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Arriving at work, Colson, a [[conductor (railroad)|conductor]], gets his orders for the day and learns he will be working with [[train engineer|engineer]] Frank Barnes ([[Denzel Washington]]), with whom he has never worked before. He goes to a group of older workers, with whom he has some barbed words over their age differences, and finds Barnes among them. While he goes to punch in, the other older workers complain about being displaced by Colson, who they say got his job through family connections in the [[labor union|union]].
Arriving at work, Colson, a [[conductor (railroad)|conductor]], gets his orders for the day and learns he will be working with [[train engineer|engineer]] Frank Barnes ([[Denzel Washington]]), with whom he has never worked before. He goes to a group of older workers, with whom he has some barbed words over their age differences, and finds Barnes among them. While he goes to punch in, the other older workers complain about being displaced by Colson, who they say got his job through family connections in the [[labor union|union]].


Meanwhile, in Fuller, the yardmaster yells at a pair of [[hostler]]s who have been standing idle near a train to get it moved so the schoolchildren's [[excursion train]] can get out of the yard. In a hurry, one of them, Dewey ([[Ethan Suplee]]), decides to forego connecting the air hose between the locomotive and the rest of the half-mile–long (~800m) train. This, the other hostler reminds him, means the train's [[air brake (rail)|air brakes]] will not be working, but Dewey says they will hook them up after parking the train on another track.
Meanwhile, in Fuller, the yardmaster yells at a pair of [[hostler]]s who have been standing idle near a train to get it moved so the schoolchildren's [[excursion train]] can get out of the yard. In a hurry, one of them, Dewey ([[Ethan Suplee]]), decides to forego connecting the air hose between the locomotive and the rest of the half-mile–long (~800m) train. This, the other hostler reminds him, means the [[air brake (rail)|air brakes]] will only apply on the locomotive, but Dewey says they will hook them up after parking the train on another track.


Barnes and Colson meet by their locomotive for the day, where Barnes, a 28-year employee, finds out that Colson, who will be in charge of the train, is only four months out of training. He reminds Colson that if there's anything he doesn't know, he should just ask. They take the locomotive out across a bridge to where they will attach their train for the day. Colson learns that a court hearing that morning did not, as he had hoped it would, end with the lifting of a [[restraining order]] preventing him from seeing his wife and son.
Barnes and Colson meet by their locomotive for the day, where Barnes, a 28-year employee, finds out that Colson, who will be in charge of the train, is only four months out of training. He reminds Colson that if there's anything he doesn't know, he should just ask. They take the locomotive out across a bridge to where they will attach their train for the day. Colson learns that a court hearing that morning did not, as he had hoped it would, end with the lifting of a [[restraining order]] preventing him from seeing his wife and son.


In the locomotive cab at the Fuller yard, Dewey turns the [[throttle]] to its highest setting to enable the train's [[dynamic brake]]s. As it approaches a [[rail switch|switch]], Dewey sees it is not set to the right track and, against the advice of the other hostler, jumps from the slow-moving train to line it properly. While he does, levers fall in the cab of their own accord. When he tries to reboard the train, it has picked up speed and he falls to the ground trying. It leaves the yard for the [[Main line (railway)|main line]] unmanned.
In the locomotive cab at the Fuller yard, Dewey turns the [[throttle]] to its highest setting to enable the train's [[dynamic brake]]s. As it approaches a [[rail switch|switch]], Dewey sees it is not set to the right track and, against the advice of the other hostler, jumps from the slow-moving train to line it properly. While he does, levers fall in the cab of their own accord. As the train has since picked up speed, he is unsuccessful in his attempts to reboard. It leaves the yard for the [[Main line (railway)|main line]] unmanned.


