I think it was Mira Sorvino who, at last week’s MTV Movie Awards, read a monologue that said, “There are two kinds of movies these days — expensive action thrillers and — I guess there is only one kind of movie.”

Whether she is correct or not can be answered by looking at the list of big summer releases — “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “Con Air,” “Batman and Robin,” “Flood,” “Face/Off” and, of course, “Speed 2: Cruise Control.”

The latter has been the topic of much conversation, mainly arising the question, “Can there be a successful sequel to “Speed” without Keanu Reeves?”

The answer is not as easy as yes or no. Does Jason Patric prove to be a worthy replacement? Definitely. But is “Speed 2: Cruise Control” really a sequel to “Speed”?

When it comes down to it, the only thing the two have in common is Hollywood hotty Sandra Bullock and director Jan De Bont, and a small appearance by the dreadlocked Glenn Plummer, whose role in “Speed” had some memorable oneliners.

The plot is totally new. After “suicide squad” cop Alex Shaw (Patric) is caught lying to girlfriend Annie Porter (Bullock) about his job, the two decide to get to know each other better by going on a cruise through the Caribbean.

The vacation is going as planned, and Shaw prepares to propose to Porter. But at the heat of the moment, disgruntled ex-employee and computer freak John Geiger (Willem Dafoe) sends the ship into an “earthquake” on water.

Shaw, as expected, is suspicious about claims that the ship is having fire problems and soon finds that a highjacker is responsible. Expecting Geiger, Shaw enters a battle journey that takes him through flooded halls and eventually on a racing boat.

Compared to “Speed,” the sequel seems rather realistic. There are no buses flying through the sky or people jumping from speeding car to speeding bus. The major fakey flaw is a short clip of a deaf 12 year-old who climbs up an elevator in a rather difficult manner.

This same character presents another problem. While she and Shaw communicate via sign language early in the movie, their relationship is never fully completed, and you last see the girl with 30 minutes left in the flick.

Bullock is decent, but does not live up to her job in “Speed.” Some of her lines seem out of place, while it is hard to believe that someone who can not pass a driver’s test can run away from the enemy on a speeding jet ski.

Patric is believable. He has a mysterious quietness similar to past roles, which works well with the action hero outfit. His observation skills and kindness seem real, which make him easy to like.

Dafoe is also very convincing. His lunatic role is easy to hate throughout the movie.

The problem with Dafoe is lack of character development. It’s hard to figure out why he is so set on running a cruise ship into an oil tanker, especially when there isn’t anything in it for him other than revenge.

The big action scene that can either make or break a movie does the latter in the case of “Speed 2.” It happens when the cruise ship runs into an island packed with people, condos and boats.

The scene lasts way too long and is full of one too many cheap jokes — such as a woman talking on a payphone on the side of a street and looking up to see an enormous boat about to run her over.

Some high quality action does follow and ends the movie on a better note. Whether “Speed 2” is deserving of a rating equal to the original is difficult to say, but it is deserving of something.

3 1/2 stars out of five.

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Corey Moss is a sophomore in journalism and mass communication from Urbandale.