It was a tossup between a 3rd row from the front viewing of Harry Puttar against the charisma of Denzel Washington in “Unstoppable” form from the back rows. One dude was pretty hung up on seeing the former even at the cost of the rest of the gang suffering the towering screen presence of Daniel Radcliffe from very close quarters. Few plates of egg chilli and tandoori chicken helped us pacify him and finally he did come around to see Tony Scott’s “Unstoppable” at Inox, Jayanagar.
I have been accused (albeit unfairly) of dragging my classmates to proven blockbusters such as Inception and Shutter Island, which they didn’t appreciate the least bit. It is a different matter that these movies called for undivided attention during the screen time and we mostly went for night shows following late evening classes/exams. Few of us dozed off, and few were in inebriated condition. And I get blamed for all that!!
Thankfully, this true story (based on events in 2001 in Ohio) of a train on the loose (Train # 777) in Pennsylvania proved to be a no-brainer from the plot perspective. The story begins with two railroad employees unwittingly unleashing a train carrying toxic and combustible content that progressively gains speed and is headed for a disaster within the city limits of Penn state. Denzel Washington, a veteran, and Chris Pine, the understudy, are seen ferrying cargo in another train somewhere in other part of Southern Pennsylvania. The two don’t get along too well, which is further compounded by Chris adding unwarranted additional coaches to the end of the train that proves to be an inflection point in the storyline. Meanwhile, Rosarie Dawson, the railroad control room supervisor, tries to reason with her boss Kevin Dunn not to attempt derailing 777, based on Denzel’s counsel.
The duo of Denzel and Chris, attempt an overtly ambitious plan of chasing down the hurtling 777 by travelling at incredible speeds of up to 80mph in their lone engine coach. There is the usual family heart strings attached, running on top of the train, and near death experiences for the lead pair. While the movie is replete with clichéd dialogues and twists, the performance of the lead protagonists, coupled with some spectacular cinematography of the wilderness and winter of Penn state manages to engage the audience for the entire duration. The movie doesn’t have a very intelligent plot, instead relies on the visual impact and sound effects to make up for the predictable story line. If you are one of the "Independence Day" fans and don’t mind enjoying popcorn thrill ride, Unstoppable is a must watch.