After some slight setbacks at the yard due to Colson's inexperience, including taking on more cars than they had in their orders, the two leave Stanton for a [[zinc]] plant. In Fuller, the hostlers let yardmaster Connie Hooper ([[Rosario Dawson]]) know that they have a runaway train headed into opposing traffic on the main line. Assuming the [[dead man's switch]] will trigger the brakes and it will be a "coaster" that stops a few miles from the yard, she calls Ned, a [[welding|welder]] for the railroad and tells him to meet the hostlers where they can get in his truck, catch the train and stop it.
After some slight setbacks at the yard due to Colson's inexperience, including taking on more cars than they had in their orders, the two leave Stanton for a [[zinc]] plant. In Fuller, the hostlers let yardmaster Connie Hooper ([[Rosario Dawson]]) know that they have a runaway train headed into opposing traffic on the main line. Assuming the [[dead man's switch]] will trigger the brakes and it will be a "coaster" that stops a few miles from the yard, she calls Ned, a [[welding|welder]] for the railroad and tells him to meet the hostlers where they can get in his truck, catch the train and stop it.

Revision as of 15:45, 21 November 2010

Unstoppable
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTony Scott
Written byMark Bomback
Produced byTony Scott
Julie Yorn
Mimi Rogers
Eric McLeod
Alex Young
StarringDenzel Washington
Chris Pine
Rosario Dawson
Ethan Suplee
Jessy Schram
CinematographyBen Seresin
Edited byChris Lebenzon
Robert Duffy
Music byHarry Gregson-Williams
Production
companies
Scott Free Productions
Prospect Park
Millbrook Farm Productions[2]
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • November 12, 2010 (2010-11-12)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryTemplate:Film US[1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100 million (after tax)[3]
Box office$46,826,016[4]

Unstoppable is a 2010 American action thriller film directed by Tony Scott, written by Mark Bomback and starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. The film tells the story of a runaway train, and the two men (Washington and Pine) who attempt to stop it. The film was released in the United States and Canada on November 12, 2010.

Plot

After panning across some idling diesel locomotives under the opening credits, the film begins with scenes at two rail yards in different regions of Pennsylvania run by the Allegheny and West Virginia Railroad (AWVR). In the Fuller yard in northern Pennsylvania, children arrive for a school field trip on rail safety. Meanwhile, in the southern Pennsylvania town of Stanton, Will Colson (Chris Pine) gets up for work, stopping to surreptitiously watch his wife put their son on the school bus. He calls her but she refuses to even answer.

Arriving at work, Colson, a conductor, gets his orders for the day and learns he will be working with engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington), with whom he has never worked before. He goes to a group of older workers, with whom he has some barbed words over their age differences, and finds Barnes among them. While he goes to punch in, the other older workers complain about being displaced by Colson, who they say got his job through family connections in the union.

Meanwhile, in Fuller, the yardmaster yells at a pair of hostlers who have been standing idle near a train to get it moved so the schoolchildren's excursion train can get out of the yard. In a hurry, one of them, Dewey (Ethan Suplee), decides to forego connecting the air hose between the locomotive and the rest of the half-mile–long (~800m) train. This, the other hostler reminds him, means the air brakes will only apply on the locomotive, but Dewey says they will hook them up after parking the train on another track.

Barnes and Colson meet by their locomotive for the day, where Barnes, a 28-year employee, finds out that Colson, who will be in charge of the train, is only four months out of training. He reminds Colson that if there's anything he doesn't know, he should just ask. They take the locomotive out across a bridge to where they will attach their train for the day. Colson learns that a court hearing that morning did not, as he had hoped it would, end with the lifting of a restraining order preventing him from seeing his wife and son.

In the locomotive cab at the Fuller yard, Dewey turns the throttle to its highest setting to enable the train's dynamic brakes. As it approaches a switch, Dewey sees it is not set to the right track and, against the advice of the other hostler, jumps from the slow-moving train to line it properly. While he does, levers fall in the cab of their own accord. As the train has since picked up speed, he is unsuccessful in his attempts to reboard. It leaves the yard for the main line unmanned.

After some slight setbacks at the yard due to Colson's inexperience, including taking on more cars than they had in their orders, the two leave Stanton for a zinc plant. In Fuller, the hostlers let yardmaster Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson) know that they have a runaway train headed into opposing traffic on the main line. Assuming the dead man's switch will trigger the brakes and it will be a "coaster" that stops a few miles from the yard, she calls Ned, a welder for the railroad and tells him to meet the hostlers where they can get in his truck, catch the train and stop it.

