Incontrolável

Unstoppable plays out like a basic action thriller that keeps us engaged the entire time. With the train as the center of the story, in a way we get transported back to the days of great entertainment, where the storyline is simple, characters pure, and the dialogue isn't overdone. Here is an action film that stays on track and keeps you glued to the edge of your seat until the high-intensity climax is over. It operates at gut-level mode, as we get to follow all the twists and turns of the main character, runaway train #777. Unstoppable is a summer movie action blockbuster released in a winter spot that doesn't pause for a breath as it picks up steam, and most likely you won't either. It's one of those mindless thrillers that was made so well you probably will miss a lot of the detail as the movie literally sweeps you away, which is what a great action movie will do.

Unstoppable is based on a true story that comes out of Ohio where we have a low-level employee who fails to set the air brakes on a train while changing tracks and the issues that ensue as a result. The director Tony Scott, no newcomer to the action genre, sets the stage for the high-octane second half by letting us get to know the 2 main characters: Rookie conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) and veteran engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington). The two both have their share of family issues, which adds to the difficulty of being able to work together initially. Another dynamic we discover is that the company is forcing employees to be laid off, as evidenced by the fact that Barnes is being replaced by younger engineers such as Colson. The 2 characters provide solid low-key performances and we see the tension that initially exists turn into mutual cooperation to work together for a solution, and then at the end, respect.

Solid performance also given by Rosario Dawson, who is both the eye-candy and sounding board for our heroes, planted where she can see all train activity.

As the movie progresses, we come to find out that this runaway train laden with toxic chemicals is headed towards heavily populated areas, and our stomach starts to sink about the devastating possibilities that may occur should everything go wrong. The plan? to link up to the phantom engine from the back and pull it the other way, coming to a full stop.

It is fascinating to watch the failed attempts to stop the train, which seems to add to the power, giving the audience a realistic idea of how "unstoppable" this train truly is with it's 10M pounds of force going full-steam ahead.

In the end what we are left with is ordinary men putting on extraordinary acts of courage. Where there might be chest-pounding there are a couple of family guys doing what they felt should have been done by anyone in that situation, and a humbleness that brings a more realistic quality to the movie.

I'm glad that the sensationalism was toned down so that the thrills that the movie had to offer truly thrilled me. As others have stated already, Unstoppable is truly a "Speed" on tracks and definitely one of the year's finer action movies.

7/10 stars

In Pennsylvania, one engineer is maneuvering a train in the yard and accidentally leaves the train operating without the pneumatic brakes engaged. The operation department initially believes it is a coaster but soon the operators realize that the unmanned train is running on full power. Further, it is carrying dangerous chemicals and diesel in the cargo wagons. There are many unsuccessful attempts to stop the runaway train and the veteran engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) and the young conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) decide to take the chance to reduce the speed of the train with the most unlikely operation.

The farewell of the brilliant director Tony Scott is a thriller with non- stop action inspired in a true event in Ohio. The screenplay is engaging and the dramatization is adequate to the story. The great cast with Denzel Washington, Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson completes this excellent entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Incontrolável" ("Uncontrollable")

Though this film has a pretty simple and straightforward story, it is still exciting to watch. It does well in establishing the normality of the lives of these railway workers and the rhythm that they work in. Scott does well in setting the tone of the film early on, and with the music accompaniment, the tension slowly rises.

Pine and Washington are good in their roles, and work well together. Perhaps it is because their characters do not get along well, which may be easier to portray. Anyway, their delivery and chemistry with each other fit the film. Dawson does well in roles with a sense of urgency to them. I vaguely remember her being an FBI agent somewhere else, and with this character, she is able to portray how intense a situation they're in.

I especially liked the cinematography and editing in this movie. With a high speed train moving through various landscapes, the numerous wide angle and aerial shots give a good view of the surroundings. The quick jump cuts, and juxtapositions between the various characters on screen also helps to keep the audience well informed.

One thing that I felt was a bit forced, was the family angle. I guess being characters, the filmmakers felt that they needed to incorporate family values, so put that in there. I didn't care much for the drama of Pine's life though. I was intrigued a little at what may have happened, but Pine's character didn't really fit the drama.

Overall, quite an exciting but simple film.

Released in 2010, "Unstoppable" is about a runaway train in Pennsylvania carrying toxic chemicals and the engineer and conductor who try to stop it (Denzel Washington & Chris Pine). Rosario Dawson plays the yardmaster that assists from headquarters while Jessy Schram plays the separated wife of the newbie conductor.

