 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Speed
- Review Date: March 22, 2009
- R
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 1994
Common Sense Media says
Explosive bus ride for mature action lovers.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is filled with violent images: a fatal stabbing to the head; a decapitation; a bomb activated in a house, which kills several people, including one of the heroes; an elevator plunging forty floors; a bus explosion with the driver trapped inside; hostages with dynamite strapped to their bodies; and a woman killed when she falls under a bus. The language is extremely crude throughout.
What's the story?
Two police officers from L.A.P.D.'s bomb squad prevent a madman (Dennis Hopper) from ransoming an elevator full of people for millions of dollars. The maniacal criminal plants another bomb on a Los Angeles city bus to get even with the policemen and to try and extort the money again. Officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves), aided by Annie Porter, one of the bus's passengers (Sandra Bullock), has to keep the bus moving faster than 50 mph or the bomb will go off. The speeding bus careens through the city, encountering one perilously dangerous situation after another.
Is it any good?
For action lovers, SPEED delivers. There are sensational crashes, thunderous explosions, vicious hand-to-hand combat sequences, valiant maneuvers aboard a bus, on top of a moving train, in an elevator shaft... nonstop suspense-filled feats of bravery to combat the nonstop evil of a brilliant, but unhinged, villain.
This is Keanu Reeves's first "action hero" role and he does just fine. It's the movie that made Sandra Bullock a star, and she's as adorable as she should be. As for Dennis Hopper, no one takes more pleasure in playing the psychotic misfit. The good guys (and gal) are very, very good. The bad guy is horrid. However,
nothing in this film resembles reality. True-to-life events and
authentic relationships are in short supply.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how closely this live-action movie resembles a cartoon or a superhero movie. Do you think anyone could really do all the things that Officer Jack Traven does? How believable are the events in this movie? How believable are the characters? Do you think the moviemakers are trying to tell a real story, or make a fantastical movie that is simply fun to watch? What other movies have you seen that fit into this category?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Crazy cussing, great movie
Skip this movie if you don't want swearing. They have limits, but very small ones. The violence is crazy, but since the movie is kind of old, the gore isn't convincing. Can be very scary for little kids, especially the elevator scence. But it's a perfect movie with great actors all the way through.
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AGE
One of the best guy movie's of all time.
This is one of the best guy movie's ever! It's very violent, and the plot is there only so that the thrills and action can have a solid foundation. On-camera violence includes: stabbing in the head, decapitation on top of a train, a woman falling under a bus, and huge explosions (people killed in two of them). Plenty of cursing, "f" word "s" word, and more, used frequently. Sandra Bullocks character makes a joke about basing a relationship on sex, but almost nothing else related to that. Older teens who enjoy big booms, have fun!
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Kid, 12 years old
September 22, 2010
AGE
Really awesome movie (SERIOUSLY)
The only really violent part was at the beginning when the bad guy stabs somebody in the ear. It looks nasty.
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AGE
Must watch
Speed is a great thriller/action movie! A few violent scenes involving killing and stabbing, with blood. There's more swearing and cussing, specifically the F-word, but it should be okay for kids over 13. Basically no scene with sex or anything that would make somebody feel uncomfortable.
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AGE
The violence isn't too bad, but they swear a lot. They say f**k a ton of times, but what makes that the worst swear word anyway.
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AGE
This was a cool movie!
This movie was great! It was action-packed, and had a very clever criminal! VIOLENCE: There is some violence in this movie. The violence is bloody. A few people die from explosions. A person gets their head decapitated on camera. This is shown some-what fast, but you can still see it. Overall, not super violent, and there isn't hundreds of people dying like in other movies. There is less than fifty deaths. SEX AND NUDITY: Two people say they can base their relationship off of sex. A guy says he will go home and have sex. DRUGS: I don't remember there being any drugs. A few people may smoke, but that would be it. LANGUAGE: There is about fifteen F-words. Not too bad for an R-rated movie. Overall, once a kid can handle some-what bloody deaths, a few F-words, and two uses of the word "sex", then they can see this awesome movie!
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AGE
Good Movie!
A very good movie. Some uses of the f-word.
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AGE
Awesome movie!
Love this movie! Saw it after there was a joke about it in PSYCH. Awesome movie definite must see. Bad role models: the bomber (DUH). But the main character is a good role model because he does everything he can to try to save the people on the bus; and his friend(poor guy) tries his best 'till his end.
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AGE
spectacular
amazing action/mystery with scene after scene of explosive action. it would be pg 13 if it had less f bombs and if the security guard was not stabbed in the head.
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AGE
This movie was AMAZING. So exciting and intense, a total THRILLER. There may have been too much cussing but the overall movie was spectacular.
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| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Director: | Jan De Bont |
| Cast: | Dennis Hopper, Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 116 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 10, 1994 |
| DVD release date: | February 1, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | for violence and language |
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