The 90s saw the emergence of some of the action films most remembered by the public, but few reached the impact of Speed.The unexpected premiere of this thriller in 1994, directed by Jan De Bont, marked a before and after in the genre, thanks to a combination of relentless pace, a simple but effective premise and the charisma of its two protagonists: Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock and the participation of Willem Dafoe.
All of them, still far from the world fame they would achieve later, owned the screen and achieved a chemistry that propelled the film towards success.
The critical reception and public response were immediate.The global collection exceeded $350 million, a figure that placed it as the fifth highest grosser of its year.In addition, the film obtained industry recognition by winning the Oscar Award for Best Sound in the 67th edition. This combination of commercial success and immediate prestige laid the foundations for the studio behind the project, 20th Century Fox, to bet unreservedly on a sequel.
The development of a sequel seemed inevitable in the face of such a phenomenon, and the studio itself understood it, quickly commissioning a second part, Speed 2.
The direction once again fell to Jan De Bont, while Sandra Bullock reprized her role as the female lead.However, the project featured a fundamental change in its cast: Keanu Reeves decided not to return.His absence, publicly justified by differences with the script rather than by agenda reasons, forced the producers to look for a new male face and it was Jason Patrick who finally took that place.
Another of the central changes was the incorporation of Willem Dafoe as the antagonist.This change in casting altered the original chemistry that had characterized the first installment, an element that many considered key to its initial success.
Despite maintaining the intention of repeating the formula, the sequel chose to move the action from a runaway bus in the city to a ship on the high seas, which also represented a drastic change in the tone and pace of the story.
The premiere of Speed 2 not only did not meet expectations, but it became one of the biggest fiascos of the decade for a Hollywood blockbuster.With a budget that was around 160 million dollars, the worldwide box office barely reached 164.5 million, an insufficient figure to cover production and marketing costs.This difference made it clear that the public did not respond in the same way as with the first film, something that many attributed to the absence of Reeves and the change of setting and tone.
Critical reception was equally relentless.The film accumulated eight nominations at the Razzie Awards, known as the “anti-Oscar,” and won the award for worst remake or sequel.The consensus among journalists and moviegoers agreed to point out the loss of freshness and the lack of connection between the protagonists, as well as the choice of a less credible and less exciting plot than the original.
As time has passed, the protagonists themselves have not hesitated to express their disappointment in the outcome of Speed 2. Jason Patric was especially forceful when recalling his experience, referring to the film as “innocuous and boring” and lamenting that it was not a good experience for him.
For her part, Sandra Bullock came to admit that it is a film she regrets and confessed her perception that “no fans went to see it.”
Keanu Reeves’ opinion was also made public years later, when he revealed that his refusal to participate had nothing to do with scheduling problems, but with his lack of enthusiasm for the script.This sincerity consolidated the widespread perception that the sequel never found the right direction nor managed to capture the spirit of the original.
In contrast to the general feeling, Willem Dafoe has been the only prominent member of the cast who has openly defended his participation in the film and the final result.
In an interview with Variety, Dafoe explained that many mocked the “magnitude” of his performance, calling it exaggerated, but he maintains that “there was no other way to do it.”The actor himself elaborated on his method: “I have a fairly flexible face, an expressive face, and I don’t censor it. I let it do whatever it wants. I don’t make faces, but I know for a fact that my face can do really extreme things.”
Dafoe added a reflection on the context of his performance and the public’s reaction: “Sometimes you do things and people are just not ready for them, or it’s not the time or the context is wrong. Maybe I interpreted it wrong, but, in my opinion, I support that movie.”
His position clearly contrasts with that of his colleagues, who chose to distance themselves from the sequel.Thus, Dafoe’s defense has become one of the few notes of vindication in the history of a film marked by the doubts and disenchantment of its own protagonists.
