. Had the LD within a fortnight. Talk about law of diminishing returns. I can't stand this movie now. Bulloch and "Brother from Another Planet" (can't remember his name) remain the only watchable actors in the piece.

Hopper was a lame, lame bad guy.

Keanu pretty much ruins any film he's in for me. I have seen no character outside of Bill & Ted that he is even remotely adequate in portaying. I am totally at a loss as to how the man continues to get acting gigs. His appeal to the teenlets must have long since wained.

Mark

 

[Neil Joseph]

I love the movie Speed. I agree that the acting performances are not academy material but in the end, I totally enjoyed the action and the way the whole thing was done. However, the worst part for me is the heavy bus jumping the gap in the highway. If they could actually do that in real life, I would eat this computer.

 

[Mark Hobbs]

I liked Speed. The bus jumping the highway gap was silly, but it was exciting, Keanu wasn't terrible, and Sandra was perfect.

Speed 2 was bad.

 

[teapot2001]

I think Speed is one of the best action movies I've seen.

~T

 

[Prentice Cotham]

I loathe Speed. Keanu is especially awful here and Bullock is annoying. I hated it when I first saw it in the theater so you are not alone.

"He lost his head."

 

[Robert Cook]

Speed bored me out of my mind, and Sandra Bullock's "cuteness" came across as fake and annoying. There are some aspects of the movie that are well crafted, as others have pointed out, but unfortunately that didn't help much.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

I have to say that there was something... about the movie that I liked It was a slight cut above standard summer action fare.
Later I learned that Joss Whedon (Buffy, Toy Story, Aliens 4) is un-credited with a script re-write. So I guess I picked up on some of his humor.
My sister was working in the accounting department in Hollywood. She told me some story about them actually jumping a bus over a gap. (they digitally added in the height), but there was some story about them having to do it twice because the first jump did not do enough damage - it looked fake. I'll see her this weekend and see if she remembers the details.

 

[Ross Williams]

story about them actually jumping a bus over a gap.

I remember watching the making of Speed years ago on HBO probably. They built this special bus, the driver had to be harnessed in without a seat so he wouldn't break his back upon landing. The bus went off a large ramp, jumped about 15 feet and broke its axles upon landing. So I'd say no, they didn't actually do it.

 

[David Ruiz]

I liked Speed, and Speed 2 (OMG...Everyone gasps), but I absolutely DESPISED "Predator".

Predator, is NOT an action film....It's a boring film! I couldn't stand how boring this movie actually was. I saw it just a few months ago, and I was bored to tears. I don't see why everyone likes it, but I sure didn't!

 

[Dome Vongvises]

"Am I the only person who thinks Speed is just bad?"
Nope, but I'm not one of those who do hate it.
I liked it quite a bit.
Speed 2 on the other hand.....

Predator, is NOT an action film....It's a boring film! I couldn't stand how boring this movie actually was. I saw it just a few months ago, and I was bored to tears. I don't see why everyone likes it, but I sure didn't!

If we all ignore this, maybe David Ruiz and his quote will just go away.

 

[Rob P S]

I love Speed and I think Reeves is great in it, although if I were in charge, I would have given that part to the great Joe Morton. Bullock hasn't been this appealing since.
"Did you have any luck with the bomb?"
"Yeah, it didn't go off."
"That guy sure has a hard-on for this bus."
"Jesus. Bob, what button did you push?"
"Anything else that'll keep this elevator from fallling?"
"Yeah, the basement."
"Well, I'm gonna go home, have some sex."
"Harry, you're gonna go home and throw up."
"Well that'll be fun too."
I even liked Speed 2 and even worse - Chill Factor!. (don't hit me!!!)

 

[TheLongshot]

Speed is still a damn good action film. It still holds up for me to this day when I see it on home video.
Personally, I think Kenau's stiffness works here most of the time, since he has to be serious through most of this film. Sandra counteracts this with her cuteness and allows us to be entertained.
It was just the right people for the right film.
Jason

 

[Adam_ME]

I loved Speed when I saw it opening day in the theater, and I still love it today. My only complaint has been and always will be the "jump" scene. I guess I can suspend disbelief only so far. What's odd is that another Summer 1994 action flick, True Lies, had a similar "jump" scene which I also hated. And again, I loved nearly everything else about that movie.

The thing that really impressed me about Speed was how it never let up for nearly 2 hours. I was also lucky that I had never seen the trailer before watching the film. The opening elevator and climactic subway sequences came as a complete surprise to me.

 

[JoeMKal]

I really liked it, one of the better pure action/trillers I have seen, very entertaining, fairly original concept as well

 

[Declan]

True Lies, had a similar "jump" scene which I also hated.

which bit?

 

[Jim Peavy]

I'm another one. It was okay, saw it once in the theater when it first came out, and never really gave it another thought.
The wild success of and love for Speed confound me. Same with The Fugitive.

 

[Adam_ME]

which bit?

When Aziz rides the motorcycle off the roof of the hotel and lands in the pool on top of the building across the street.

 

[Dean Kousoulas]

When Aziz rides the motorcycle off the roof of the hotel and lands in the pool on top of the building across the street.

How about when Arnold was determined to jump the same gap with his horse LOL.

Dean

 

[Steve_Tk]

I liked Speed, and Speed 2 (OMG...Everyone gasps), but I absolutely DESPISED "Predator".

This thread is about speed.

Anyway, I think I enjoyed speed at first. But then the DVD came out, so I watched it on and old video and just thought it was terrible. So now I don't like it anymore.