10 Movies That Peaked Too Soon

Speed is unquestionably one of the most exceptionally crafted action films of the entire 1990s - an expertly-assembled high-concept action flick that delivers 91 minutes of gut-wrenching suspense as cop Jack Traven (Keanu Reaves) scrambles to rescue a bus full of commuters placed in explosive peril by terrorist Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper).

So, Jack saves the passengers and manages to get himself and passenger/love interest Annie Porter (Sandra Bullock) off the bus moments before it explodes, in what feels like a fittingly cathartic ending for the movie.

But because Fox felt like the film needed to end with a little more "oomph," they insisted that it continue on for another 25 minutes where Payne kidnaps Annie and a second climax takes place on a subway train.

This isn't to say that the extended finale is bad by any means, simply that it's completely unnecessary in a film that touts such an elegantly stripped down premise.

Once the bus explodes, the story's over - and Payne still being on the loose would've left the door open for a more compelling sequel than Cruise Control - but studio meddlers clearly thought otherwise.