Just the other day, I decided to watch Speed again. I can't believe it's been 20 years since it came out. As I was watching, I thought it was starting to look a tad bit dated. It just had that feel which is most evident in the quick wise cracks that were characteristic of these types of movies in the 90s. Or maybe I'm reaching, because it's still serviceable as a modern movie, for the most part. One thing that really stood out though was how young both Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock looked. Then there was the late Dennis Hopper. It was pretty evident that in a lot of spots, his lines were dubbed in. His lip movements weren't even synched up with what he was saying. I think this was a common occurrence in the past but it's not something that could pass muster now. I also got to thinking about Keanu Reeves. Is he a good actor? One person online says that he's an excellent physical actor but dialog and emotion are where he falls short. What do you think? And what do you think of Speed after 20 years, or in general?
Speed - 20 Years Later
- Thread starter Agent Richard07
- Start date
I love Keanu Reeves. He is a very nice person, I had the pleasure of meeting him once. He is a talented musician as well as a good actor. He has a quirky style to him but has played many roles from light hearted as in Bill and Ted to the seriousness of SPEED and all the ones before and after.....
As far as the movie, it may be a bit outdated but at the time it was action packed with a good story and nice suspense. But most movies made them are a bit outdated. As it is, I still think it holds up today.
As far as the movie, it may be a bit outdated but at the time it was action packed with a good story and nice suspense. But most movies made them are a bit outdated. As it is, I still think it holds up today.
"Is there anything else to keep this elevator from falling?"
"Yeah, the basement."
"Yeah, the basement."
I'm not having a go at you Agent Richard07, or anyone else who say it, but I never get when people say films look "dated."
So Speed for example looks like it was made in the 90s? Well probably because I believe it was.
I heard someone say The Matrix looked a bit dated because they have big cell phones. Well that's because it came out in 1999, what do you want, them to all have iPads etc
What I mean is I don't get how that hurts a movie, unless you're a stupid kid who doesn't know anything whatsoever about basic history.
I think it was Nicholas Meyer on the Star Trek VI commentary who said you could take 3 films about the US Civil War- one from the 50s, one from the 70s, and one from the 90s. And even though they're all representing the same point in time, within minutes you could work out which decade each one was made in. (and not from the obvious looking at the actors, I mean cinematography style etc)
So to me, yeah Speed is dated. So is nearly every other film ever the way I see it.
So Speed for example looks like it was made in the 90s? Well probably because I believe it was.
I heard someone say The Matrix looked a bit dated because they have big cell phones. Well that's because it came out in 1999, what do you want, them to all have iPads etc
What I mean is I don't get how that hurts a movie, unless you're a stupid kid who doesn't know anything whatsoever about basic history.
I think it was Nicholas Meyer on the Star Trek VI commentary who said you could take 3 films about the US Civil War- one from the 50s, one from the 70s, and one from the 90s. And even though they're all representing the same point in time, within minutes you could work out which decade each one was made in. (and not from the obvious looking at the actors, I mean cinematography style etc)
So to me, yeah Speed is dated. So is nearly every other film ever the way I see it.
People who like a certain thing, will need to complain about said thing. So yeah, most cinephiles will find the need to complain about things liked movies looking dated and such.
Me, I love that. I love that each decade has a style of its own, making them more enjoyable to me. It doesn't distract or subtract from the experience, it only adds.
Take Jurassic Park. A lot of that movie looks dated, yes. But my God, every time I see I'm fricking 11 again, sitting in the cinema with my younger brother and parents, being completely amazed. It reminds of good times.
Same with Speed. It reminds me of times as a young teenager, where birthdayparties were just friends watching movies like Speed with snacks and cokes. How can being reminded of things like that be a bad thing?
3 maybe 4 years ago, I was having an argument in the Voyager Forum and I thought that it was appropriate to quote Speed to justify my point or view and i even took the time to explain that I was quoting Speed so that I wouldn't come off as a sociopath, but it didn't work, I quoted Speed and he thought that I was a sociopath.
"What the fuck do you mean that you want to shoot the hostage you fucking loon!? Shoot the hostage? You're smoking crack you fucking asshole! You're crazy! You're supposed to save the hostage, not shoot them!? Fuck off! Get the fuck out of my forum you fuckwit!"
