Speed

Tensions run high when a crazed bomber rigs a Los Angeles bus with a device that will kill everyone on board if the vehicle's speed dips below fifty miles per hour.

Speed landed as a near-unanimous critical hit on release, with reviewers treating it as a textbook example of propulsive, high-concept action filmmaking. The main friction in contemporary notices was whether the film's relentless momentum came at the cost of character depth — most critics decided the trade-off was worth it, though not all. Its reputation has only grown over time, with retrospective observers elevating it well beyond disposable summer entertainment.