I've seen a lot of Keanu movies. From his best to his worst. Did I just say the worst? No, I don't believe Keanu has a bad movie. I mean his catalog of movies can prove that he doesn't. When it comes to movies Keanu Reeves is gold. And I dare not miss any of his movies. So picking one actually as my best was so hard but after much ado i choose "Speed" In this week's contest which you can find here.
Here's Why… One movie that brilliantly displayed Keanu Reeves' exceptional acting skills and his unwavering commitment to his art was Speed. Even now, the 1994 film Speed, which was directed by Jan de Bont, is still regarded as a classic. An action thriller that has you on the edge of your seat from the opening until the very end.
About the movie Reeves plays Jack Traven, a brave LAPD officer, in this all-time classic. Traven was tasked with stopping a city bus rigged or planted with explosives.
In the opening scenes of the movie, a psychopath bomber named Howard Payne, played by actor Dennis Hopper, rigged an elevator with explosives that automatically sets the tone for the rest of the film. Payne now demands a ransom from the building's owner, who in turn seeks the assistance of Jack Traven and his partner, Harry Temple, played by Jeff Daniels, to defuse the bomb and rescue the hostages. Jack and his partner were successful in rescuing the hostages, but his partner Harry was killed in the process.
From then on, the film became a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, with Jack taking on a new emergency partner in Annie Porter, in the midst of another case involving a bomb planted on a city bus by the same psychopath, Howard Payne. Annie Porter was played by Sandra Bullock, together with Keanu they had to keep the bus moving at all times to keep the bomb from exploding. Such a tense situation that grows more dangerous as the film progresses.
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About the actors.. As the character Jack Traven, Keanu Reeves was a beast with his delivery. He portrayed a man who is deeply committed to his job and is determined to save civilian lives under any circumstances, even if it means putting his own life in danger. Which was shown in the film. His cool demeanor under duress and unwavering sense of purpose makes him the ideal hero of the movie.
Sandra Bullock, who played Annie Porter, also performed admirably. She was a bus passenger who became dragged into the drama and became what I like to refer to as Keanu's emergency partner. She rose to the occasion admirably strong and pulled it off with ease. Her chemistry with Reeves was also lovely to watch. I enjoyed their banter and interactions because it gives the impression that they are in command of the ugly situation.
And the villian Dennis Hopper is one calculating and intelligent badass adversary. He is always one step ahead of Jack and Annie. He's menacing attitude is at levels, it doesn't get over the top, his smirky laugh. In fact his performance as the villian adds an extra layer of tension to the already tense situation.
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Some of my favorite things about the movie.. The pace of the movie Speed is one of the things that makes it my favorite Keanu film. The excitement and suspense in the film never stop; in every scene they are always being brought to you. There is always top action, something to keep the viewer interested and adrenaline pumping, something intense, in every particular scene. Like in the gunfight on the bus and the risky jump across a highway gap. There is always a new task for Jack and Annie to tackle just when you believe you have overcome the last one.
One of my best action sequences was the bus jump. An absolute standout moment. A classic in its own right I must say and the freeway chase is equally fulfilling and thrilling as an action lover. It's hard to tell if there were special effects, although they had dangerous scenes that required that. But I think Keanu does his own stunts.
Speed is a must-see for fans of the action/ thriller genre. Just then will you realize why I still consider it a classic to this present day.
