Unstoppable

Unstoppable
An Unstoppable Action

Release Year: 2010
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: Tony Scott
Producer: Tony Scott / Mimi Rogers / Julie Yorn / Alex Young
Screenplay: Mark Bomback
Cast: Denzel Washington / Chris Pine / Rosario Dawson
Music: Herry Gregson – Williams
Cinematography: Ben Seresin
Editing: Chris Lebenzon
Budget: $100 million
Duration: 98 menit

Unstoppable is inspired by a true event in Ohio, United States. A locomotive with cargos containing dangerous chemicals accidentally runs free and fast on its railway without any operator controlling inside. The authorities try to stop it but the speed is way too high. At the moment, Frank Barnes (Washington), a senior train operator, with his new junior conductor, Will Colson (Pine) is doing their regular train schedule. When every attempt to stop the train is failed, Barnes and Colson becomes the last hope before the train reaches the city and causes great accident.

Nonstop action is the precise comment to portray this movie, just like the title. In almost no time, the audience is given tense excitement since the beginning of the movie. Like any other disaster movies, the ending might already be predictable, but it is the development of the story that becomes the interesting point for the movie. Scott can build a rising tension without any downfall for the plot. The personal problems of the two main characters also add up for more dramatic ending. A very minor flaw is just about the exaggeration on the story. The Railroad Safety Campaign for children also somehow tricks the audience so that they would think it would be one of the conflicts in the story. In fact, it’s not at all.

Other than the fast and tense plot, the setting of place is another quality for it. The small city is viewed so humble and suitably fit for the movie. The combination of cinematography and its dynamic editing effectively compare its fast plot. Denzel Washington as Scott’s favorite actor and Chris Pine actually perform well for their parts, but it is the sweet chemistry between them that makes this ‘one train show’ movie seem more human with almost no digital effects like disaster movies nowadays.

Unstoppable is an entertaining, full of tension, and rarely-found disaster movie these years. It’s also the greatest movie from Tony Scott after Crimson Tide long time ago and obviously better than The Taking of Pelham 123 that also carries train theme. Though the idea is not original, Unstoppable is one of the best disaster movie ever made with 90-minute full action. So, hold your breath coz the train is coming!

M. Pradipta

Assistant editor and senior writer at Montase, and movie lovers