Jan de Bont made his directing debut with the blockbuster thriller Speed, out now in a stunning 4K upgrade. After years as a sought-after cinematographer, the helmer was the perfect soul to bring this unique concept to life. Having Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock’s sizzling cinematic chemistry at the center of this bus going fast through Los Angeles certainly raised the film’s level of awesomeness.
By now, most of the planet earth is aware of the plot of Speed. A bus driving through Los Angeles has to maintain a speed of 50 m.p.h. or a bomb deployed under the bus will detonate. After something happens to the driver, Bullock’s Annie takes the wheel and we’re off to the races. Reeves’ Jack is an LAPD SWAT team member who is firmly in the crosshairs of the man who set the bomb—Dennis Hopper’s enigmatic Howard Payne. See, Jack foiled his last attempt at vengeance/justice, and he has sought revenge/justice in the most original and very public ways!
Jack is thrown immediately into the mix with the bus careening all over LA as he and his partner, Jeff Daniels’ Harry, actively pursuing the vehicle and brainstorming all kinds of options to prevent utter horror from occurring. If it seems all of the LAPD is on this case, it is because there is an army of law enforcement working this from every possible angle—but the crux of what occurs here is Reeves’ Jack. He finds a way onto the bus, he goes under the bus, he gets off the bus… this is the Reeves show, along with Bullock’s Annie by his side—who, thanks to this movie is officially on the Hollywood A-list.
Now, Reeves’s casting was brilliant. This was post Point Break, so it wasn’t necessarily seen as a risky move putting the Bill & Ted star in the lead role of an action flick that pulsates with thrills literally around every turn. But the casting of Bullock was a wild card. Up until that point, the actress had appeared in a number of films that a wide audience had experienced—Demolition Man with Sly Stallone and Wesley Snipes. In many ways, that role is probably what got her the role in Speed. There had to be any number of actresses up for the part, but none of them had the instant and seemingly effortless chemistry she shared with Reeves.
Their repartee wasn’t a make or break for the film as a whole, it was just one spoke in a wheel of awesomeness that was already innate to the script. But one could easily argue that it put the film over the top for those who do not normally see action films. Bullock behind the wheel of this bus upped the ante. Audiences adored her and she earned it by turning in a performance that was pitch-perfect.
It also was a great role for Daniels, whose characterization of Harry grounded the pulse-pounding flick in a certain reality that the actor brings to all his roles, yes even Dumb and Dumber.
Then, there’s the titanic turn of Hopper. For many younger moviegoers, this was the first time seeing the legend on the big screen. He did not disappoint. It would have been easy to chew up the scenery. Many a lesser actor, a less skilled thespian, would have done exactly that. But there is a balance to portraying any villain in the movie landscape. He cannot be too over the top. He cannot steal the thunder of the star vehicle that this was for Reeves, yet at the same time, he and Jack had to have a Yin and Yang quality to their onscreen banter. That is exactly what de Bont elicited from his villain and Hopper just nailed it. What made it even more powerful is that Graham Yost’s debut screenplay had just the right amount of backstory that the viewer could identify—not justify—identify with what Hopper’s Howard Payne was feeling and where he was coming from. Who couldn’t find a common thread with putting in a life’s worth of work to a job and then having that dedication underappreciated? Of course, none of us would then put a bomb on a bus, or even an elevator, but you get what I’m saying.
The 1994 film was a blockbuster and became one of those movies that you had to see in theaters or miss out on the public discussion about it that permeated the nation that summer. Speed is one of those rare flicks that it is rare when you meet someone who hasn’t seen it. Lucky for those few that it is now available on a sparkling new 4K upgrade that is simply stunning. For those of us who have seen it repeatedly, but don’t own it—now is the perfect time to add this must-own to the old home video library. For those who already have it, now this is the big question. Is it worth the upgrade?
Absolutely! The video and audio transfer are outstanding and do the pop culture phenomenon justice.
There is a bevy of bonus features that are new to this release and boy oh boy are they fantastic. There are two Action Sequences featurettes, Bus Jump and Metrorail Crash. On a flick such as Speed, getting a front-row seat to “how they did that” is priceless.
Then, there are four Inside Speed featurettes that are brand spanking new as well. On Location focuses on the dozen buses used to make the film. Given what you just saw with the flick, learning that there was more than one makes a whole lot of sense! Stunts are exactly what it seems like it would be as it spotlights how de Bont and team crafted some of the more insane action sequences that people still talk about to this day. Visual Effects covers everything in that arena, from the opening sequence to the take your breath away finale.
The final one, HBO First Look: The Making of Speed is a mesmerizing 24-minute top to bottom, and everything in-between look at the characters, the origins of the story, some fascinating details of the shoot and so much more—making it the look at the making of a classic.
There’s also a slew of extended scenes, trailers and TV spots that truly complete this stellar 4K upgrade release.
Film Grade: A
Bonus Features: A