John, Jack and Willy

This blog title can be confused with a country song, I am sure.  I saw "Speed" on television and remembered going to the theater and seeing it, a little shocked Keanu Reeves was actually handsome all that time, he just needed a haircut.

Here's the thing: I love me a good action movie.  The bloodier the better, as well as huge explosions and car chases.  In fact, "Die Hard" is my absolute favorite.  "Speed" is in my top five.  I also love movies with drama and suspense that make you think, such as "The Departed" and "Se7en," but give me "X-Men" or "Avengers" any day.  Summer blockbusters are like presents spread out over May, June and July.

Maybe it's the actors, maybe it's the character, I don't know.  But John McClane, Jack Travern and Willy Beachum are my go-to good guys on the right side of the law.  Bruce Willis as John McClane is a major snag in a terrorist's plot, using experience and smarts to free a lot of hostages, all while barefoot.  "Shoot the glass," Gruber (terrorist) demands, and McClane is then forced to walk over millions of shards in an attempt to slow him down.  But it doesn't work because McClane is a BAD ASS cowboy who went on to save three more films, plus an upcoming fifth installment.  Coming face to face with McClane means the bad guy dies hard.

Keanu Reeves is a great Jack Travern.  I am not sure if he was meant to have a sensitivity under the brave exterior, but it works.  He jumps aboard a speeding bus to save innocent passengers.  It has to stay about 50 MPH or it explodes.  Annie, a pretty passenger, ends up behind the wheel.  At one point he actually gets under the bus to check out the bomb, then almost becomes road kill.  This stuff is amazing!  Throughout the bus ride it's pretty clear that Jack really likes Annie.  When he sees her in danger his face shows it, noticeable because he is somewhat stoically calm throughout the movie, considering the circumstances.

Ryan Gosling plays Willy Beachum in "Fracture," and though not a cop, he is an assistant district attorney trying to put away a criminal mastermind.  Anthony Hopkins has seemingly committed the perfect murder, but Beachum is determined to prove his guilt by risking a juicy, high-paying job he really wants.  The guy keeps jelly beans on his desk and asks what flavor people picked…talk about dreamy!  While "Fracture" is not necessarily the greatest flick, it does provoke lots of thought, lots of Ryan Gosling and a small amount of Dr. Seuss.  He's also served some humble pie, which is always a plus.

These stories are so far-fetched that it becomes so easy to get caught up in them.  Time just flies by, and for about 100 minutes these hot guys are the only ones who can save the world.  I love John McClane's courage and attitude and his ability to throw in a joke or two, such as when he originally calls 911.  To think that Bruce Willis wasn't even the first choice for the role is hard to imagine--Richard Gere, Burt Reynolds and Mel Gibson were all offered the part but turned it down.  Same with "Speed" and Keanu Reeves; the part was originally written for Jeff Bridges.  George Clooney, Tom Cruise and even Bruce Willis were all approached and said no.  As I said before, Keanu Reeves as Jack Travern tugs at a girl's heart strings a bit--what girl doesn't want to escape danger in his arms?  

There is never a bad part for Ryan Gosling.  He's a great actor and makes really great movies.  Plus, he's just super duper hot.  Even better, the love interest spark dies quickly, leaving more time for the story and not having an actress to be truly jealous of.  His determination and devotion to the victim make him even sexier.

But ask me who I would choose to save me if I were on a subway run by terrorists threatening to unleash a chemical gas that could wipe out the country, I couldn't decide.