Keanu Reeves' Career-Defining Action Thriller 'Speed' Now Streaming on Hulu

Speed, the 1994 action thriller that helped cement Keanu Reeves as an action lead, is now streaming on Hulu. Directed by Jan de Bont and co-starring Sandra Bullock, Reeves plays LAPD officer Jack Traven trying to save a bus packed with passengers from a deadly bomb by keeping it above 50 miles per hour through Los Angeles traffic.

The film was a major box-office hit, grossing over $350 million, and earned strong critical praise, holding a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also took home Academy Awards for Best Sound and Best Sound Editing at the 1995 ceremony. Speed set a clear template for high-concept action movies, prioritizing elaborate practical stunts and relentless set pieces—from an opening elevator scene to a literal plane explosion and a breathless subway finale—over strict narrative logic.

That blueprint has inspired imitators over the years, with some, like Tony Scott’s Unstoppable, following its lead.

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