Unstoppable barrels out of nowhere
I think it’s fair to say that no one was really expecting much from Unstoppable, a film about a runaway train and the two men who stand in its way (figuratively speaking, of course). There doesn’t seem to be quite enough there to set a film around, which is why previous entries in the genre have either relegated this plot to a setpiece (Back to the Future Part III, GoldenEye), or used a train as the setting for a more involved plot (Murder on the Orient Express, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three). However, Unstoppable somehow manages to buck the trend and deliver 90 minutes worth of white knuckle action without losing track of his characters.Of course, with its two leading men, to do so would be criminal. Denzel Washington is in perfect form as Frank Barnes, an engineer who thinks he’s seen it all. Chris Pine, who gave a riveting performance as James Kirk in the 2009 Star Trek film, plays Will Colson, a young conductor who struggles to make up for his lack of experience. These two characters are thrown into a deadly situation when a lax hostler skips connecting the air brakes.The film is directed by Tony Scott, Ridley’s younger brother. Tony’s films have been hit or miss over the years, with True Romance and Enemy of the State representing the higher end of the spectrum. Scott’s most recent films, a remake of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and the sci-fi crime thriller Dj Vu, both garnered mediocre reviews. However, Unstoppable has been widely acclaimed, with an 85 rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Writer Mark Bomback (Race to Witch Mountain (2009 remake), Deception, Live Free or Die Hard) is at least partially responsible for that, also delivering some of his best work in years.Don’t go into Unstoppable expecting the same dynamic as The Social Network. However, there are some interesting social comments in the film and, of course, Unstoppable has at least one thing The Social Network lacksand when that thing weighs 1,000,000 tons, you know it’s got some weight to it.