Unstoppable

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, Kevin Corrigan, T.J. Miller
Directed by: Tony Scott
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
2010

Times Seen:
Tim: 3

Summary: A runway train containing toxic chemicals barrels toward a large population center. An experienced engineer (Denzel Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine) race in their own train, backwards, to try and stop it.

Review:

Tim: I was a bit surprised with how good this movie was. I honestly asked myself if a movie about a runaway train could be considered one of the best movies of the year? I can say that, yes, Unstoppable is a great, thrilling movie. I can't think of the last time a movie owed so much to the director. Tony Scott takes an interesting premise and turns it into one of the most intense, thrilling, exciting movies of the year. That is a major achievement. The movie consists of unrelenting thrills and suspense. It really never lets up.

In the hands of most directors, Unstoppable would have been a decent to moderately good movie. Scott, however, creates something special. With some amazing shots and a brilliant inter-splicing of news footage, this movie becomes far more exciting and engaging than it had any reason to be. A runaway train suddenly bursts out of its constraints and takes on even greater importance. The movie is beautifully shot, scripted, and executed. I was engaged throughout the entire movie.

Scott is helped by an incredible cast. Denzel Washington is very good in the lead role, but he doesn't have to be on screen every second. I like that he was able to occasionally take a backseat. Chris Pine was a great choice to play alongside Washington. These two actors work extremely well together, and their different styles compliment each other brilliantly. I'd actually love to see these two in future movies together. They were excellent together.

The supporting cast are actually equally as important, and surprisingly, equally as interesting. So many movies feature a very compelling main story, and less compelling subplots. The scenes in this film between Rosario Dawson, Kevin Corrigan, and Kevin Dunn are equally as interesting as the scenes with Washington and Pine on the train. That is a major achievement, and one of the reasons I consider this a great movie. Dawson turns in an absolutely brilliant performance. She's incredibly underrated here, because she takes a typical role and turns it into something special. She makes an ordinary role important, and she does it with an incredible performance. I was really interested in her character, which is a bit surprising. We can relate to and root for her character, which wouldn't have happened with a weaker actress in that role. She works well with Kevin Corrigan in a small but important role, and Kevin Dunn in a fantastically unlikable role. These scenes are so fun and interesting to watch.

Director Tony Scott does an amazing job of pacing this film. There are so many intense moments, and they come one after another. There's never a lull or dull moment in the movie- it keeps coming at you, faster and faster, until the eventual conclusion. This is a movie that will occasionally cause you to forget to breathe- it's that intense. I think it's amazing that a runaway train story, inspired by true events (but major liberties were taken to make it more Hollywood and exciting) could be this intense and exciting. Scott does terrific work here.

Unstoppable is one of those movies that far surpasses the original expectations placed upon it. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and could watch it over and over. It is a major achievement, and a great movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Deja Vu, Man on Fire, Apollo 13, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Crimson Tide