The Movie
A lot like Speed on a train (but quite different from Under Siege II: The Dark Territory), Unstoppable is the latest "non-stop thrill ride" to come out of Hollywood, this time about a powered, unmanned locomotive with no brakes. It's half a mile long, loaded with hazardous materials, and heading fast into opposing traffic and populated areas. When every other attempt to bring it to a halt fails, the only hope is an incredibly dangerous, unsanctioned rescue mission manned by a recently laid-off railroad vet (Denzel Washington) and The New Guy (Chris Pine).
Under the direction of Tony Scott, the results here are over-stylized and often tired: the exaggerated colors, the shaky camera and other signature tricks. Anyone who saw Scott's remake of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 will find great similarities here, along with some heavy-handed, almost cartoonish dramatic choices. From the predictable friction between the two leads to the blatantly fat, stupid, lazy engineer whose error causes all the trouble, to the rich old white man who interrupts his golf game to discuss the impact of the disaster on his profits, the movie aims below what I consider average audience intelligence.
The Picture
Unstoppable's 2.4:1 high-def presentation brings ample detail but plenty of shots also show a fair amount of film grain and video noise, as well as some mildly unpleasant streaking/strobing. The image is frequently dark and shadowy, and thankfully the blacks reproduce admirably. The movie is often told from the point-of-view of TV news, so we get that deliberately contrasty look quite a bit, and the huge "FOX NEWS" logo on screen. Ooo, studio synergy....
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack is enjoyably big and full, with generous rear-channel usage throughout, including the frequent presence of helicopters above the runaway train. The multichannel mix exhibits the clear directionality that a busy story like this demands, as well as the bass to properly convey the heaviness of all that metal.
The Extras
Two alternate supplementary audio options are provided: a commentary with director Tony Scott as well as "Tracking the Story: Unstoppable Script Development," a recording of an extended discussion between Scott and screenwriter Mark Bomback. There are also several featurettes ranging from ten to 30 minutes, all in HD, including a look at the creation of a real, in-camera derailment as well as a cordial roundtable with Scott, Washington, Pine and co-star Rosario Dawson.
The disc also supports BD-Live with Live Lookup via IMDB.com as well as the exclusive "Feeling the Heat - Unstoppable Pyrotechnics" clip. Also supported is pocket BLU alternate remote control from select portable devices plus bonus content-to-go. Unstoppable is in fact the first title of its kind that consumers can transfer directly to an Android-enabled device as a Digital Copy. Disc Two is a DVD-ROM with a Digital Copy for iTunes/Windows Media, too.
Final Thoughts
What Unstoppable does have going for it is its theme of redemption, common to Scott's films, as well as some large-scale action setpieces. If you're looking for a slick flick to fill an evening, you could do a lot worse.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
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