Unstoppable

First Hit: Anything with Denzel Washington is good but this film hangs on the border of not being good.

We know the ending as soon as the film begins. Yes this is typical Hollywood action fare but there is hope because there are some great looks and lines by Denzel.

In Unstoppable Washington plays Frank a 28 year veteran of driving trains. He knows his stuff. His partner for the day is Will (played by Chris Pine) who is a newbie, fully distracted because his wife wants a restraining order against him, and has basically failed at most things he’s done in the past.

Two lazy mindless railroad yard employees are ordered to move a train while they are taking yet another break. They don’t hook up the air brakes, they don’t set the switches in the cab correctly, and the only person in the cab jumps out thinking he can throw a switch and get back into the cab.

We all know the answer, the train gets loose and it is at full throttle heading for Stanton, PA on its own with no driver and at high speed. In Stanton there is a dangerous curve which no train can make at more than 25 miles an hour or it crashes into the middle of town and some oil storage containers.

This curve creates the motive for multiple attempts to stop the train. The senior company men care less about lives and safety of people and more about the money that will be lost if they have to derail the train so they make stupid decisions.

After we wade through their failed attempts to stop the train, including derailing it, Frank and Will come to the rescue by catching up to it from behind and slowing down the moving bomb and along the way they become better people.

Washington is wonderful as Frank the 28 year veteran who is wise and caring about who he is and his work. Pine is adequate as the lost Will. I never got that his acting brought realness to his character’s story. Rosario Dawson as Connie, who runs the yard where the runaway train departs from, is good at being commanding in this predominantly male environment. Tony Scott directed this in Tony Scott fashion where the action is big and the story obvious. Mark Bomback wrote the script and there are some good lines but the story is obvious from beginning to end.

Overall: A enjoyable rental film for a family evening viewing.

The Taking of Pelham 123

First Hit: The impact of this film wasn’t like the original; however the strong acting makes this a good watch.

The original film has a subway car being hijacked for ransom; this new version has a subway car being hijacked ransom; what makes the original more compelling?

The context in which they were filmed: In our world today someone hijacking something is more common and we’ve had real life bombings and killings in subways therefore we are use to it, at times even numb to it.

Back in 1974 when the original came out, high jackings, bombings and killings sprees, especially in subways, were more unusual, hence the impact on the audience was different; it was unusual and scary. However, strong character acting by John Travolta as Ryder the head hijacker and Denzel Washington as the disgraced dispatcher made this new version of this film work.

John Travolta has the look, feel, and dialogue which gives his character the psychotic edge making his character compelling to watch. Denzel Washington is very strong as the intelligent direct interface between the ticking time bomb below the surface of New York City and the everyday life taking place on the streets above. Tony Scott directs this film with little waste; however I found that the shaky camera shots and the quick cuts during the scenes where the police are ferrying the money from one side of NYC to another excessive and needless.

Overall: An entertaining film but it doesn't have the impact as the original for the reasons stated above. However, if were born after 1970 and you’ve not seen the original, this one will do very nicely.