See! ignorance IS bliss.
It was my fault entirely though.
I had forgotten that you have to be incredibly handsome to say stupid disagreeable shit.
"What the fuck do you mean that you want to shoot the hostage you fucking loon!? Shoot the hostage? You're smoking crack you fucking asshole! You're crazy! You're supposed to save the hostage, not shoot them!? Fuck off! Get the fuck out of my forum you fuckwit!"
See! ignorance IS bliss.
It was my fault entirely though.
I had forgotten that you have to be incredibly handsome to say stupid disagreeable shit.
To both you and Mage... If some of us didn't complain, we'd have nothing to say.
In Speed's case, it's just interesting to see a movie that looked so contemporary at the time, start to show some sign of not being so anymore. For me, that's the difference between a movie made in the 90s and one made in the 50s when I wasn't around. And no, that's not a bad thing since, like Mage, it does take me back to 1994 and some good times.
What gets me isn't so much when people say that a movie looks dated but when they say that one of my favorite movies or shows have aged badly.
It was pretty much Die Hard on a bus and I really never noticed any dubbing problems. Speed did well enough to spawn it's own sequel though and that's a movie most people don't even mention. Still is a pretty smart movie and fun movie Jan de Bont did a fine job of directing it.
I'll have to give it a rewatch later this weekend but it's a highly enjoyable movie and one of the better action movies of 90s.
Mister Fandango
Fleet Captain
"Movies that don't age well" is something you generally only say about films that try to envision the future in some way, but fail miserably in doing so when the actual future catches up. That could be through technology, society, music, fashion, or anything like that. And even then, sometimes that's intended; such as with Back to the Future II. It was purposely meant to be a 1985's view of 2015.
Alternatively, it can apply to movies that try to capture a failed moment of their time period. Such as using a really cheesy "modern hit" for a theme song. Things like that.
However, as others have said, it's not really fair to say that about movies that actually capture the time period they're set in. And it's downright absurd to say it because a then-young actor actually looked young. That's certainly not what the phrase is about, not even close.
Alternatively, it can apply to movies that try to capture a failed moment of their time period. Such as using a really cheesy "modern hit" for a theme song. Things like that.
However, as others have said, it's not really fair to say that about movies that actually capture the time period they're set in. And it's downright absurd to say it because a then-young actor actually looked young. That's certainly not what the phrase is about, not even close.
I consider Speed to be one of the better action films I have watched and one of Keanu Reeves's best films which is few in number.
What movies set in their present don't look contemporary at the time they're made?
I don't think I've ever sat in a theatre and thought "This movie looks like it was filmed 15 years from now!" (Obviously, this doesn't apply to movies trying to look like they were filmed in an earlier era, like "The Artist".)
^ A movie can look cutting edge at the time and then less so later on. People can and do think things like that. All I was saying was that I saw the movie again for the first time in a long time and I had a different perspective.
"Oh fuck me!"
"...oh darn."
Always loved that bit. Anyway I got it on Bluray about six months ago; I think it's still a brilliant action movie regardless of when it was made. One of my favourite mid-90s action flicks along with Die Hard 3 and Demolition Man
Yes please!!! Demolition Man is just so stupid it's cool!
And Wesley Snipes' hair in that movie..... one of the best special effects ever!!! 
I've had Speed on Blu-ray for a few years. It still holds up well. I remember back in 1994 when this was the movie of the year, the first "concept" action film.
And for all Sandra Bullock's whining in the film, it's always nice to see her in her younger days before. . . .before whatever it was she did to her face.
And for all Sandra Bullock's whining in the film, it's always nice to see her in her younger days before. . . .before whatever it was she did to her face.
I've had Speed on Blu-ray for a few years. It still holds up well. I remember back in 1994 when this was the movie of the year, the first "concept" action film.
And for all Sandra Bullock's whining in the film, it's always nice to see her in her younger days before. . . .before whatever it was she did to her face.
You mean had a face-lift like most Hollywood actresses usually have as the reach mid-life. Yeah. Shame.
I still think she looks beautiful.
The first?
Die Hard came out six years earlier and it's basically "lone cop is locked in a skyscraper with a bunch of terrorists".
I've always thought that Speed would have made a good Die Hard 3.
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