Review of Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997) by John N — 21 Apr 2010

(from The Watermark, 06/26/97).

The sequel to Speed provides plenty of non-stop adventure and thrills, but its characters get left in the dust. Patric is an L.A. cop, and boyfriend to Bullock, and the two lovebirds go on a cruise to the Caribbean. Fellow passenger Dafoe has other plans: He is going to seize the ship's computer system, crash the vessel into an oil tanker, and make off with a bunch of expensive jewels. One thing I don't get: Bullock was the standout supporting player from the original Speed. But as the star of part 2, why is she once again taking the back seat while Patric is out saving the day? The film uses many similar circumstances found in other action films, and in great abundance. (One cheesy element of note: the computer system that Dafoe sabotages is incredibly complicated and high-tech, yet it has Romper-Room level graphics to make sure the audience understands what's happening.) By the end, when the film starts trying to inject humor among the wreckage, and Bullock's character is no more developed than it was at the beginning of the first film, I had to wonder - was this trip really necessary? Queer Quotient: Patric is absolutely gorgeous - I mean gorgeous - but he's so intense that he lacks charm and affability. Dare I say it? He's unappealing.