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. And of course, with Fox’s new two disc Five Star Collection release, you’ll want to nab this deluxe version, even if you already own the previous bare bones edition.
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 a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I wasn’t too pleased with the previous non anamorphic transfer, so this new treatment was one I looked forward to, though I still held some doubts. The result is a much improved image in all respects, though the image never reaches reference level performance. The print is very clean, but has some minor nicks and such, nothing to be worried over, however. I saw no problems with colors or contrast, as all the elements seem to be well balanced and accurate in tone. I found sharpness here to be solid, but the image lacked the depth & refinement I had expected, at least in most scenes. I still think this is a terrific looking treatment, but I have to admit, I anticipated a more impressive visual presentation, which might have thrown off my expectations.
Audio: How does it sound?
Fox has dished out dual 5.1 tracks in Dolby Digital and DTS for this release, which is sure to perk up the audiophiles out there. This movie has a lot of tension, suspense, chases, and explosions, so both tracks have plenty of chances to shine. I knew the audio would be dynamic and I wasn’t let down, as the surrounds shake & bake often and the bass kicks deep, especially in the DTS option, which nudges off with the head to head win. The tracks aren’t night & day different, but the usual DTS sparks are present and when all is said & done, it edges out the win and deserves to be the first option for those with DTS capabilities. The action and chase scenes provide the most bang, but the normal bus ride moments even have a lot of punch, quite impressive work on both tracks, if you ask me. This disc also includes a French language option, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The first disc in this set contains the film itself, as well as 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.
The rest of the extras are found on Disc Two, including a number of brief featurettes that focus on some of the stunts seen in the picture. A couple of general stunt & special effects featurettes start us off, then we view pieces on how the bus jump and metrorail crash were accomplished to such effective ends. I enjoy seeing how such set pieces are pulled off, but these featurettes run rather short, though I suppose only so much can be said. You can also check out four multi-angle stunt comparisons, which are very cool and a most worthwhile inclusion. A total of five extended scenes have been slapped on also, which are fun to watch, though they’re not anything all that important in the film’s scope. If you’re after more general behind the scenes madness, a short EPK featurette is found here and so is an HBO special, which showcases some decent cast & crew interviews, as well as on set footage and such. Not enough interviews for your taste? Well, no cause for concern, as additional interviews with Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Daniels, and Jan de Bont can be found in the interview galleries, so make sure to browse that department. This release also includes storyboard comparisons, a Billy Idol music video, a selection of behind the scenes photos, the complete screenplay, a production design gallery, some television spots, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
