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.

Weekend Viewing - Feb 26-28 (part 2)

He Got Game [1998, directed by Spike Lee]

A convict (Denzel Washington) is given a week out of prison to convince his son (Ray Allen), the #1 high school prospect in the country, to play for the Governor’s alma mater.

What really works for this film is Spike’s love for the game of basketball – and his desire with his films to put a mirror up to African-American society. The pressure for the son to sign from all fronts – the over-importance of athletics in our society – all may be dealt out a bit heavy handed – but take a back seat to the father son relationship that’s the main focus of the story. I quite liked how the friction of the relationship built up – and was relieved in a basketball game – and it boiled down to basketball was only the key to pull Jesus (the biblical pronunciation) out of the slum. I’m giving this one full marks – 5 out of 5.

Brick [2005, directed by Rian Johnson]

A high school student, Brendan Fry, investigates the murder of his ex-girlfriend through a web of intrigue.

This film’s description really doesn’t do it justice – as I’ve been aware of its critical acclaim – but avoided it - as it sounded rather dull. What it should be described as is – a lost treatment for a classic film noir crime drama is adapted to the modern day – with high school students as it’s focus. It’s spot on brilliant in its adaptation – as I was expecting some modern twist that would ruin the film – but it’s all too perfectly executed. The detective, the femme fatale, the crime boss, the thug, the small time street crook, the detective’s near invisible partner – all were executed so well – that you didn’t really care that they were all young people in the roles because the script, dialogue and overall film experience was very well done. Perfect marks for this one as well – 5 out of 5.

The Book Of Eli [2010]

People who know me – or even have found my movie blog know I have a bit of a thing for post-apocalyptic films (see Doomsday banner up top). I’m also a big fan of Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman – so The Book Of Eli is bound to get a fab review. That’s my story – and here’s my take.

Denzel plays a “nameless” wanderer through the post-apocalyptic world – he’s headed west. He has several nightmarish encounters – and the most lasting is his stop in a small town that is ruled by a book obsessed man named Carnegie (played by Oldman). Carnegie’s men try and accost the wanderer – in your traditional western – let’s beat-up on the new guy dick measuring contest – and get their asses handed to them. This prompts Carnegie to try and recruit the wanderer – only to discover that the wanderer had more than might – he has the book he’s been after all these years.

I don’t want to give away any twists – but from what I’ve read about the advertising (which I don’t keep up with) and the probability that you’re reading this blog (which is rare) – it shouldn’t really shock you to find out that the book is the King James Bible. Carnegie wants it to rule his people – and start a frenzied religious “cult” to bend to his will. The wanderer (who’s name is Eli – which I guess isn’t that big of a twist since his name is in the title) asks his faith to guide him to a place where the book is needed.

Let’s start off with acting – which I found superb. Denzel when given a role he can do something with – is always fantastic. He pulls off the action and the drama of his character with the skill one would expect from a two-time Academy Award winner. Oldman can chew the scenery with the best of them – and in this role he is outstanding – he’s given plenty of scenery to gnaw and an adept supporting cast to play off of.

The influence of the spaghetti-western genre is strong within this film – and I would argue that with Clint Eastwood killing the traditional western (in Unforgiven) that the post-apocalyptic genre is the new western genre. There’s a real sense of a figure in space with a great sense of composition. It reminded me a lot of The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – where you were either miles away or right in the face of the subject. There is some more stylized action oriented computer helped shots – that work better in this film than I’ve seen in many lesser action films.

The plot is faith versus faith – the just versus the corrupt versions of faith. You get a snake oil salesman in every religion – who twist the words to use them for their own glory and justifications. You don’t need me to explain this – but that’s the main theme.

Lest I forget to mention – it’s an post-apocalyptic film that reminds me both of my favorite video game Fallout 3 (with its somewhat biblical themes at times it felt like a side quest) and one of my favorite films of the last decade Doomsday. There are gun fights, knife fights, explosions, car chases, cannibals, punk-rock wastelanders, and sweet sweet ultra-violence. The scenery of the wastes was brilliant – I wanted to see more – and though there’s hint of a sequel – I would be surprised if it happened.

There’s some nit-picky kind of items that I’ve noticed that a lot of people take real issue with – but given the fact that you can choose to dwell on those minor issues – or blow them up to be as important as the actual plot, acting and direction of the film is a ludicrous act. It never ceases to amaze me how these nit-picks don’t come out and use their fine-tooth comb to take apart their favorite summer blockbusters – that typically have much bigger issues – but will take issue with other films.

Yes, Eli has an MP3 player that he constantly recharges – that’s at least 30-years old and my iPod battery barely holds a charge after a couple years – plot point? Nope. Yes, Eli has very nice teeth for someone wandering the wastes – plot point? Nope. Yes, Mila Kunis looks amazing for someone who’s been raised in the post-apocalyptic era – plot point? Nope. Go ahead let these little things ruin your movie watching experience – no skin off my ass.

The only thing I wanted to do at the end of this film was to watch it again – as I felt like I wanted to do some fact checking knowing the full story. After my first viewing though I’ve decided it was as near a perfect film as I like to watch – and am giving it somewhere between 4 and 5 stars – which I usually round up.