The movie's based on the real-life CSX 8888 Incident, otherwise known as the Crazy Eights Incident, which involved a runaway freight train in northwestern Ohio in 2001. Locomotive #8888 was pulling 47 cars, including some with hazardous chemicals, and ran unmanned for two hours and 66 miles at speeds of up to 51 mph. (***Don't read the rest of this paragraph if you don't want to know how the real-life incident ended before seeing the movie***). Attempts to derail the train using a portable derailer failed, as did an attempt by police to shoot at an emergency fuel cutoff switch, which didn't work because the button has to be pressed for several seconds before the engine shuts down due to lack of fuel. A northbound freight train took succor in a siding area where the crew released its locomotive and waited for the runaway to pass. Like in the movie, they had a crew of two: Jess Knowlton, an engineer with 31 years of service; and Terry L. Forson, a relative neophyte conductor. They proceeded to chase the runaway train and successfully locked on to the rear car of the runaway, then slowing it by applying the dynamic brakes or their locomotive. Once the runaway had slowed to 11 miles per hour, trainmaster Jon Hosfeld ran alongside the train, jumped on, and shut down the engine.

While the movie starts somewhat bland it quickly picks up momentum for a realistic non-stop thrill ride. The realism is refreshing in this day and age of cartoony action blockbusters and their multiple "yeah, right" action scenes (not that there's anything wrong with those movies, as long as you're in the right mode). Washington and Pine make for good protagonists and you start to care about them as the story progresses. Moreover, the movie doesn't overstay its welcome at a mere 98 minutes.

The film was shot in numerous locations extending from central Pennsylvania to eastern Ohio, which serve up a nice rolling hills backdrop with the occasional river. Minor note: You'll observe a woodchuck scamper across the tracks in one scene where he/she thankfully DOESN'T become ground chuck.

BOTTOM LINE: "Unstoppable" is worthwhile as a believable disaster thriller. While it lacks the potent subtext and overall greatness of 1985's "Runaway Train," it makes up for it with its realistic and kinetic tone, not to mention the fact that it's based on a true incident.

GRADE: B

Simple, Thrilling, and Very Entertaining. Unstoppable never tries to be anything more than it is. It follows a runaway train that occurred in Pennsylvania and the two men that try to stop it. First off, I gotta five Tony Scott credit for making a film about trains, that in itself is pretty interesting. How many people know about and use trains regularly? Then take that and turn into one of the most suspenseful, entertaining films of the year culminates into a really good time. The film's opening credits starts with how the train was lost and runs away, so right off the bat you know that it's not going to be a dull film. Before any of the main characters are brought into the story the antagonist and therefore the action get underway. Your then introduced to Will, played by Chris Pine, and Frank, played by Denzel Washington. Will is the rookie conductor that is placed under the veterans Frank's wing. Then you have Connie, played by Rosario Dawson, as the head of all the trains currently running, basically a conductor that oversees all operations, who is in charge of finding a solution to the runaway train, while also dealing with the corporate suits, mainly Oscar Galvin, played by Kevin Dunn, who are more interested in stock prices and money losses then the overall safety and physical damage the train could cause. So, after some failed attempts to stop the train, Denzel comes up with a plan to stop it, and this is where Will and Frank become involved with the runaway.

Tony Scott does a pretty good job of making the runaway train look menacing, almost like a monster that no matter what you do always keeps coming for you. The majority of special effects and stunt work were done realistically with very little CGI being used, which for me is always a plus. With it being based on a true story he definitely uses a lot of tactics to make it feel less like a film and more like your actually watching the action happen presently. There's a lot of bird eye shots of the trains making it feel like a news helicopters are shooting it, while also cutting to news broadcasts following the runaway train through the majority of the film creating a more realistic view of the whole story. He also filmed on location in Pennsylvania, which was pretty cool living in central PA and having the opportunity to talk with some of the crew.

As for the characters, the first half of the film, is where the majority of the very little character development comes into play. Will and Frank bicker back and forth at each other, when unsurprisingly they find a common bond through broken families with their wives and children. There are also many conversations, which mostly turn into arguments, between Connie and Oscar about how to stop the runaway train and the potential problems it could cause. Yet, due to the pacing and strategic place of key conversations you end up caring about the characters and are pulling for them to get out of this disaster alive. The most important and character revealing dialogue occurs during the more explosion filled scenes with the train.

Overall, it's a pretty fun time, and never has a boring moment. Just when you think the dialogue may be getting a bit to breathy and boring, Scott crashes the runaway into some object causing a major explosion. It's one of those no brain activity films that you can just sit back and enjoy. The characters are there and Scott makes sure not to fill the runtime up with too much dialogue, but with just enough to develop Frank, Will, and Connie into people we want to see succeed. Lastly, it doesn't try to be anything more than it is. It's a film about a runaway train and the people trying to stop it, that's it. Unstoppable is a thrilling ride and a guaranteed enjoyable viewing.