By the time they get there, they realize the train is under power and going too fast to catch. Connie and the dispatchers work to get every train on the main line onto sidings. The train carrying the schoolchildren narrowly avoids a head-on collision. Oscar Galvin (Kevin Dunn), Connie's superior, calls her and asks her what's happening and what she's doing about it. She hasn't figured out yet how to stop the train and begins calling the state police to make sure the grade crossings on the line are secured, since some of the tank cars on the runaway have molten phenol, a hazardous material.

On their train, Barnes and Colson hear the dispatcher's order to pull into a siding. Barnes says they can't use the siding assigned since the train is too long for it. He asks instead if a RIP track further down the line is clear.

Galvin overrules Connie's suggestion to derail the train in an area of lightly populated farmland, since it would be too costly and it is still possible to stop the train. An emergency meeting of railroad executives approves another plan, but Galvin will not tell Connie what it is. The train's odyssey becomes a media event, followed by helicopters with continuous coverage on television and reporters at crossings in small towns. The train, picking up speed, smashes through a horse trailer caught on the tracks at one junction.

The company's plan, to have a lashup of two locomotives go on the line ahead of the runaway and slow it down while another employee attempts to board the runaway's locomotive from a helicopter, fails and leads to the death of another veteran engineer. The police abort another plan, to trigger the safety switch on the locomotive's side with close-range shotgun blasts at a grade crossing, when they realize the switch's proximity to the fuel tank. A state trooper's radar gun shows the train's speed to be 71 miles per hour (114 km/h). Barnes and Colson make into the RIP track in the nick of time, as the runaway smashes through the back of their consist.

As it passes, Barnes sees that the coupling on the last car of the runaway is open. He decides to put the locomotive in reverse and catch the runaway. Colson, at first reluctant, joins him. Galvin insists that Connie stop them, but she refuses.

Another attempt to stop the train with derails in a small town fails because the train is too heavy and too fast. Evacuations begin as the train approaches Stanton, where it crosses the town on an elevated curve where it will derail at its current speed. If it does, it could fall into a fuel oil tank farm, causing a major environmental disaster.

Barnes and Colson catch up with the runaway. After Colson manually couples their locomotive to the train, severely injuring his foot in the process, they begin slowing it down with their own brakes but not enough. Barnes goes out onto the train and begins setting each car's brakes manually, slowing the train enough to get it past the curve without derailing. In the process the locomotive's brakes blow out and the train begins to pick up speed again.

Ned the welder catches up to the train, and Colson jumps into the back of his truck. Driving at high speed they make it to the locomotive, where Colson is finally able to get into the cab and stop the train.

In a short epilogue it is revealed that Barnes was promoted and retired, that Colson got back together with his wife who is now pregnant with their second child, Connie was promoted to Galvin's job, and Dewey "is working in the fast-food industry".

Cast

Production

Unstoppable suffered various production challenges before filming could commence, including casting, schedule, location and budgetary concerns.[5][6]

In June 2007, 20th Century Fox was in negotiations with Martin Campbell to direct the film,[7] and he was attached as director, until March 2009 when Tony Scott came onboard as director.[8] In April, both Denzel Washington and Chris Pine were attached to the project.[9]

The original budget had been trimmed from $107 million down to $100 million, but Fox wanted to further reduce it to the low $90 million range, asking director Scott to cut his salary from $9 million to $6 million, and wanting Washington to shave $4 million off his $20 million fee.[10] Washington declined, and citing lost patience with the film's lack of a start date, and although attached since April,[11] he formally withdrew from the project in July.[6] Fox made a modified offer as enticement and he returned to the project two weeks later.[11][12][13]

