this movie tries to present itself as the sequel to jan de bont's debut as a director , 1994 surprise hit speed . but the only thing the two movies have in common is sandra bullock as the female lead . annie ( sandra bullock ) is in the wrong place at the wrong time again . she's going on a cruise with her new boy-friend alex ( jason patric ) , and of course it is her ship that is kidnapped by john geiger ( willem dafoe ) who has a bone to pick with the shipping line . they sacked him after he got sick . now he wants the diamonds stored in the ship's safe for compensation . that actually is the whole storyline . speed 2 could do without dialogues . the movie is all about images and remarkable sound . i don't really know why this is called an action movie . except for a few scenes that are vaguely reminiscent of speed this goes along the lines of the desaster movies of the 70ies . first we are introduced to a number of people who are going to be important later on in the movie . then desaster strikes . sandra bullock was said to have been glad that she could take action this time around . <NEG> i looked for the " action " but couldn't find it </NEG> . most of the time she is part of the decoration . the only time she is part of what happens is when she can have a shot at defusing a bomb and freeing some passengers trapped behind a fire door . now we know that she can handle a chain saw . we also know that fire doors on cruise ships can be cut apart in seconds . the bomb defusal of course goes wrong , but only the furniture is damaged , not our heroes who still are needed . jason patric alias alex spends most of his time flirting with annie , helping other passengers and frolicking in the water . his initial sea-sickness is suddenly gone , because there are ship , crew and passengers to be saved from evil geiger . he does a pretty good job but <NEG> i can't blame keanu reeves for declining this part </NEG> . then there's willem dafoe , the villain , who <NEG> desperately tries </NEG> to look as frightening as frankenstein's monster . he doesn't succeed , though . <NEG> an untidy appearance isn't enough to convince the viewer </NEG> of his psychopath potential . before he tries again to make us believe he is a dangerous man <NEG> he should practise for a while in front of a mirror </NEG> . <NEG> i can't really recommend </NEG> speed 2 . you will probably like the movie if you like <NEG> funny situations that aren't meant to be funny </NEG> . especially the showdown , when the ship first runs into an oil tanker and then dissembles a whole village is a treat . there you get to see the most superfluous scene in the movie . in keeping with last year's desaster movie tradition a dog is miraculously saved from certain death . a really funny ( and meant to be funny ) scene takes place on the oil tanker right before the collision . some crew members watch two ships colliding in an old movie . had they looked out the window they wouldn't have missed the huge ship racing toward them . those of you who still want to see the movie should pick a theater with a large screen and a good sound system to enjoy the visual effects and the phantastic surround sound effects . in an adequately equipped theater it's as if the explosion were going off all around you and you can feel the seats vibrate . but the ilm special effects <NEG> can't save the movie </NEG> . for all the money <NEG> they could have done better </NEG> .
