Speed (1994)
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Jan de Bont's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
- Before Keanu Reeves was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
- Jan de Bont originally wanted a completely different ending for the film, but test audiences preferred the one we see today.
Speed is a 1994 American action thriller directed by Jan de Bont. Keanu Reeves stars as Jack Traven, a young LAPD SWAT officer who must prevent a bomb on a Los Angeles city bus from detonating โ the device is armed to explode if the bus's speed drops below 50 miles per hour, turning an ordinary morning commute into a high-speed death trap. Sandra Bullock co-stars as Annie, a passenger who takes the wheel after the driver is incapacitated, and Dennis Hopper plays Howard Payne, the disgruntled former bomb squad officer who designed the device.
Speed's genius was its simple, relentlessly sustained premise โ the bus cannot slow down, period โ which generated two hours of escalating tension as obstacles appeared: traffic jams, gaps in unfinished freeways, sharp turns, and running out of fuel. Keanu Reeves's physical presence and Sandra Bullock's spirited charm created one of the most appealing action-movie partnerships of the decade. Dennis Hopper's Howard Payne was an entertainingly unhinged villain whose frustrated genius made him a worthy adversary.
Speed earned $350 million worldwide on a $30 million budget.
