Unstoppable - Movie ReviewsteemCreated with Sketch.

in #movies5 years ago

I am not a big fan of the "disaster" movie. I lump films like Unstoppable into that category. However, this film piqued my interest. I was actually kind of surprised that I enjoyed this film. Unstoppable is based on the true story of a runaway CSX train in 2001. The film tracks the root causes of the incident (the engineer left the train to change a switch) but exaggerates most of the danger elements to heighten the dramatic effect. While the real train never exceeded fifty miles per hour, the film has the train pushing towards seventy (if you do the math, the chaser train would have never caught the runaway train on time). Interestingly, the original train had the numbers 8888 on the side, and was called the "crazy eights." The film chose to change that to triple 7s. I am not sure why the switch to a lucky number when crazy eights was so applicable to the combination of errors that created the problem to begin with.

Frank (Denzel Washington) has worked for the railroad for nearly three decades. His wife died a few years back and he has raised two beautiful Hooters girls on his own. A lifetime of experience has given Frank the foundation of knowledge to know how many rail cars can fit into the many sidings along the route, speed and distance factors, clearances and a variety of other calculations basically related to safety and accuracy. His first day working with a "yellow vest" rookie, Will (Chris Pine), will be a memorable one.

During their routine trip, they encounter a runaway train that is headed directly towards Will's hometown, where a sharp curve is certain to throw the speeding train off track. During the trip, the two men learn about each other and come to appreciate what each has to offer. Will reveals his own marital struggles, while trying to prove his own worth. Will is part of a younger generation that the railroad is bringing in to replace their aging workers, who are being bought out at a fraction of their full retirement. It is a situation certain to create its own resentment. The two men pull together to help avert disaster.

Writer Mark Bomback did a decent job of creating a back-story for our two "heroes." We get to learn about their personal struggles as they race against time to stop the runaway train. This approach kept the movie from being entirely driven by the disaster, while creating a set of characters that the audience can connect with. The exaggerated nature of the incident feels apparent in the film, even when one doesn't know the underlying facts. The story worked well because Bomback took the time to introduce the characters and make them matter. Beyond that, the film was obviously predictable. But the journey was enjoyable enough for a solid recommendation.

I like Chris Pine, in spite of Carriers (where he was the bright spot in an otherwise forgettable film). Pine delivered another great performance in the shadow of the prolific Denzel Washington. Washington has an ease with his characters that make his lines flow smoothly. While that makes some of his characters seem similar, it makes him familiar. Familiar in a good way. It is like we know the character. His ease helps us quickly identify with the character. The two worked great together. The casting helped make this film better than it might have been.

Unstoppable takes the catastrophe genre and adds something worthwhile to the mix. The film is part action and part drama, with a nice balance of the elements to engage the audience. The casting added depth to the story, with veterans capable of delivering dialogue in a way that enhanced the otherwise predictable and somewhat formulaic plot. By introducing the characters and building on their personal stories before the incident occurs allows the audience an opportunity to identify with the characters. That initial connection is built upon during the chase sequence, allowing the audience to gain further insight into the characters during the heightened action instead of relying strictly on visual stimulation. It was a nice balance that elevated this film beyond other similar films in the genre. 7.5/10.

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