Unstoppable

Unstoppable is a 2010 action thriller film directed by Tony Scott (as his last directional film) and starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. The film was released by 20th Century Fox on November 12, 2010 in the United States and has gained a lot of popularity among railfans.

Plot
When a massive, unmanned locomotive roars out of control, the threat is more ominous than just a derailment. The train is laden with toxic chemicals, and an accident would decimate human life and cause an environmental disaster. The only hope of bringing the train to a safe stop is in the hands of a veteran engineer (Denzel Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine), who must risk their lives to save those in the runaway's path. Inspired by true events.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) The film uses the premise about trains at a very interesting level.
 * 2) Likeable characters with a lot of character development (e.g. Frank Barnes and Will Colson).
 * 3) Intense action sequences. Examples include the chase down the mainline, the 7375 and 7346 attempting the stop the train, and the climax at Stanton, PA.
 * 4) An assemble cast which includes the following; Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, Kevin Corrigan, Lew Temple and T. J. Miller.
 * 5) The visual effects look realistic and life like, especially when the train is leaning on the Stanton Curve.
 * 6) The film has become a classic among railfans.
 * 7) The elephant sound effects make the AWVR 777 sound absolutely menacing.
 * 8) An unforgettable soundtrack composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, especially the track composed for the Stanton Curve scene.
 * 9) The film does not feature any real railroads and instead goes creative.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Although Kevin Dunn 's character Oscar Galvin was trying to stop the runaway, his plans at doing so, in which he believed he could save the railroad money, only made things worse, and cost them money, equipment and another Engineer' s life.
 * 2) While it had an intense near-miss scene, the school excursion train is never brought up again and serves no real purpose to the plot, although one of the kids on the excursion is Will's son.

Reception
Unstoppable received positive reviews from critics and currently holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's critical consensus reading "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." The film was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing at the 83rd Academy Awards, but lost to Inception.

Unstoppable grossed $167 million against a production budget of around $90 million.

Trivia

 * The film is inspired by a [|true story]. On May 15, 2001, a CSX freight train loaded with hazardous chemicals ran unmanned down the Pemberville Subdivision and was eventually caught and slowed by a 31 year veteran Engineer and a Conductor with 1 year of experience. One it slowed to 11 miles per hour a CSX trainmaster ran alongside the train, climbed aboard, and shut down the engine.
 * The was the last film Tony Scott directed before his suicide.
 * Canadian Pacific GE AC4400CW #9777 has become well known among railfans for being used as Allegheny West Virginia Railroad GE AC4400CW #777.