Unstoppable [2010]

A train carrying some hazardous chemical becomes a runaway – and it’s up to Rosario Dawson, Chris Pine and Denzel Washington to stop it!


I have to start my review by saying this is one of the most action packed but downright boring films I have ever seen. I was impressed with how much was going on – but I was also equally amazed how little I felt any tension or concern. Though the train is a runaway and can’t seem to be stopped – it is in fact on a track. So, it’s not like it can make a sudden turn and trick everyone – and cause further tension – we know it’s headed toward the town of Stanton – and once there the bend in the track will probably make it derail – though this information seems like it should’ve been introduced sooner – it felt tacked on to further the “scare”.


Speaking of which – there were characters along the tracks who could’ve been included to naturally raise the tension level of the audience. Some town cops decided to take shots at the brakes or something – only for us to find out later that they were shooting right next to the gas tank! Wouldn’t that have been a nice scare! BUT they showed the train moving up the tracks – then suddenly cops start shooting at it – then we are told later what they were doing. Build that shit up! That’s your job as s director!


The bulk of the film was watching the train go up the track – and watching people reactions to it and talking on the radio or on the phone – as well as “news footage”. I wish I was kidding – but I’m not – the film was b-o-r-i-n-g because of these elements... This film felt tantamount to cheap sci-fi films of the 50’s & 60’s where the film was padded with stock footage of military action, planes flying and atomic bombs blowing up – but in the case of this film a train going up the track.


There was nothing wrong with the acting by anybody in the film – the acting was just what you needed – but the vehicle that this acting was brought to us in was dull. The direction was dull – it reminded me of the action in Iron Man 2 where you saw a whole mess of close-up face reaction of the men in the suits. Watching people’s eyes widen and drop their jaws – isn’t compelling as watching stuff blow up and near misses – and in a runaway train film that’s what you are looking for.


The film being based on a true story – should not stop you from playing Hollywood all over this film! You need a plane landing on the tracks - the train being taken over by a ghost of a Russian spy – or some kid putting a penny on the track which makes the train wobble and looks like it will fall over. SOMETHING PLEASE!! A little conflict twist would’ve improved this film a great deal!


They introduce the concept that there was a school on a field trip on another train – but just as you started to think – the main conflict will be these little kiddies and the runaway train – but then they decided to get those kids off the tracks almost immediately – which is responsible – but not Hollywood enough!


The film was just okay – but after it was done – I could’ve been just as complete of a person not having seen it and spending that time on YouTube. It was just boring – not stupid – not insulting – and action packed with trains moving – FAST. I tried showing some fake concern and getting into it by rooting on the train – to see if it was my attitude – but I ended up laughing at myself. I truly like Tony Scott and Denzel Washington working together – but this film just didn’t do for me at all.


I’m giving this film an average rating for being boring – 3/5.