Speed 2: Cruise Control
1997 · Directed by Jan de Bont
Original language: English
- action
- thriller
The story
A disgruntled former employee hijacks the Seabourn Legend cruise liner. Set on a fixed course, without any means of communication and at the mercy of the hijacker, it's up to the one cop on vacation and his soon to be fiancé (hopefully) Annie to regain control of it before it kills the passengers and causes an environmental disaster. Insurmountable and daunting tasks await them on their perilous journey throughout the ship trying to fend off the hijacker and save the passengers.
What it’s like
Bright, glossy late-90s digital sheen: sun-struck ocean blues, white cruise-ship decks, polished brass and tropical daylight, with the sea stretching flat and wide behind every shot. Camera work is restless and kinetic, swinging through corridors, ballrooms and engine rooms with frequent handheld tilts, fast cuts and sweeping drone-style pans over the water, while the score leans on bombastic orchestral swells and synth-driven action beats. The vibe is breezy, popcorn-loud and self-consciously slick, the sort of thing to put on for a loud Friday night or a mindless comfort rewatch with the lights half on. Pacing is brisk and relentless, with the emotional register kept light and jokey; the central romance plays as affectionate bickering between a mismatched couple who gradually recommit to each other amid the chaos. Intensity is moderate and fairly conventional: regular gunfights, fistfights, explosions and peril, with some bloodless injury and no real gore, and a tense, stakes-heavy feel rather than genuine horror. Best for viewers who want big-budget spectacle, easy banter and a sea-borne action romp rather than anything quiet or gentle.
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