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Speed

Speed

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I personally though it was a bit boring....
Review: Speed, directed by Jan De Bont and starring Keanu Reeves, is indeed entertaining though I wouldn't put it in the category of action. I believe that an "action movie" must have:

1. A lot of gunplay
2. Some explosions
3. Fist fights

Speed does have some explosions though hardly any gunplay or fist fights. It's more of a thriller than an action film. Keanu Reeves plays Jack Travin, a cop. He is always fighting his arch-nemesis Howard Payne (played by Dennis Hopper). In the first fifteen minutes of the movie Travin and his partner Harry (Jeff Daniels, My Favorite Martian) stop an elevator from crashing and save everyone onboard. Payne, who had devised this plan, is mad so he wants to get back at Travin. So he plants a bomb on a bus, stating that if the bus goes under 50 miles an hour it'll explode and kill everyone onboard. Travin gets onto the bus and tries thinking of ways to stop the bomb but unfortunately some passengers get into a fight and the driver is killed. A passenger (Sandra Bullock, Demolition Man) takes over and now they must keep the bus at 50 m.p.h or else it'll be the last day of their lives. This movie is very entertaining though a bit predictable and for more suspense, I recomnend the second one, Speed 2: Cruise Control. I enjoyed this movie though I though it was a bit too long. 3 stars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Speed Rocks !!!!!
Review: Speed is a great movie! Jack Travin and his partner Harry try to stop madman Howard Payne from detonating a bus that must keep over 50 mph or it will blow up.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: 'Speed' kills on DVD
Review: "Speed" looks and feels like it could have been made in the '00s. The 1994 action film has lost none of its velocity. Fox has released Jan De Bont's thriller as part of its high-end Five Star Collection, updated to THX standards. The widescreen images look suitably flashy -- a bit flat in some outdoors shots, but with few signs of age. DTS delivers the audio remix to maximum effect, rear speakers frantically pumping out breaking glass and screeching metal. The Dolby Digital (5.1) track sounds edgy as well, but without DTS' sonic depth.

The soft-spoken director De Bont uses the commentary to outline his philosphy of acting for action films, saying that subtle performances just look dumb in frantic movies. A lot of actors are afraid of the perils of action filming, he says. Producer Mark Gordon and writer Graham Yost pack their high-energy, off-the-wall commentary with information. "Speed" would never be green-lit now, they say: "Nobody wants to see a plane blown up."

"Speed's" second disc includes an unusually detailed featurette on stunt coordinator Gary Hymes. He shows admiration for the "very physical" hero Keanau Reeves, who "wanted to do almost everything himself," including a leap onto the moving bus. Hymes talks about his craft at length, saying he likes to work with a stuntman "who has a good healthy sense of fear."

A visual effects segment breaks down the bus jump sequence (look for the digital birds) and the film's final subway crash, mostly done with models. Multiangle, multicamera views put you in the driver's seat; that's good for an hour or so of DVD remote button pushing.

You can buy this in a set with "Speed 2," but that's a worthless movie. The filmmakers go out of their way to disown it on the "Speed" commentaries.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Suspense Thriller
Review: Speed is a classic film starring Keanu Reeves,Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock. This movie kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole time. I bought this movie on DVD a few years ago and then when I heard they were coming out with a Five star edition I was so happy. Finally we get to see interviews that was not in the original DVD release. The original only had a theatrical release and a widescreen presentation. A must have for any Dvd collection.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This DVD is EXCELLENT!
Review: I've loved Speed since I first saw it at the movies in the summer of 1994. I bought the VHS as soon as it was released. Much to my disappointment, when it was released on DVD it has little to know special features. So you can imagine my surprise and sheer joy when I saw this five star collection. !!Muy bueno!! It has EVERYTHING you'd want to know about the making and production of this action flick. It has featurettes on the making of the stunts, visual effects, interviews with the entire cast, music videos, still galleries, trailors, etc etc. The movie is shown in it's original anamorphic widescreen version and it's in mint condition! It's an excellent film and it finally got the DVD is so rightly deserved for so long. Two thumbs up! :)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: What A Rush (Hour)
Review: SPEED is one of my favorite films from the 90s. The movie took the action genre and sort of reinvigorated it, much the same way that DIE HARD did, in 1988. LAPD Swat Team Specialist Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) called into action after a vengeful extortionist, known as Payne (Dennis Hopper), plants a bomb on a bus. The explosive is set to detonate, if the passenger-filled moving bus, drops below 50 miles per hour. Finding his way on the bus, Jack, relies on his partner (Jeff Daniels) and his boss (Joe Morton) for help. He also must use several riders to aid in keeping the vehicle moving. One such person is Annie (Sandra Bullock), who goes behind the wheel of the bus, after the driver is injured.

