Speed 2: Cruise Control MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 Content: -1 1/2

Sandra Bullock is back as Annie, the girl who found herself on a speeding bus a few years ago and once again ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. In this action-packed sequel, she's dating a new boyfriend named Alex (Jason Patric). Her last relationship, with Keanu Reeves in SPEED, didn't last because as Annie puts it, relationships developed in crisis situations never work out. Her old boyfriend was always jumping off a building or something like that. Her new boyfriend, on the other hand, is a beach patroller for the LAPD, or so she thinks. Actually, he's on the LAPD suicide squad, which means - you guessed it - he's always jumping off a building or something like that. To make up for deceiving her, Alex takes Annie on a Caribbean cruise to relax and get away from it all. Unfortunately for the two lovebirds, a man named Gieger has also boarded the boat. Formerly a master designer of cruise ships, Gieger is now a psycho who wants to use his knowledge of computers and boats for carnage instead of recreation by blowing up the ship and everyone on it. The reason for his madness? The cruise company fired him because his health benefits became too expensive when he developed copper poisoning. Okay, so the premise is a little weak to produce a maniacal killer, but the intended teen and adult audience will still marvel at the spectacular stunts and explosions as Alex and Annie race to save the day.

Alex and Annie display some redeeming qualities as they demonstrate a serious attitude toward the commitment of marriage. However, at the same time they are contemplating this holy merger, they're in a sexually active relationship with each other. Of course this violates biblical morality, but their behavior is portrayed as normal and acceptable. And the violence is of biblical proportions, although very little of it is gratuitous or gory. An oil tanker explodes and the cruiseliner runs aground on a heavily populated beachfront. The attendant loss of life mostly includes people being knocked or thrown overboard, sucked underwater, and apparently devoured by the propellers. The language isn't too bad until near the end, when obscenities become particularly popular, including many s-words and a few profanities. All in all, SPEED 2 rocks the boat a little too much. Do yourself a favor by never boarding this sinking vessel.

Preview Reviewer: Jason Shepherd
Distributor: 20th Century Fox, 10201 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90035