Production was headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the fictional railroad depicted in the movie, the "Allegheny and West Virginia Railroad," is headquartered. Filming took place in a broad area around there including the Ohio cities of Martins Ferry, Bellaire, Mingo Junction, Steubenville and Brewster,[14] and in the Pennsylvania cities of Pittsburgh,[15] Emporium, Milesburg, Tyrone, Julian, Unionville, Port Matilda, Bradford, Monaca, Eldred, Turtlepoint, Port Allegany and Carnegie,[16] and also in Portville and Olean, New York.[17] The real-life bridge and elevated curve in a climactic scene are located in Bellaire, Ohio[18]. A two-day filming session took place at the Hooters restaurant in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (a Pittsburgh suburb), featuring 10 Hooters Girls from across the United States. Some interior scenes were shot at Mogul Media Studios on 31st street in Pittsburgh. Filming began on August 31, 2009[19] for a release on November 12, 2010.

Filming was delayed one day when part of the train accidentally derailed on November 21, 2009.[20]

The locomotives used on the runaway train (#777 and #767) were GE AC4400CWs leased from the Canadian Pacific Railway; the other locomotives seen in the film, including the chase locomotive (#1206), were EMD SD40-2s leased from the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway.[citation needed]

Inspiration

Main article: CSX 8888 incident

Unstoppable is inspired by the "Crazy Eights" unmanned train incident in 2001. The train, led by CSX Transportation SD40-2 #8888, left its Walbridge, Ohio, rail yard and began a 66-mile (106 km) journey through northwest Ohio with no one at the controls, after the engineer got out of the originally slow-moving train to correctly line a switch, mistakenly believing he had properly set the train's dynamic braking system, just as his counterpart in the movie did.

Two of the train's tank cars also contained thousands of gallons of molten phenol, a toxic ingredient of paints and dyes harmful when it is inhaled, ingested, or comes into contact with the skin. Attempts to derail it using a portable derailer failed, and police were unable to shoot out the fuel release valve, instead hitting the fuel cap. For two hours, the train traveled along at speeds up to 47 miles per hour (76 km/h) until the crew of a second train coupled onto the runaway and slowly applied its brakes. Once the runaway was slowed down to a speed of 11 miles per hour, a CSX employee, trainmaster Jon Hosfeld, ran alongside the train and climbed aboard, shutting down the locomotive. The train was stopped just southeast of Kenton, Ohio.[21]

When the film was released, the Toledo Blade compared the events of the film to the real-life incident. "It's predictably exaggerated and dramatized to make it more entertaining," wrote David Patch, "but close enough to the real thing to support the 'Inspired by True Events' announcement that flashes across the screen at its start." He notes that the dead man switch would probably have worked in real life despite the unconnected brake hoses, unless the locomotive brakes were already applied. The film exaggerates the possible damage the phenol could have caused in a fire, and he found it incredible that the fictional AWVR freely disseminated information such as employees' names and images and the cause of the runaway to the media. In the real instance, he writes, the cause of the runaway was not disclosed until months later when the National Transportation Safety Board released its report, and CSX never made public the name of the engineer whose error let the train slip, nor what disciplinary action it took.[22]

Release

A trailer was released on the internet on August 10, 2010. The trailer was then attached[clarification needed] with The Expendables, The Last Exorcism, Machete, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Devil, The Town, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Red, Paranormal Activity 2, and Saw 3D.[citation needed]

Reception

Critical response

Unstoppable has received mostly favorable reviews. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 85% based on 122 reviews, with an average score of 6.9/10. The film is "Certified Fresh", and the critical consensus is: "As fast, loud, and relentless as the train at the center of the story, Unstoppable is perfect popcorn entertainment—and director Tony Scott's best movie in years."[23]

Metacritic gives the film a score of 69% based on reviews from 32 critics indicating "generally favorable reviews".[24]

Film critic Roger Ebert rated the film three and a half stars out of four, remarking in his review, "In terms of sheer craftsmanship, this is a superb film."[25] In The New York Times, Manohla Dargis praised the film's visual style, saying that Scott "creates an unexpectedly rich world of chugging, rushing trains slicing across equally beautiful industrial and natural landscapes."[26]

