SPEED ZONE

US, 1989, 94 minutes, Colour.
John Candy, Tim Matheson, Eugene Levy, Shari Belafonte, Famie Farr, Carl Lewis, Brooke Shields, Art Hindle. Donna Dixon, Matt Frewer.
Directed by Jim Drake.

Speed Zone is another cut-rate version of the Cannonball Run. It has a hit-and-miss screenplay, introducing a range of characters and deciding to return to them spasmodically with no set purpose. There are a number of car sequences along the highway, some crashed. There is also a touch of humour.

The film would be a speed zero -if it did not have a rather impressive cast. John Candy probably saves the film with a genial performance. Tim Matheson appears as a TV reporter. Eugene Levy appears as a self-centred agent. Shari Belafonte is an attractive technologist. There are also guest appearances by Brooke Shields sending up herself, Carl Lewis running after a car, Jamie Farr reprising his role from Cannonball 2.

Only for those addicted to speeding car movies.

1. The American road, cars, the Cannonball Run?

2. The slapdash screenplay, slapdash characterisations, slapping characters in here and there, slapdash plot?

3. The Cannonball Run, its illegality, across the American states, the roads, the race, the police?

4. Peter Boyle as Edsel, his assistant? His madness, thinking he was General Patton? The meetings, the police forces, outside Baker City, the clashes, his own concussion, the mad ending? Send-up of authority?

5. The cars, the various types of cars, fast driving, pursuits, tricks, crashes?

6. The Cheap Jack plane taking off, becoming part of the race, the Smothers Brothers and their jokes, Brooke Shields? The plane losing its wings and entering the race?

7. The TV commentators and the send-up of their commentaries, their van, the decision to pursue, getting tough in Los Angeles after nearly crashing where there was no bridge, the woman taking over, falling in love?

8. The scientists, disguising themselves as hookers, getting the car, driving, their machinery, deciding to stay in Los Angeles?

9. Alec as the Terry-Thomas? caddish Englishman, Vie trying to kill him, the ambiguous scene in the toilet? In the race, taking apart the black man's car, the chase, the irony of Edsel in their car and winning? The black man arriving and the punch-up? The skit on the English, on gangsters? Vie going straight?

10. The policeman who joined up with the Italian mechanic, the drive going on to the semi-trailer, avoiding arrest by crossing the state line?


11. The portrait of Charlie, John Candy being genial, Leo and his hardness, the collapsing of the house? The jokes at Charlie's expense? Persuading him to drive, the attractive girl, their going together, the jokes, the driving, the lack of brakes, on the beach in Los Angeles, the confrontation with Leo, in love?

12. The Cheap Jack plain, Brooke Shields as the hostess, the Smothers Brothers and their jokes?, The Smothers Brothers going into the water at the end?

13. The end with the whole cast in dodgem cars, the sign of the slap-happy comedy?