C 22

The blue sky and white clouds outside the carrier are beautiful and pleasant, but inside the car, speeding across the airport, another bomb could explode at any moment. The shadow of death hangs over Jack and Annie, the film's hero and heroine. They finally slip out from under the vehicle, escaping the terrifying "prison" of speed.

"Wow..."

The applause was loud but sparse, given the small audience. Still, no one seemed to care. After experiencing the life-and-death tension and thrilling action, both the audience and the film's characters needed to vent their emotions.

"Boom..."

The unmanned bus crashed into a Boeing freighter, sending fire surging across the screen, pushing the audience's emotions to their peak! It was an explosion designed to elevate the audience's feelings to the point of near nervous breakdown.

The picture then shifted, revealing a wide-angle lens shot of the distant setting sun sinking into the horizon, the sky tinted red by the flames. It was a breathtaking scene, offering a moment of visual relief after the intense suspense.

But this wasn't enough. The audience needed a more complete emotional release. So, under the glowing sunset, Jack and Annie finally kiss, a deep embrace shown in slow motion from a 360-degree angle, giving the audience the satisfying culmination of their journey.

In just a few minutes, applause erupted once again!

"That was so beautiful, so romantic!"

A girl's voice called out from behind Luke, "Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman are the perfect match. They shouldn't just be screen lovers—if only they were together in real life too!"

Hearing this, Luke's mind raced. If the movie could be widely released, this idea might make for a perfect marketing angle.

In another Los Angeles theater, Cunites sat, murmuring to himself, "The shocking explosion sucked my soul right in, and the beautiful cinematography left me dizzy, unable to escape…"

"Shut up!"

Several voices hissed at him for interrupting the movie. The film wasn't over yet. As expected, Jack still had to face the villain in the classic final showdown, set this time in yet another form of public transport—the subway.

Annie, the film's "damsel in distress," was taken hostage by the bomber and placed on the train, leaving Jack to save her. The tension built up as the bomber held the remote control, ready to detonate a bomb at any moment. But in a quick turn of events, Annie used her wild charm to help Jack, kicking the bomber at a critical moment. Jack lunged for the remote, and the bomber's aging body fell limply to the floor.

"He dropped the key!" Annie shouted, prompting Jack to realize that the bomber had no intention of letting her live. Unable to disarm the bomb or free Annie from the handcuffs, Jack decided they would face the danger together.

"It's so touching..." whispered a female audience member.

"Too bloody..." muttered a male voice.

Despite their reactions, deep down, they both wanted to see this kind of intense, climactic scene. After all, Jack and Annie, protected by their "hero's halo," wouldn't face any real threat, right?

Then came the final, spectacular action scene. The out-of-control subway car burst from the underground, leaping through the air, crashing through the closed station, and landing dramatically on the streets of Los Angeles. And, of course, Jack and Annie shared another deep kiss.

Sparse applause filled the theater again, and the credits began to roll. The most prominent name? Luke Rosenberg.

"Remember that name," Cunites told his companions as they left the theater. "This movie he made is just…"

Unable to find the right words, he turned to Jones. "If he directs anything else, I'm definitely going to see it."

"Me too," Jones agreed. He quickly pulled out the feedback questionnaire provided by the theater. Without hesitation, he marked an 'A+' for the film, as did Cunites.

"You all better give it an 'A+'," he told the rest of his friends.

"Of course!" one of the girls scoffed. "Do you think we're stupid enough to rate it anything else?"

Laughter echoed among them as they handed in their questionnaires, many tearing off only the 'A+' section as a joke, eager to give the film the highest praise.

Elsewhere, Luke and his mother walked out of the theater. Behind them, the audience buzzed with excitement over the movie.

"When the hero and heroine kissed, it was like an explosion went off, it was so exhilarating."

"From the elevator rescue to the bus and finally the subway, my heart was in my throat the entire time."

"I was so caught up in the movie that I barely had time to go to the bathroom!"

"This director has a thing for explosions. They're so powerful!"

While some negative remarks could be heard here and there, the overwhelming majority of the audience seemed pleased. This helped ease Luke's anxiety over the film's poor attendance. After all, it was a weekday screening with limited promotion.

In the parking lot, Luke got into his car and waited for his mother to get into hers. When they were both ready to leave, Leah looked over at her son.

"Luke..."

"Yes, Mom?"

"You did a great job, much better than I expected," Leah said thoughtfully. "From the perspective of an ordinary viewer, the movie is exciting, visually beautiful, and it kept me hooked the entire time. I never thought of leaving the theater. I think you're going to surprise people."

"Thank you," Luke replied, feeling a wave of gratitude. "Thank you for always supporting me, Mom."

Twenty-one years of being together had fostered a deep bond between them, and it was her unwavering support that had allowed Luke to direct his first film in the cutthroat world of Hollywood.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself," Leah added. "You're still young, and even if this doesn't go as planned, you'll have more opportunities."

Yes, if Speed flopped, Luke could still find work in advertising or music videos, like David Fincher or Michael Bay had done before eventually breaking into Hollywood. But while Luke contemplated potential failure, his nerves didn't settle much as he returned home. Directing was an anxiety-inducing job, and Luke knew that all too well.

Later that evening, walking along the promenade, he found himself thinking, "Maybe I should find a temporary girlfriend."

He remembered his brief flings during school, but since Speed went into production, relationships had been the furthest thing from his mind. Everyone's energy was limited, and he didn't want distractions.

That night, Luke struggled to sleep, anxiously waiting for the first day's projection data. He eventually dozed off in the early hours, waking up late the next morning, and immediately called Robin Grande.