Keanu Reeves has starred in cult classic movies, from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure to The Matrix. He is also no stranger to sequels, with his most recent films, Bill & Ted Face the Music and Matrix: Resurrections. This time, Keanu is back for another blast from the past: Speed 3. The action thriller earned Keanu mainstream success in 1994, alongside Sandra Bullock as love interest, Annie, and Dennis Hopper as Howard Payne, a disgruntled ex-cop-turned terrorist. A return to the franchise has fans equally excited and skeptical. After the shipwreck of 1997, AKA Speed 2: Cruise Control, some think the series has sunk deeper than the Titanic, while others long for a new wild ride. The third installment has been confirmed, and Keanu is back onboard as Jack Traven. To help him steer clear of box-office poison and pick up speed, this is what Speed 3 needs to become a proper sequel.
5 Callbacks and Cameos
The fun of watching movies is looking where you are not supposed to. Finding those hidden details gives films replay value. Speed gave us Tune Man and the ads across the bus that read, “Money isn’t everything (yeah, right)” and “Good vibrations.” Give Jeff Daniels some screen time as Harry again with a backstory, or have Keanu drive up in that sweet 1970 Grey Ford Bronco. For Speed 3, there is plenty of fodder to make in-jokes. Just show a scene where Keanu suggests taking a boat only to discover a cruise ship on fire sinking fast in the opening credits. Action-comedy gold.
4 Fake Outs
When an action flick hits a plateau, the viewer knows a bumpy road is up ahead. A memorable moment from the original movie was the baby stroller scene. Sacrificing an innocent baby for passengers on a bus rigged to blow is never right, but it was a welcomed surprise. In Looney Tunes fashion, the trolley problem is on full display. Instead of a baby, the crashed stroller turns out to be filled with grocery cans. What about a hostage situation disguised as a magic act? Or maybe Keanu gets in the wrong car and ends up paying for the original driver’s gas. It wouldn’t be the first time Keanu did something nice. More unexpected surprises that lead to relief or suspense would take Speed 3 over the limit.
3 Classic Villains
Movies do not need a complex, rule-the-world scheme or a change-the-world grand gesture through the lens of dumbed-down gimmicks to keep our attention. The best villains do not need a complete explanation or a scapegoat to justify what they do. Sometimes all the audience needs to know is that they have a chip on their shoulder that needs to be removed. Howard Payne is a good villain because he is all threats, no remorse, and desperation. Calculated, cold, and conniving, the three attributes of Howard Payne and a classic villain. This sequel’s villain needs to surpass Jack Tavern’s expertise as a SWAT officer, to possibly have some undisclosed beef with him.
2 Romantic Action
If we've learned anything from the '90s silver screen, it is that true love is life and death. Reeves' Jack and Bullock’s Annie are the epitome of relationship goals. Jack is the man of action who is able to control his emotions under stressful situations. Annie is graceful under pressure, but is not afraid to voice her discomfort and disagreements. They both compliment each other not just as opposites, but with equal give and take. Similarly, Sandra Bullock was smitten with the Chosen One (and so was the Chosen One with her). The on-screen chemistry does not lie as Speed does romance right: long drives, hot and heavy twists and turns, all from the power couple that got away. At least their love for each other lives on in this timeless film. Bring Sandra Bullock back, she has suffered the aftermath of Speed 2 enough already.
1 Higher Stakes
Speed set a high standard for the action genre with a cat-and-mouse formula that was simple, but engaging. The bad guy wants money, so he rigs public spaces to explode to get money. The good guy thwarts him with brains and brawn before being outsmarted and overpowered at every turn. The ingenious dilemma of putting a bomb on a city bus that will explode if its speed drops below 50 miles per hour is a timeless stake. Why not up the ante with a DeLorean at 85 miles per hour? Sprinkle in some more landmarks and sites still under construction; a trip through all fifty state parks sounds wholesome and harrowing. Have Keanu suffer a DUI, driving license suspension, and a trip of shame to the DMV to get his driver’s license back despite knowing his way around a fast-moving vehicle. Then top it all off with witty banter and pop quizzes for good measure.