GET

READY FOR

RUSH

HOUR

- SPEED -

Why Speed You ask?? Why, it's an action! RIGHT - and one hell of an action it was! This brilliant movie literally sped along with great intensity, and with it the terrific chemistry between Annie (Sandra Bullock) and the hero, Jack (Keanu Reeves).

"Oh my God - he *is* insane!" "You're a complete jerk, do you know that?"

Oh yeah - we've all heard the great lines like that, and can always tell where they're gonna lead! For those who *haven't* seen Speed, it was one of the biggest box office smashes in 1994. Jack is a cop who gets caught up in the mind of an insane man (brilliantly played by Dennis Hopper) who has planted a bomb on an LA city bus. If the bus goes above 50 miles it blows! After a number of events Jack ends up on this bus and Annie lands the job of driving. The bus load of people manage to get caught in everything that one would expect to go wrong whilst trying to stay above 50 in LA and its surrounding free ways. After a whirlwind ride Jack manages to get everyone off the bus safely. However, he and Annie are left to escape by themselves - and we ride the whole way with them as they slide off a platform, under the bus, over concrete, grass and a whole heap of rubble before they slide to a stop - only to watch the bus that they had been on just seconds before rush into a plane and explode.

"You're not gonna get all mushy on me are you?"

"Maybe - oh, I might!"

"Hope not, 'cause you know relationships that start under intense circumstances never last - I've done extensive research on it."

This is when we are allowed a chance to breath, but oh no - we don't get that kiss yet - and that's when we *know* that the *evil one* has not finished. Bad luck Jack - he still wants his money, oh and he's mad about the bus!

So, back to the edges of our seats we go as Annie is kidnapped and Jack has his

new weakness played against him. In the last part of the movie we get to ride on a speeding *train* with a new bomb in place - this time it is on his very own Annie! Jack fights to save their lives and manages to *finally* get rid of the baddie! However, on his return to rescue Annie he finds that the train controls are destroyed and the railway is not finished. He turns to Annie saying that she's "not going to believe it, but they'll have to jump" and at the same time they realise that although she is now free of the bomb she is still trapped to a pole by way of hand cuffs. After a desperate attempt to free her she starts yelling at him to jump, but he refuses to leave her (awww)! Jack puts the final touches of his plan into play and he and Annie settle into each others arms to await fate.

We wait anxiously as the train crashes through the broken tunnel and into the main street!

"You didn't leave me - I can't believe it! You didn't leave me!" "I didn't have anywhere better to be just then." .
And then, just as we start to breath once again we get *the* kiss! And oh how we deserved that!

This is an absolute classic romantic action. It is just ultimate, heart racing fun - and the best thing about it is that there is going to be a sequel!! We actually get to see more of the adventures of Jack and Annie. The bad news is, for those who *loved* Keanu as the original Jack, not only in his role as the hero, but for the chemistry he had with Sandra Bullock - we won't see him in the sequel. Personally, I'm disappointed about this, but I guess only time will tell how good the sequel will be. Sandra Bullock for one is excited about it and apparently Jason Patric does the character of Jack Travern much justice. I still say though, long live Keanu!

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