I have to join those prefering the speedy stupidity of "Speed" to the bloated
(not to mention misogynistic and racist) stupidity of "True Lies".  "Speed"
is essentially a collection of connected "gags" with an elevator, a bus and a
subway train.  The ridiculousness of the characters, plot (just try staying
at 55 on the I-10 during daylight) didn't matter -- it was inventive like the
silents were, just bigger.  Jan Du Bont's sense of fun has none of the
perversion of James Cameron's (all recent articles quoting him on the new
digital technology have him referring to the director as God -- what's up
with this guy).
 
But you have to take it all with a grain of salt.  In the July 25/Aug 1 issue
of "The Nation" Stuart Klawans compares "Speed" to "The Wages of Fear" this
way: "Both pictures are built around a large, somewhat rickety vehicle that
might blow up at any moment.  The difference is that "The Wages of Fear" is
about capitalism, colonialism and existentialism, whereas "Speed" is about
how people in Los Angeles distrust public transportation."
 
Mark Netter
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