Movie review: Unstoppable ***

Unstoppable ***

Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson
Director: Tony Scott
Rated: PG-13
Showing: Neptune Theatre on Thursday, November 25 at 8:45pm. Week of Friday, November 26 - Friday 7/9:30pm; Saturday 2:30/7:30pm; Sunday 2:30/5:30pm; ­weekdays 7:30pm. For more information about film times, call 292-7296.  
Runtime: 100 minutes
Action/thriller/drama

A high-octane, all-action, white-knuckle thrill ride from director Tony Scott (Man On Fire, The Taking Of Pelham 123) about a runaway, unmanned freight train carrying enough toxic chemicals to wipe out a city.

The movie, based on a real incident in Ohio in 2001, is shot at Scott’s usual breakneck pace with lots of quick cuts and edits to emphasise the race against time to stop the train from derailing and causing devastation.

Determined to stop this “missile the size of the Chrysler building” is veteran engineer Frank (Denzel Washington), whose train is on the same track.

Helping him is rookie Will (Chris Pine, Star Trek), who is struggling as the new kid on the block brought in to replace older workers forced to retire, including Frank.

But they have to overcome this tension to stop the runaway from derailing in populated areas. They come up with various unsuccessful solutions, each one highlighting the destructive power of the “beast”.

It’s a non-stop rollercoaster ride and Scott drives you straight into the heart of the relentless action.

The ever-reliable Washington gives a low-key but commanding performance and has a good buddy chemistry with Pine.

Watch if you liked: Speed.