Written by: Mark Bomback
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn
Rating: [3.5/5]
No one wants to experience going through a disastrous circumstance but they are bound to happen. How one reacts when they inevitably transpire ultimately shows one’s character. In Unstoppable we get the opportunity to follow two men trying to stop this runaway train and with the wonderful collaboration we receive from those involved, we get a thrilling tale of bravery in the face of grave danger.
After operator error leaves a train without a conductor on board, the Allegheny and West Virginia Railroad company seeks to find a way to stop it before it causes immense damage while also not costing them too much monetarily. When all hope seems lost, an unlikely pairing of a veteran of the trade Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington), and relative newcomer Will Colson (Chris Pine) decide to step up and stop it through more direct ways.
Operating a brisk pace and a tight runtime, Unstoppable works quickly to communicate everything the audience needs to know about why this train poses problems for everyone. Not only does this locomotive travel at high speeds, but it also pulls several train cars with explosive and dangerous materials. Simply derailing it off the tracks means that incredible damage will transpire and they just have to decide at what point they are willing to let this happen. A decision that, as the film displays, comes down to the dollars and cents to some without acknowledging the human cost of the decisions. This film wastes no time in displaying these C-Suite executives as unknowing dolts and it only gets better from there.
In a way this feature has a simple structure, the train must be stopped and the two men we follow must come together and use their wit to stop it as all else fails. At the forefront of the film, we have two easily charismatic leads in Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. Now, we all know Denzel exudes charisma just by breathing, but he brings an elder stateman quality to him in this feature that works quite well with Chris Pine. Seeing where Pine has gone from this film back in 2010 shows a beautiful evolution as an actor but he does pretty well to stack up next to Denzel in this two-hander. This feature does not ask for much from them in offering complexity and emotion but they deliver in the way they need to.
It comes as no surprise Tony Scott would direct the hell out of this movie and maintain a sense of momentum that powers this film all the way through. Thinking of the general framework of the narrative, following one train on this one track for the majority of the film makes for a challenging proposition to keep the audience engaged. It’s not like The General where we get to witness an onslaught of breathtaking set pieces aboard the locomotive. Instead, this film relies on building up the pressure of what this train will do if it derails in the wrong place through its media coverage. Never has a train looked more menacing than it does in this feature and Scott ensures to make it feel like some sort of predator. The scene where it knocks over a trailer gives this feeling as it comes as a massive force that will negatively impact the people in ways that could be generational. Scott ensures the pacing of this feature does not let up not even for a second making an already brief runtime fly by. Having this serve as his final film really puts the exclamation point on a career of delivering incredible thrills and emphatic direction.
A truly satisfying thrill ride, Unstoppable lays out exactly what the audience will get and delivers it with pleasure. In a simply structured but majorly enjoyable feature film, we get two fun characters to follow who have minimal progression but just display how awesome they are at their job. They combine as this unlikely duo to do what no one else has the gall to do and defy the number-crunchers who can decide to cut their benefits at a whim. A story based on the true events of the working class stepping up and protecting their community and it does so in a way where you will find yourself pumping your fist in the air.
Films with Josh 