The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, was more measured. While the movie's action scenes "ha[ve] the greasy punch of a three-minute heavy-metal guitar solo", its critic felt the characters were weak. Ultimately, its review called the film "an opportunistic political allegory about an economy that's out of control and industries that are weakened by layoffs, under-staffing and corporate callousness."[27]

Box office

Unstoppable was expected to take in about the same amount of money at the box office as The Taking of Pelham 123, another Tony Scott film about an out-of-control train starring Denzel Washington. Pelham took in $23.4 million during its opening weekend in the United States and Canada [3]. Unstoppable had a strong opening night on Friday November 12, 2010, coming in ahead of Megamind with a gross of $8.1 million. However Megamind won the weekend earning earning $30 million to Unstoppable 's $23.9 million [28]. With these results, Unstoppable performed slightly better than The Taking of Pelham 123 did in its opening weekend.[29][4].

References

  1. ^ ""Unstoppable": Denzel wrestles runaway train, saves American manhood". Salon.com. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  2. ^ "Unstoppable - Production Credits". The New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Movie Projector: 'Unstoppable' seeks to derail 'Megamind' as 'Morning Glory' looks dim". Los Angeles Times. November 11, 2010. One person close to the production said "Unstoppable" cost about $100 million after the benefit of tax credits, though another person close to Fox said the final budget was closer to $85 million
  4. ^ a b "Unstoppable (2010)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com.
  5. ^ Zeitchik, Steven (June 30, 2009). "Action pic "Unstoppable" hits budget snags". Reuters.com. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  6. ^ a b Fleming, Michael (July 13, 2009). "Denzel Washington exits 'Unstoppable'". Variety. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  7. ^ Fleming, Michael (June 7, 2007). "Fox dealing with 'Unstoppable' budget". Variety. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  8. ^ Fleming, Michael (March 27, 2009). "Tony Scott boards 'Unstoppable'". Variety. Retrieved August 17, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  9. ^ Fleming, Michael (June 29, 2009). "Fox train thriller just 'Unstoppable'". Variety. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  10. ^ "Denzel Washington Drops Out of Unstoppable?". ComingSoon.com. July 14, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009. Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118005944
  11. ^ a b Parsons, Ryan (July 23, 2009). "Denzel Washington Unstoppable Again". CanMag. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  12. ^ Fleming, Michael (July 22, 2009). "Washington back on track with Fox". Variety. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  13. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (August 5, 2009). "In the salary tug of war between studios and talent, it's no contest". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Group. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  14. ^ Heldenfels, Rich (2010-11-07). "Ohio is stunt double". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  15. ^ Vancheri, Barbara (July 24, 2009). "Action flick 'Unstoppable' to film in Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  16. ^ "Denzel Washington movie call takes job fair tone". The Associated Press. August 27, 2009.[dead link]
  17. ^ Hollywood comes to Olean Friday. WIVB.com. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  18. ^ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10316/1102606-60.stm
  19. ^ "We Hear: Kevin Chapman, Denzel Washington, Tom Werner & more..." Boston Herald. August 17, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Train Derails in Bridgeport, Not Part of Movie". Fox News. News Corporation. November 21, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
  21. ^ "CSX 8888 - The Final Report". Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  22. ^ Patch, David (November 12, 2010). "Hollywood widens truth gauge in runaway train flick". Toledo Blade. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  23. ^ "Unstoppable Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  24. ^ "Unstoppable (2010)". Metacritic. CBS.
  25. ^ Ebert, Roger (November 10, 2010). "Unstoppable". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  26. ^ Dargis, Manohla (November 11, 2010). "I Think I Can: Trying to Stop a Crazy Train Hurtling to Disaster". The New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  27. ^ "Unstoppable: Like derivatives trading, this train is out of control". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Canada: CTVglobemedia. November 12, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  28. ^ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/11/box-office-megamind-outraces-unstoppable-to-stay-on-top-of-box-office.html
  29. ^ Brandon Gray (November 13, 2010). "Friday Report: 'Unstoppable' Squeaks by 'Megamind'". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com.

External links

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