When Jan de Bont’s directorial debut Speed was released in June 1994, it quickly became a blockbuster success – arguably turning its star, Keanu Reeves, into a bona fide action lead, and catapulting Sandra Bullock into top-line status. Its popularity stemmed as much from the appeal of these two cast members working together as it did from the audacious nature of the premise and the film’s overall execution – it is, undoubtedly, an adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride. But, Speed is an important entry into film history for more reasons than that. A good deal of its success stems from the way in which it toys with standard, sexist action movie tropes.

In 1994 – and in...

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