Movie #47 Unstoppable

Every once in a while it is good to shut the ole brain down for a bit and enjoy some stupid, fun nonsense.  That is why I could not wait to go see the new Tony Scott film Unstoppable.  It is a movie about an unmanned train movie at 70 miles an hour through several small towns in Pennsylvania.  Did I mention that is is pulling 5 cars of high explosives?  Did I mention that it is barreling towards a train full of school children?  And so forth and so on.

One preconceived notion about film nerds like myself is that we only like weighty, dramatic dramas.  Just because I go out of my way to see re-releases of Sam Fuller films, or because I have several Criterion Collection films in my DVD catalog, just because I enjoy films not in my native tongue or structurally challenging films doesn't mean that I don't know how to relax and have a good time with a puff piece like this.

It is the argument popcorn movie fans use anytime a critic bashes a superhero movie, or a spoof film, or another generic horror movie.  They accuse us of over thinking.  They say we can have fun.  They say not everything has to mean something.  The tell us basically to sit back and be entertained by whatever stupidity flickers on screen in front of us.  I will not abide that.  My retort is that I love "fun" movies as long as they are well made.  And as a cinephile I have seen them.  Why can't a movie entertain and make you think.  Why can't a movie make you feel something as well as satisfy your primal instincts?

The answer is they can.  I see them all the time.   Review #42 and #43 are perfect examples.  Young Frankenstein and Shaun of the Dead are funny, smart, well constructed movies.  Ironman 2 and The Grown Ups aren't.  They are lazy cash grabs that appeal to the lowest common denominator of society.  Take a movie like Scott Pilgrim vs the World (review coming).  Did it achieve everything it set out to?  Probably not, but I admire it's director for even trying.  It took risks and some of them flopped, but many of them succeded.  Take the latest installment of the Harry Potter series (a franchise where I have strongly liked some of the films).  It was made for fans of the book and that is all.  The producers knew that as long as they stood true to the book they would make a gajillion dollars.  They clearly didn't care at all about the average movie go'er.  That film was boring.  I don't care that in the book event A sets up situation B.  I shouldn't have to read the Cliff Notes to enjoy a film.  A movie is a movie is a movie.

This review hasn't really been about Unstoppable if you couldn't tell.  What really is there to say?  The films is kinetic, fast pace, the camera doesn't stop moving the entire time.  The film stars Denzel Washington and Chris Pine.  As veteran and rookie train men respectably.  They of course harass and iterate each other, but when it is time to get down to business they find a way to put aside their differences and in the long run find  a common respect for each other.  Blah blah blah.  I feel like the movies promo guy.  This film is cliche after cliche.

But none the less I found myself wrapped up in it.  Not quite as much as the mouth breathers sitting beside me, but is has enough action to keep you interested if not invested.  I give this film a 2.5/5 stars.  If you need a place to get out of the rain from, you could do worse than a theater showing Unstoppable.  Check out the link below for the trailer.  Also check out how many times the train runs into stuff.  Ha ha.  Great fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM-0Ywc7wNY