Directed by Jan De Bont, the film maintains its kenetic pace throughout and almost never lets up. Sure, some of is unbelievable, but its all held together by a good script and nice performances from the cast. In order for action films to work, the audience has to care about the characters, the spectacular stunts can't carry a film, only enhance it. Luckily, SPEED, benefits from both great stunts and characters we like (and dislike). Some of it is over the top, but because you are so caught up in all, you can easily forget any flaws the film has.

The 2-disc DVD set is loaded with extras. There are 2 audio commentary tracks, one with De Bont, the other with producer Mark Gordon and writer Graham Yost. The film digitally mastered using THX, and has never looked or sounded better, even on a regular television. Disc 2 has five extended scenes, 5 featurettes about different aspects of production, a very cool muti-angle stunt feature, a few storyboard to film comparisons, an interview gallery with the stars and director, an HBO first look special, theatrical trailers and television spots, 2 still photo galleries, and finally the full screenplay. Like the DIE HARD DVDs before it, this is a very comprehensive package. 5 stars indeed that is highly recommended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Speed - Reborn for DVD....
Review: An excellent video source with an amazing audio track(s) make this non-stop thriller come alive again.. Wall vibrating sound and a tension level not often experienced....enjoy and turn up the volume--A great THX release...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Non-stop action, great DVD transfer
Review: I had forgotten how much I enjoyed "Speed" until I saw it again in its newest DVD transfer. Forget about the plausibility of the plot, since if that were the standard to judge action/adventure movies, how many would qualify? Instead, enjoy the non-stop excitement, with "Armaggedon"-type pacing where each solution is followed by another problem.

The movie is basically all-action, all the time, and that's what those of us who love this genre want. If you're looking for profound dialogue or character development, you won't find it, but you will find lots of humor thrown in to lighten things up.

Keanu Reeves gives a glimpse of the sort of intensity that he would bring to the "Matrix", and Bullock is about as believable as anyone could be behind the wheel of the bus. The two of them establish a good chemistry and this definitely lifts the film above the run-of-the-mill.

Dennis Hopper is his usual maniacal self as the crazed villain, and Jeff Daniels does a credible job as Reeves' partner; the two of them had some great lines at the beginning of the film.

The DVD transfer is excellent; the video is clear and well-balanced with minimal digital artifacts, and the audio will give your surround system a real workout. I haven't looked at the second disc yet but it's loaded with extras.

Bottom line: for a classic adventure flick with an outstanding new remastering, this Five Star version of "Speed" can't be beat!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An action film - with character
Review: This film is extremely well-constructed and enjoyable. Jan De Bont smartly realized that an action film is only as good as the characters that embody it. Even though the basic premise, a bus needs to stay above 50 MPH otherwise it explodes, is intriguing, the smart characters make the implausible action sequences believable. Everybody likes Sandra Bullock's spot-on reactions and emotions, and Dennis Hopper's manic but not over-the-top villain. However, even better are the extras on the bus itself. We see subtle acting by people with which we identify. There are no goofy one-liners that seem scripted.

The movie begins with 11 elevator passengers stuck towards the top of a high-rise. Keanu Reeves (one of his best roles) and Jeff Daniels are S.W.A.T. team cops assigned to remove the passengers before Dennis Hopper blows the emergency brakes. Exciting stuff. The movie then proceeds with the bus story.

Jan De Bont graduated into directing with this film, having spent most of his career up until then as a cinematographer (Die Hard, Basic Instinct). After Twister and Speed 2: Cruise Control, it seems he has graduated again into producing (most recently Spielberg's Minority Report). He clearly has a gift for action sequences, and let's hope he has the chance to show off his chops again soon - at the wheel.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Speed is Awesome!!!
Review: This and Die Hard are my two favorite action movies of all time. Keanu Reeves did a great job. Dennis Hopper also did an outstanding performance. My favorite part is when Jack is fighting with Howard Payne on top of the train and Payne gets his head.....never mind I'm not going to spoil it for those haven't seen it. Rent this movie on video or DVD. I assure you that you'll enjoy it...


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