Unstoppable - Simplistic fun

It’s a rare ‘action’ film which doesn’t really bother with some sort of ‘evil’ antagonist.  Many people have likened ‘Unstoppable’ to the classic nineties epic, ‘Speed.’ However, the only reason Keanu Reeves had to stop a speeding bus was because Dennis Hopper had put a bomb on it, hence the threat.  In ‘Unstoppable’ we literally don’t have a sentient enemy for our heroes (Denzil Washington and Chris Pine) to do battle with.  Instead, we simply have a train.

Due to a mix-up on the platform, a giant freight train (naturally carrying some pretty explosive cargo) runs amok without a driver at the helm.  And our railway workers, Washington and Pine, are the only pair in the right place at the right time to stop it.  That’s about it.  I have to say that when I read the synopsis, I wasn’t that impressed.  It sounded a little dull.  I thought any ‘action’ film worthy of the genre should at least have a couple of mad bombers threatening humanity.  As it happened, I was wrong.

Unstoppable is actually really good fun.  It’s not a long film (only slightly over the hour and a half mark) and it rattles by like the train everyone’s trying to catch.  It’s so simply there really isn’t much you can say about it.  One train.  Two men.  No brakes.  That’s about it.

Granted there are a few attempts at sub-plots surrounding Washington and Pine’s families, but the film doesn’t focus on that aspect too much.  It sticks to what it does best – the train and everyone’s attempts to stop it.

I suppose there was always the chance that a simple story like this would end up dull.  And it’s probably worth crediting the stars and the director for bringing what could have probably been a turkey to life.  Tony Scott shines at the helm and it’s a pity that this was his last film due to his tragic death.  It’s clear he was a most talented director and will be sorely missed.

If you’re just a fan of either of the two leads then you’ll like this, or if you just like action films in general.  It definitely doesn’t need a human antagonist to add any extra tension to the mix.  Don’t judge.  Give it a try.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that