Bus 17 - Ultima fermata

There is nothing wrong with the acting in this movie; why do people always blame the actors for poor film making? Watch it for what it is, a low-budget afternoon/midnight movie loosely based on a true story.

People have gotten used to (((ACTION!!!!)) and ((EXPLOSIONS!!)) but this being a sort-of true story, it's lacking in that kind of visual stimulation. What it does have is a paranoid weirdo who may or may not be carrying a real bomb on a schoolbus in a moronic attempt to clear his tax debt. It's not CSI Miami. The only thing really wrong with this movie is that it's too slow-paced, the whole thing could have been fitted into a 45 minute episode on a TV show but it's been dragged out for 2 hours.

I'm surprised that any of the other reviewers actually watched the whole movie, given their extreme dislike of it. I found it perfectly in keeping with the general style of such movies. Yes, there IS a lot of emphasis on sentimentality in the face of danger, but that's exactly what people look for in a Lifetime movie and, don't forget, this actually happened to real people, so I doubt it was completely unrealistic. What impressed me was the spirit of the bus driver in the face of extreme stress. There is no parent alive who would not wish for someone of her character and strength to be the one to protect their child in such an ordeal, were they not there to do it for themselves.

I was sitting there thinking this was a really bad movie. And, then, I see Welton Barker's comments. Out of the blue, it hits me. Well, actually that was the remote being hurled at me by my wife as she yelled for me to change the channel. I would have done just that had I not been mesmerized by Barker's stunningly in-depth critique. With tears in my eyes, I watched the rest of the movie. Every time I thought I was getting bored, I reread Barker's comments. I can tell you that it changed my life in such a profound way, that I am now able to use the word "profundity" with pride. Thank you Welton Barker, and, of course, thank you IMDb for making this whole thing possible.

Back in the mid 1990's myself and several other cops were hired to do stunt driving of police cars in the chase of the school bus. The actual incident occurred in Miami previously but this was filmed in Jacksonville, Fl. And the production executives were short on drivers that knew how to pursue. We also helped wit the uniform set up's, gun belts, fake Beretta 9mm. I know I notice BS cop rigs in movies and we tried to get them to set it up correctly.

The stars were very nice folks to us all. We were on set out around Bartram School off Atlantic & University Blvds. One day and a full banquet of food was set up for everybody. We also went over on the old Haines St. Expressway to stage the bus & police car chases. A lot of filming occurred but the movie of course was edited. Bruce Weitz was one actor that stood out to me as a down to earth guy. Many of us cops watched him in Hill Street Blues and that ensemble of actors were all awesome. Mr. Weitz would talk with you in relaxed times and I enjoyed speaking with him.

Not to put down our many knowledgeable and dedicated overseas viewer/members, but I did notice that almost all of the negative opinions were not from the USA, and the few favorable ones were. Also apparent is that all but one previous review were submitted previous to the infamous 9/11 terrorist attack.

We all now live with some concern that such an event could possibly affect us personally. However remote the chance, the fact that it happened once in the 90's suggests an increase in the likelihood of a similar happening today. I would suggest that in this film a message exists that there is hope even in the most extreme circumstances, and that our law enforcement stands ready to help.

Given the above statements, is it possible that this movie would have received more charitable reviews if commented upon today? I found this movie entertaining, inspiring, and thoughtful. I also feel that it was technically better than most of the current "action/suspense" genre. It was totally devoid of numerous exploding vehicles, hundreds of rounds of gunfire, gratuitous sex, and excessive testosterone. The continuing chase sequence, although sometimes quite spectacular, was believable and well filmed. It is not unusual for many true stories that are well presented to seem somewhat bland, or even a bit corny, but the real message often resides in truth and accuracy.

Overall, I thought the movie was well done. Give 'em a break, it was a fine effort.