In his feature picture directing debut, Jan de Bont helmed the 1994 American action thriller Speed. Starring in the movie are Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper, Joe Morton, and Jeff Daniels. The plot centres around a bus that has been set up by a terrorist to blow up if it travels any slower than 50 miles per hour.
By stopping Howard Payne, a former bomb squad member, from robbing a bank, Los Angeles police officer Jackenrages him. Payne equips a bus with a bomb that, as retaliation, will detonate if the speed drops. Jack and his partner Harry work to save the passengers on the bus before the bomb goes off while also attempting to figure out how Payne is watching them, with the assistance of vivacious passenger Annie.
1. “Jack: It’s just a game. He wins both ways: if he receives the money and if the bus explodes.
Annie: What if you succeed
Jack: Then we’ll play another one tomorrow
Annie: I can’t drive tomorrow, though. Busy.”
An eccentric passenger named Annie is having a conversation with Jack, a young Special Weapons and Tactics officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. In this conversation, Jack describes the bomb as a game in which he will win the money if the bus explodes.
When Annie asks what will happen if he wins, Jack responds that they will play another game the following day because he won today. However, Annie counters that she won’t be able to drive the following day because she has other commitments.
2. “Howard Payne:See, I’m in charge here! I drop this stick, and they pick your friend here up with a sponge! Are you ready to die?
Harry:F*** you!
Howard Payne:Oh! In two hundred years we’ve gone from “I regret but I have one life to give for my country” to “F*** you!”
Stupid, egotistical, and arrogate Howard Payne. The most intelligent person in the room, in his opinion, is himself. He prefers the term eccentric despite Officer Jack Traven calling him mad. In this conversation, he is speaking to Harry, another officer, to whom Payne is asserting his authority and is threatening to kill him.
When Harry responds angrily, Payne becomes amused and remarks that Harry used to say that he had one life to give for his country. Now that Harry is abusing him, Payne says, “About two hundred years ago,” to which Harry is irate.
3. “Jack: Please clarify why I accepted this position,Harry.
Harry Temple: Come on, thirty more years of this, you get a tiny pension and a cheap gold watch.
Jack: Cool.”
When Jack questioned Harry about why he accepted the position, Harry responded that you’ve got another thirty years of this and all you get is a meagre pension and a mediocre gold watch, which also means that even after serving the country for so many years, this is what he will actually receive from the job and the motivation behind taking it was the pension and a gold watch.
4. “Howard Payne: You don’t think I would’ve been prepared? Two years I invested in that job, two years I invested in my life. You couldn’t understand the commitment I have. You ruined a man’s life’s work andyou can walk away?
Jack: Why don’t you just kill me?
Howard Payne: No this is about ME! This is about money due ME! Which I WILL collect!”
Howard Payne, are you really saying that you don’t believe I would have been prepared in this conversation? I invested two years in my life as well as two years in my elevator job. You couldn’t possibly understand the depth of my commitment. You undid the toil of a man’s life, and now you believe you can simply vanish? You’re wearing blinders, therefore the world is invisible to you!
But I believe I now have your interest. Jack Traven then responds, “Why don’t you murder me if you have so much trouble with me.” No, I’m the center of this, Payne retorted. This is about money that I owe you! things I’ll compile! I have to be proactive now, Jack, at my age.
5. “Helen: Will they assist us?
Stephens: Certainly, they are police. Hey, their wages are funded by your taxes. They must take a wage cut if we pass away.”
The conversation is between Helen and Stephens who is referring to the police and asserting that because they are the police and receive their pay from the taxes we pay, it is their responsibility, not ours, if we die as a result of their actions. They will also suffer a pay cut if we pass away because, since we won’t contribute any money, they won’t receive salaries since the taxes are paid by regular people like us, and if something happens to us, they won’t receive any pay
6. “Howard Payne: I don’t mind telling you, but today has been very disappointing.
Jack- Why, since you weren’t given the opportunity to kill today?
Howard Payne:A moment will come when you will wish you had never known me.
Jack: I’ve already arrived, sir!!”
