Speed 2
Speed 2: Cruise Control is a 1997 American action thriller directed by Jan de Bont, serving as a sequel to the 1994 blockbuster Speed. While the original film was a surprise hit and praised for its intense pacing and originality, Speed 2 was met with significantly less enthusiasm. The sequel stars Sandra Bullock reprising her role as Annie Porter, and introduces Jason Patric as Alex Shaw, a Los Angeles police officer and Annie’s new boyfriend. Notably absent from the cast is Keanu Reeves, whose character, Jack Traven, does not appear in the sequel—a point that many fans and critics found disappointing.
The story shifts from the high-stakes confines of a city bus to the more expansive and slower-moving setting of a luxury cruise ship. Alex plans a romantic getaway with Annie to the Caribbean, but the vacation quickly turns into a nightmare when the ship is hijacked by a disgruntled and mentally unstable computer hacker, John Geiger, played by Willem Dafoe. Geiger, a former employee of the cruise line’s computer systems, has been forced into early retirement due to mercury poisoning and now seeks revenge by taking control of the ship and setting it on a collision course with a coastal oil tanker. Alex, realizing the danger, takes it upon himself to stop Geiger and save the passengers, while Annie is once again caught in the middle of a life-threatening ordeal.
Unlike its predecessor, Speed 2 was criticized for its sluggish pace, lack of tension, and implausible plot. The change of setting from a crowded urban environment to an isolated ship removed much of the urgency that made the first film so compelling. The central concept—that a slow-moving cruise ship could generate the same adrenaline-fueled suspense as a bomb-rigged bus—was widely viewed as a miscalculation. Moreover, the film’s runtime of over two hours was seen as excessive, with many sequences dragging on without contributing much to the plot or character development.
Despite its high production budget of around $110 million and elaborate special effects—including a much-publicized scene where the cruise ship crashes into a coastal town—the film performed poorly at the box office, grossing only around $164 million worldwide. Critics were particularly harsh on the script, performances, and direction, with many calling it one of the most disappointing sequels of the 1990s. Sandra Bullock herself has since acknowledged that taking the role was a mistake, citing the weak script and overall direction of the film.
Still, Speed 2 has its moments of entertainment, particularly for viewers who enjoy large-scale action sequences and over-the-top villains. Willem Dafoe’s eccentric performance and the film’s technical production values provide some redeeming qualities. Yet, it remains a cautionary tale in Hollywood about how not all successful films are meant to have sequels—especially when the core elements that made the original so effective are missing. In retrospect, Speed 2: Cruise Control stands as a lesson in the challenges of sequel-making, where bigger doesn't always mean better.
