Keanu Reeves’ Cult Action Movie Totally Trashed By a Bomb Expert

Summary:

• • Speed, starring Keanu Reeves, is undoubtedly a cult movie in the action genre, but not everything shown in it was realistic.
• • According to Master EOD Technician's comments, Speed deserves a zero out of ten for realism, as the main character's interaction with the bomb was completely misrepresented.
• • Nevertheless, Speed remains a movie that amazes with its stunts, most of which were filmed live, such as flying a bus over a precipice.

Speed is an action classic and the box office hit that made Keanu Reeves a global star. The adrenaline formula that kept audiences on the edge of their seats was this: A madman has placed a bomb on an ordinary passenger bus that is about to explode.

And of course, Keanu Reeves is going to save everyone. For this role, Keanu cut his hair, pumped up his muscles, and even performed almost all of the stunts himself.

No one doubts the realism of the stunts performed by the actor, but what should be doubted is the demonstration of the interaction of Reeves' character, Jack, with a bomb attached to the bus.

Speed Is Not Realistic At All, Says Bomb Expert

In a recent Insider video, Master EOD Technician Jay Ly rated famous movies for realism, and Speed received...zero points. According to Ly's comments, what is shown in the movie cannot be considered realistic at all.

Let's start with the fact that there was absolutely no need for Jack to get off the bus and risk his life to examine the bomb – professionals like him should have special devices that allow them to scan the bomb from a distance.

Besides, it turned out that it was absolutely forbidden to use a phone. The bomb was electronically initiated and could easily be detonated by a phone or radio signal. And then bye-bye to Jack, Annie and all the other passengers.

But Ly's main complaint about the movie is that Jack, as a bomb disposal officer, should have had a set of professional tools (and knowledge) with him that would have helped him disarm the device quickly. Well, then the movie would have been half as long and would not have achieved cult status.

That's how Ly summed up the viewing experience:

“So that whole thing is not realistic whatsoever. […] This definitely gets a zero, because he knows better, and he should have taken action.”

Speed Is Known For Its Realistic Stunts

But what Speed can be praised for is its truly spectacular stunts, most of which were not CGI'd. One of the most dynamic and dramatic episodes is when the bus drives onto an unfinished overpass, the only way to get off the top of which is to jump over the precipice.

The bus is not a vehicle designed for such jumps, but director Jan de Bont wanted to shoot the episode as authentically as possible, so they decided to jump, but at a shorter distance and from a lower height. The bus with stuntman Geoffrey Brown behind the wheel, the bus began to pick up speed.

Brown managed to reach the required speed, after which the bus the bus flew over a huge hole and fell apart as soon as it hit the ground. Only a special seat and seat belts saved Brown from death.

Source: Insider