Plot: What’s it about?
A bomb has been placed on an elevator in a busy skyscraper and of course, the device is armed as soon as the lift fills with people. The bomb blows the wires to bits and except for the emergency brakes, nothing stands between the passengers and certain doom except the will of a madman. Unless he is given three million dollars, another explosion will happen and this time, the fates of the innocent people will be sealed. So the L.A.P.D. sends in bomb squad members Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) and Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels), a couple of skilled agents who happen to be friends outside of the line of work. The tandem manage to secure the passengers and save the day, but the bomber, Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) manages to escape, as well as fake his own death in the process. Payne has plans however, plans to settle the score with Traven and collect his millions, even if it means killing countless innocent people to do so. His newest scheme involves a bus loaded with passengers, as well as a powerful explosive device. If the bus slow below 50 miles per hour, it explodes and if a rescue attempt is made, Payne flips the switch. Can Traven somehow foil Payne’s plans once again, or does Payne have the final laugh this time?
An action movie that takes place on a bus? I know it sounds hard to believe, but as we all know, Speed was a smash success and kickstarted some trends, including the careers of stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. As with most action movies, you’ll need to overlook some gaps in logic, but it is worth it, as Speed is one intense motion picture. The tension comes from all directions and just when it looks as if a solution has been found, you’ll be taken in a new direction, one which usually enhances the suspense. Reeves and Bullock turn in solid efforts, but Dennis Hopper provides the best performance here, with several memorable lines and a general sense of menace that keeps the tension ever present. The movie also keeps the audience on edge because this is not some outlandish premise, this is just some normal people in a terrible situation, so we can relate to them more and by turn, the tension is more effective. I think Speed is a terrific and quite fun picture, without question and it deserves a place in any action lover’s collection. As far as an upgrade to this new Blu-ray version, the video and audio are improved, but the extras are sparse, so it depends on what you hold more important.
Although The Matrix has been his biggest hit to date, Keanu Reeves moved into his current star status thanks to Speed, no doubt about it. His move into the big leagues wasn’t fueled by his skills as a traditional thespian however, instead by his screen presence. I’ve always liked his work in comedies and before I saw Speed, I did have some doubts about a move into the action realm, but Reeves handled the task with ease. His line delivery and such still fell short, but he did well enough and of course, had some good chemistry with his female costar. This kind of movie needs strong presence, since it takes place mostly in a confined area, so Reeves was able to do just that and turned his role into a career in action movies. Other films with Reeves include Point Break, Chain Reaction, The Devil’s Advocate, The Replacements, and The Matrix. The cast also includes Sandra Bullock (Speed 2, Murder by Numbers), Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider, Blue Velvet), and Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber, Arachnophobia).
Video: How does it look?
Speed is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. I did side by side comparisons on this title and no doubt about it, this new transfer is a marked improvement. I noticed a lot of subtle enhancements, such as the absence of compression woes, which were frequent on the standard disc. The compression issues were minor, but noticeable, so it was nice to see them cleaned up here. As far as clarity, most scenes look quite sharp and show impressive detail, though some sequences do appear on the soft side. This is common however and probably due to the photography, not this transfer. I found contrast to be stark and consistent, while colors were bright and natural, a very good overall presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is an action movie, so the DTS HD soundtrack has a lot of potential to make use of and thankfully, it does just that. The tense chase sequences sound terrific, with deep impact moments and great directional presence, putting you right in the middle of it all. When the action moves more toward guns and explosions, the power kicks up a notch and the surrounds open up wide. The soundtrack is loud and effective, though too loud at times, so some volume management might be needed. The more subdued scenes also sound fine, while dialogue is clean and offers no problems whatsoever. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Sadly, not all the supplements from the standard version were ported over, but a few made the transition, so not all is lost. You’ll find not one, but two audio commentary tracks to listen in on. Up first is director Jan de Bont, who shares his wisdom and memories from the production, in a sometimes hard to understand accent. But if you’re used to Jan’s verbal ways, then you’ll understand him well enough and he does offer some nice tidbits, so don’t miss out on this session, by any means. Next is a track with screenwriter Graham Yost and producer Mark Gordon, which proves to a bit more informative. The two seem relaxed and open, telling us how the project evolved and even some changes made as time passed, both in terms of the writing aspect and different people involved. Although Jan’s session is slower at times, I found his track to be more enjoyable, but the second one is more informative and between them, you’ll discover a lot of knowledge about Speed was created. This disc also includes a trivia track, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
