Speed

Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) and his partner, Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels) are explosives experts in LAPD SWAT. A terrorist named Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) is holding a group of office workers for ransom in an express elevator. Jack and Harry rescue the hostages before Payne sends the elevator plummeting to the basement. They find Payne in a freight elevator. Payne holds Harry hostage, but after a brief standoff, Jack shoots Harry in the leg, causing Payne to release him. Payne escapes and sets off a small explosion in the parking garage that appears to kill him. Jack and Harry are commended for their bravery in an official ceremony. Harry is promoted to Detective and given a desk job.

The next day, Jack observes as a Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines bus explodes near him, killing the driver, who is an acquaintance of Jack's. Payne calls Jack on a nearby pay phone, revealing that he is alive and has rigged another bus to explode. Once the bus reaches 50 miles per hour, the bomb will be armed. When it drops below that speed, it will explode. Payne will detonate the bus manually if anyone gets off the bus, or if the ransom is not delivered on time. The bus Payne rigs is an express bus, making an effort to stop the bus before the bomb arms futile. Jack locates the bus and jumps aboard, but the bomb has already been armed.