skypond-40773 You know what was ridiculous was the use of the helicopters. Other than that it was really exciting, but that was just stupid

ccman2 While nobody thinks that a movie only covering a few hours out of a day would not be that great, this was really cool. While this movie was based on true events, it really stretched it out a lot more than the true story was. If you like hardcore action, intense suspense, and close calls, this is the movie you've been waiting for. It was really cool.

unebaiser I liked this movie, a lot. Great entertainment,but it's not very realistic.If any of the railroad employees had even a little common sense, this would have been over in ten minutes. Once the consist was connected, the engineer could have just applied the dynamic, and stepped off the back of the rear engine, onto 777. Problem solved.Also,Dewey, could have just waited, for the rear steps of 777,and then climbed on, rather than try to chase the front. A good movie though. I highly recommend it,especially, if you like trains.

Wuchak Released in 2010, "Unstoppable" is about a runaway train in Pennsylvania carrying toxic chemicals and the engineer and conductor who try to stop it (Denzel Washington & Chris Pine). Rosario Dawson plays the yardmaster that assists from headquarters while Jessy Schram plays the separated wife of the newbie conductor.The movie's based on the real-life CSX 8888 Incident, otherwise known as the Crazy Eights Incident, which involved a runaway freight train in northwestern Ohio in 2001. Locomotive #8888 was pulling 47 cars, including some with hazardous chemicals, and ran unmanned for two hours and 66 miles at speeds of up to 51 mph. (***Don't read the rest of this paragraph if you don't want to know how the real-life incident ended before seeing the movie***). Attempts to derail the train using a portable derailer failed, as did an attempt by police to shoot at an emergency fuel cutoff switch, which didn't work because the button has to be pressed for several seconds before the engine shuts down due to lack of fuel. A northbound freight train took succor in a siding area where the crew released its locomotive and waited for the runaway to pass. Like in the movie, they had a crew of two: Jess Knowlton, an engineer with 31 years of service; and Terry L. Forson, a relative neophyte conductor. They proceeded to chase the runaway train and successfully locked on to the rear car of the runaway, then slowing it by applying the dynamic brakes or their locomotive. Once the runaway had slowed to 11 miles per hour, trainmaster Jon Hosfeld ran alongside the train, jumped on, and shut down the engine.While the movie starts somewhat bland it quickly picks up momentum for a realistic non-stop thrill ride. The realism is refreshing in this day and age of cartoony action blockbusters and their multiple "yeah, right" action scenes (not that there's anything wrong with those movies, as long as you're in the right mode). Washington and Pine make for good protagonists and you start to care about them as the story progresses. Moreover, the movie doesn't overstay its welcome at a mere 98 minutes.The film was shot in numerous locations extending from central Pennsylvania to eastern Ohio, which serve up a nice rolling hills backdrop with the occasional river. Minor note: You'll observe a woodchuck scamper across the tracks in one scene where he/she thankfully DOESN'T become ground chuck.BOTTOM LINE: "Unstoppable" is worthwhile as a believable disaster thriller. While it lacks the potent subtext and overall greatness of 1985's "Runaway Train," it makes up for it with its realistic and kinetic tone, not to mention the fact that it's based on a true incident.GRADE: B