SPEED 2: CRUISE CONTROL
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
"Welcome to Paradise," says Dante (Royale Watkins), the cruise ship's photographer, to the handsome young couple, Annie Porter (Sandra Bullock) and Alex Shaw (Jason Patric). This is a hint -- not that anyone needs one -- that their cruise will be anything but. When the inevitable disaster hits, Annie proclaims, "I'll swear, I'm never leaving the house again." This is her vacation, and she wants to dance with her beau and ignore what feels like a 7.0 earthquake hitting the ship.
Welcome to SPEED 2: CRUISE CONTROL.
SPEED 2 shares three links with its ancestor, SPEED: the director (Jan de Bont), one of the stars (Sandra Bullock) and a psycho (played this time by Willem Dafoe) bent on destroying a major piece of public transportation (now a cruise liner replaces the city bus).
SPEED was a textbook example of how to craft a taut action thriller with every scene choreographed for maximum adrenaline rush. Any sequel was bound to disappoint, and so does this one. Not so much in comparison to the original as to what it could have been. A key casting error (Jason Patric as L.A.P.D. SWAT member Alex Shaw) and a lack of focus on Bullock, who deserved a more central and better written role, are the script's chief downfalls. Still the action does work, and most audiences will not be disappointed.
Patric, who played Shakes in last year's SLEEPERS, gives a completely mechanical performance as a daredevil extraordinaire. In the original, Keanu Reeves did some incredible stunts, but he made his character human and vulnerable. In contrast, Patric approaches every disaster with the assurance of an actor who knows that this is only a stunt so there is no reason to worry. Need to stop an ocean liner? No problem, he'll jump in the water near the propeller, while any sane man would worry that it would cut him to pieces. ROBOCOP had about as much self-doubt, which is none at all.
Annie and Alex tell us that, "Relationships based on extreme circumstances never work out." And their relationship is never believable.
Reeves and Bullock oozed chemistry, yet showed little physical affection. In contrast, Patric and Bullock talk about sex, even if they are never shown doing it, but demonstrate little genuine romance. Never is their affair made plausible.
Bullock, when not in the shadow of or being courted by Patric, gives a good performance. Easily the best scene in the show has her showing her resilience to adversity. When a fat-is-cool advocacy group gets trapped in a hallway, they have to take off their clothes to block the smoke coming in the vents. What does she use to rescue them? A convenient chain saw. SPEED 2 never takes itself too serious.
Willem Dafoe plays a angry computer programmer named John Geiger. John, who brings his leaches to treat his ailments, designed the control system for the boat but was fired two years ago when he got sick. Seems there is an occupational hazard of copper poisoning associated with the computer field. (Most engineering schools probably don't disclose this.) In the spirit of the original SPEED, his plan to take control of the ship is ingenious and full of technical details.
Dafoe takes a surprisingly understated approach to his character. I respect him for what he was trying to do, but it drained the show of too much of its tension. Andrew Davis's UNDER SIEGE covered a similar subject with much better results because Tommy Lee Jones gave us a more explosive and unpredictable villain.
The movie's best performance is given by first-time movie actress Christine Firkins as a 13-year-old deaf girl named Drew. I cannot say enough good things about Firkins's acting ability. She is given a minor role but steals all of her scenes. A charismatic actress who takes what could have been a cliched character and transforms her into a frightened but resourceful girl and a character worth caring about.
The show ends in a typically cataclysmic event. Like most recent action picture endings, this one goes on too long. Unlike the others, SPEED 2 manages to throw so much at us that it stays fun much longer than expected. My favorite part of the ending is the spunky terrier happily barking away at the big ship out of control. The little pooch's fun becomes so infectious that I found myself applauding at one piece of the conclusion's campy humor.
SPEED 2 runs longer than necessary at 2:13. It is rated PG-13 for disaster action and violence. The film would be fine for kids say nine and up, depending on how well they handle disaster movies. I had enough fun to be able to recommend the picture and give it ** 1/2.
**** = A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = Totally and painfully unbearable picture.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: June 11, 1997
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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