In this exchange between Howard Payne and Jack Traven, Payne says he is depressed and Jack asks why, as well as whether he is depressed because he was not able to kill everyone who had accused him of being a terrorist. Payne says, “Don’t worry, one day will come when you will wish that you had never met me,” to which Jack responds, “I’m already here,” implying that he has already reached the point where he wishes he had never met.
7. “Harry: Alright, quick quiz. Airport, gunman with a hostage. He’s using her for cover. He’s almost to a plane. You’re one hundred feet away.
Jack: Shoot the hostage.
Harry: What?
Jack: Take her out of the equation. Go for the good wound and he can’t get to the plane with her. Clear shot.
Harry: You’re deeply nuts, you know that? “Shoot the hostage”.
All right, quick test, Harry says. Attacker at the airport carrying a hostage. She acts as his hiding place. He’s getting close to the airport. I am 100 feet away from you. Harry is horrified by Jack’s response, “Shoot the captive,” to which Jack adds that he should take her out of the conversation, aim for a decent wound so he can’t accompany her to the plane, and it should appear as though the shot was made in the open.
8. “Jack: Harry! Tell me good news, man.
Payne: It was the watch that led him to me, wasn’t it? Huh? It seemed a little hammy to me to build a bomb out of my precious retirement gift, but, you know, I figured a sign that said “Howard Payne” would be pushing it.
Jack: I’m gonna rip your flicking spine out, I swear to God.”
Jack Traven asks Harry to give him some good news during this exchange with Howard Payne, but Payne killed him, therefore he is no longer there. Payne, who is the target of Jack’s intense rage, responded, “Wasn’t the watch what brought him to me?” I considered it to be a bit hammy to transform my treasured retirement gift into a bomb, but you know, I figured a sign that said “Howard Payne” would be stretching it. When Jack becomes extremely enraged, he threatens to “tear your friggin spine out,” but Payne counters, “You’ll follow directions to the letter!” We are both aware that Jack was the creative force behind the enterprise you are operating. You won’t be able to defeat me, so you’ll have to make a complete payment.If not, your friend will meet the same end as you, the wildcat, and every other innocent person on that bus.
9. “Annie: You didn’t leave me. I can’t believe it..
Jack: Didn’t have anywhere to be just then. I have to warn you, I’ve heard relationships based on intense experiences never work.
Annie: OK. We’ll have to base it on sex then.
Jack: Whatever you say, ma’am.”
In this quote, Annie and Jack are having a conversation. Annie says she cannot believe Jack did not leave her, to which Jack responded that he had nowhere to go. Jack then kissed her and began talking to her about the intense relationships he has been in. They then ignored everything else and continued kissing.
10. “MacGet these people off the bus, please.
Jack: No, sir, we can’t.
Mac: Traven, you have no time for antics. These people must be rescued from danger.
Jack: I have orders, He will notice if we transfer these folks.
Jack responded, “Sir, we’re not able to do that,” when Mac instructed him to get the passengers off the bus. Traven retorted, “Stop being deceitful.” No time is available. We need to get these people out of harm’s way. Jack stated that although he comprehends, he has been given commands. He will watch how to move these people. She reminded Mac to keep in mind that he is crazy but not stupid, so he should keep quiet.
11. “Howard Payne:Hey, Jack! Is that you? He always succeeds because he is so tenacious. I couldn’t possibly persuade you to accept a bribe, could I? I, um, have enough to share! My cash! DUMB ASSET! WHAT FEELS THAT LIKE? HUH, YOU LIKE THAT?
Upon hearing Jack above the subway car top, Howard Payne said, Jack. He always succeeds because he is so tenacious. I couldn’t possibly persuade you to accept a bribe. Ihave enough to share.My cash, you are so dumb. What feels that like. Huh, you like that, you bastard, do you like it? my dollars.
12. “A bomb is made to explode.Its purpose. Your efforts to prevent the bomb from becoming a bomb have left your life meaningless. And for who? For what? You know what a bomb is, Jack, that doesn’t explode” – Howard Payne
This quote is said by Howard Payne, a bomb is designed to detonate. That is its intended meaning which is the ultimate goal. Because of the time you spend attempting to prevent the bomb from developing, your existence is meaningless. And for whom and for what purpose. You know what a bomb is, Jack, that doesn’t go off.