On the surface there isn't much to Unstoppable - runaway train threatens to cause a massive disaster while two underdogs attempt to stop it.
Denzel Washington plays Frank Barnes, a retired engineer who is paired up with a rookie conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) for his first day of work.
On the other end of the line a rather careless rail employee gets off his 29 car train to switch tracks and stumbles, allowing the train to escape and gather pace. They are naturally on a collision course.
On the other end of the line a rather careless rail employee gets off his 29 car train to switch tracks and stumbles, allowing the train to escape and gather pace. They are naturally on a collision course.
As the tension builds and disaster looms Frank and a slightly reluctant Will take off in pursuit of the runaway hoping to bring it to a stop.
It's a pretty simple premise. In the background is an attempt at having some character development that, perhaps, isn't necessary though it does give both men a reason to want to get through the day and correct what's wrong in their lives.
What this ultimately does is reminds us that there are much more important than the petty things that can drive a wedge between people - maybe that's the reason their issues seemed so silly, to make that point.
I thought the pairing of Washington, who is a seasoned pro, with the relative newcomer Pine (really only noted for Star Trek at this point) worked really well. Their interaction was very interesting, at times humourous, but certainly natural.
I didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as I did - think Speed without a madman running the show, it's just two men versus a bumbling bureaucracy and a runaway train carrying all sorts of potentially explosive devices (described as a missile).
It's tense and the tension is almost constant thanks to an excellent soundtrack. A solid 8.5 out of 10.
It's a pretty simple premise. In the background is an attempt at having some character development that, perhaps, isn't necessary though it does give both men a reason to want to get through the day and correct what's wrong in their lives.
What this ultimately does is reminds us that there are much more important than the petty things that can drive a wedge between people - maybe that's the reason their issues seemed so silly, to make that point.
I thought the pairing of Washington, who is a seasoned pro, with the relative newcomer Pine (really only noted for Star Trek at this point) worked really well. Their interaction was very interesting, at times humourous, but certainly natural.
I didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as I did - think Speed without a madman running the show, it's just two men versus a bumbling bureaucracy and a runaway train carrying all sorts of potentially explosive devices (described as a missile).
It's tense and the tension is almost constant thanks to an excellent soundtrack. A solid 8.5 out of 10.
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