High emotional stakes, believable action, and inspired casting that will have folks talking about the movie even years later all make for a killer action flick. If you’re looking for a thriller just north of 90 minutes to stream this weekend, then look no further than Tony Scott‘s 2010 picture, Unstoppable. Starring the unlikely duo of Denzel Washington and Chris Pine as veteran engineer Frank Barnes and novice conductor Will Coulson, respectively, there are few disaster films as highly engaging critically and commercially as this one. Full of non-stop suspense, this wild thriller is not one that action junkies will want to miss.
‘Unstoppable’ Is the Perfect Tony Scott Thriller
Director Tony Scott has a long history of making great action movies, many of which with Denzel Washington by his side. Top Gun, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, True Romance, and Déjà Vu are only a few of his pictures action lovers will surely recognize. But, compared to them all, Unstoppable stands firm as the best Scott production of the bunch, which feels right given that it was his final picture before his death in 2012. This runaway train thriller takes every trademark you might associate with the director — his frenetic camera movements, popcorn drama, dynamic characters, and common use of Washington — and perfects it. Unstoppable is tight, pulse-pounding, and entirely effective in keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. The suspense is real, which makes sense given that Unstoppable was inspired by true events.
Of course, we’re not the only ones to say this. In his review of the picture, famed film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half out of four stars. “In terms of sheer craftsmanship, this is a superb film,” Ebert exclaimed, and he was absolutely right. Despite Scott’s constant battles with the critics, his unique filmmaking style and narrative prowess were on full display here, and he was finally recognized for it. Even directors Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan have praised the action flick. The former even considers Unstoppable one of the best films of the 2010s. “It’s one of the last great movies from one of the last great directors of all time, at the height of his powers, doing what he does,” Tarantino claimed on a 2020 episode of The Rewatchables podcast (via The Playlist). Likewise, Nolan cited Unstoppable as a powerful influence on Dunkirk, explaining that the film “explores the mechanics and uses of suspense to modulate an audience’s response to narrative” (via IndieWire).
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When a film is unanimously recognized by not only audiences and critics but by some of the most high-profile filmmakers working today, then it begs folks to pay attention. After all, Unstoppable features an impressive cast — which also includes Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Corrigan, and Lew Temple — in a particularly compelling premise that is nearly impossible to turn away from. As Scott’s second runaway train thriller after his The Taking of Pelham 123 remake a year prior, Unstoppable doesn’t allow itself to be limited by the constructs of reality. Instead, Scott uses the real story as only a basis for his train thriller to ground the film in a harsh reality that he might then conduct a masterful symphony of destruction, tension, and pure blue-collar terror.
Denzel Washington and Chris Pine Are an Inspired Duo in ‘Unstoppable’
Of course, Scott’s direction is only one part of what makes Unstoppable so incredibly entertaining. The other is the perfect casting of Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. Neither actor had worked together previously or has shared the screen again since, but the way Frank (Washington) both chastises and motivates Will (Pine) while on the job feels far too familiar for any working-class American, and makes us wish these two icons worked together more often. It’s a story of hard work, financial necessity, and heroism — one where normal, everyday people are called to make a difference. It’s hard to imagine anyone but Washington and Pine in these roles, as the two play off each other with such passion and directness. Frankly, a big reason to watch Unstoppableis for their chemistry alone.
Often casting Washington in leading roles, it’s clear that Tony Scott knew exactly what he was doing when he paired these two together. Pine, who had recently launched into stardom with the Star Trek reboot in 2009, brings a youthful but disheartened energy with Will to the near-retired and hard-headed Frank, but it’s only by working together that they can aid in halting this runaway locomotive. Watching them go from co-workers to near-friends is quite a wholesome journey, and it feels far faster than 98 minutes. With Unstoppable finally back on streaming with its new home on Max, we couldn’t be happier to see Washington and Pine together again on the screen.
Unstoppable
- Release Date
- November 12, 2010
- Cast
- Denzel Washington , Chris Pine , Rosario Dawson , Kevin Dunn , Lew Temple , Kevin Corrigan , Ethan Suplee , Kevin Chapman , Jessy Schram , Elizabeth Mathis , Meagan Tandy , David Warshofsky , Andy Umberger , T.J. Miller , Dylan Bruce , Jeff Hochendoner , Ryan Ahern , Christopher Lee Philips , Kevin McClatchy , Toni Saladna , Patrick McDade , Jeff Wincott
- Runtime
- 98 minutes
- Writers
- Mark Bomback
Unstoppable is currently available to stream on Max in the U.S.
