Unstoppable Movie Review

Unstoppable (2010)

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Written by: Mark Bomback
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, Kevin Corrigan
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
With an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train barreling toward a city, a veteran engineer and a young conductor race against the clock to prevent a catastrophe.

Verdict
This is an absolute adrenaline pumping thrill ride. It does everything an action movie should and more. The pacing is perfect as the train company tries in vain to stop this train and people start to understand what's at stake. The bureaucrats are concerned about how this will affect their bottom line. Two guys who don't get along and barely escape the train themselves defy corporate in an attempt to save lives and do the right thing by stopping the train in a dangerous gambit. It's a simple concept phenomenally well done.
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Review
I've always liked this movie. It's an underrated thriller that does everything an action movie should. It's a simple concept, wonderfully executed that becomes a very fun ride.

We're introduced to a half mile long train that's ominous foreshadowing. The number of corners cut is staggering as two crew members attempt to switch the train. That ends up with the train getting away from them, and what no one realizes is that the train is under power. They think it's coasting. I wondered if the throttle lever would jump as depicted, but this isn't a movie about the how. This is a runaway train movie and we just need to get there.

Chris Pine, Denzel Washington play Will Colson, Frank Barnes

Elsewhere there's plenty of tension between hard nosed veteran Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) who's wary of his partner for the day; new nepotism hire Will Colson (Chris Pine). They have no idea what they're going to face.

The suits at the train company are concerned not just with the price tag of the train and cars, but the company's stock value. They butt heads with Connie (Rosario Dawson), the yard master who just wants to stop the train.

This movie is nearly pure adrenaline from start to stop. The pacing is excellent, and the frequent cutaways to news reports really add to a sense of realism. The failed attempts to stop the train only increase the tension. As the employees try to catch up with the train, they realize it's going much faster than predicted.

Frank realizes there's only one way to safely stop the train and he's the guy to do it. Denzel Washington instantly makes any movie better. His charisma is off the charts. You've got Frank and Will on the track facing the train, while Connie at the yard is the intermediary between them and the corporate leadership. She's rooting for Frank and Will who refuse to give up when corporate orders them not to intercept the runaway train.

The last third of this movie is edge of your seat, gripping the armrests tension. Will they catch up to the runaway train? If they do, what's next? Can they succeed? This is everything an action movie should be and it even manages to add some depth to the characters and some strife in the form of corporate cost cutting. I remember liking this movie, and it's better than I remembered. I'd put this up against any high concept action movie.