Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Explosive bus ride adventure has violence, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Speed
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 20 parent reviews
Based on 60 kid reviews
Kids say that the movie is a thrilling and action-packed ride, featuring a gripping story about a cop trying to save passengers on a bus rigged with a bomb. While the film has been praised for its intense sequences and strong performances from the lead actors, many reviewers also note the excessive violence and language, leading some to believe it should be rated PG-13 instead of R.
- thrill ride
- intense sequences
- excessive violence
- strong performances
- language issues
- suitable for teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In SPEED, two police officers from LAPD'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 to 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.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Speed 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?
How is Speed similar to and different from other action movies, especially action movies from the 1990s?
What did you think of the violence here? Was it too little, too much, or just enough? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 10, 1994
- On DVD or streaming : February 1, 2005
- Cast : Dennis Hopper , Keanu Reeves , Sandra Bullock
- Director : Jan De Bont
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s) , Polynesian/Pacific Islander Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 116 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for violence and language
- Last updated : September 1, 2022
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