Writer: Anne Jamaludin

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Watch this if you liked: “Speed”, “Derailed”, “Atomic Train”, “The Taking of Pelham 123”

From the man who brought us "Top Gun" and "Beverly Hills Cop II", Tony Scott is definitely doing it again with "Unstoppable". Another one to be added to the train thriller collection, this is just not another "Speed" on the railroad. Tony re-employed the railroad setting of his previous work "The Taking of Pelham 123" but only this time instead of hijacking, the subjugated train is actually a runaway on its own. The movie is loosely based on the 2001 'Crazy Eights' unmanned train incident, in which the half-mile-long freight train carrying combustible liquids and poisonous gas are on a high risk of wiping out an entire city. The movie takes a more thrilling turn when two family men, a veteran locomotive engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) and a young train conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine), decided to take things into their own hands to chase the runaway train in a different locomotive in order to bring it under control before an impending doom.

This engaging movie will give you an adrenaline rush albeit with its simple plot! It's all thanks to the creative inset by Scott and the exceptional performance by Denzel and Chris. Both actors had a wonderful, dynamic chemistry; who could deny Denzel's prowess as he injects humour underneath his character's hard exterior, making the movie worth numerous laughs from time to time! On the other hand, Chris Pine proves he is more than just an eye-candy as opposed to his previous movie roles with his portrayal as a troubled husband, who calmly faces the most panic-inducing moments in the movie. Witness as their respective characters have a tongue-in-cheek banter along their first day of work together and how they managed to set aside their differences for a greater cause: to save innocent lives. The effects however, are straight-up from a classic train collision scenario but it will go unnoticed as fast-paced and nerve-wrecking sequences take over the main trip.

Overall this movie is definitely worth to be enjoyed regardless if you're a big fan of speed-related thrillers, Denzel Washington and Chris Pine or not. No movie can be blunt if you have Denzel in it. The reviewer believes "Unstoppable" deserves a four out of five for the most alarming movie session and amazing acting ever.

Cinema Online, 29 October 2010