The 2010 movie Unstoppable would not be the first time director Tony Scott worked with Denzel Washington. However, the movie would be the last one he would direct before his death in 2012. The movie’s storyline is adapted from the real-life incident with CSX 8888.
The story follows an unmanned freight train containing toxic and flammable substances running at full power. Two men take up the task to try and stop the train before it derails and explodes in the city’s populated area.
The movie was an all-around success, as it received positive reviews from critics and got nominated for an Oscar. It also made $167 million on a budget of $85–100 million. However, most of the movie’s success, besides its amazing directing, was the individual performance of the actors.
Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington)
Credit: Unstoppable
Denzel Washington plays one of the movie’s protagonists as Frank Barnes. Barnes is a veteran railroad engineer and a widower. He’s just been forced into early retirement. On that fateful day, Barnes was teaching the new train conductor how to park the trains.
After getting the last boxcar hit by the unmanned train, Barnes chooses to risk it all to stop the train. If you’ve ever watched Denzel Washington in action, he needs no introduction as he delivers the needed emotions and skills for the role.
Will Colson (Chris Pine)
Credit: Unstoppable
Chris Pine is one of those Hollywood actors with an impressionable face. Although he goes on to play James T. Kirk in the Star Trek movie series, Unstoppable would be one of the movies that put him on the map. Pine plays Will Colson, a rookie train conductor.
On his first day at work, he struggles with dealing with his personal life issues and learning the ropes at work. His day gets interesting when Frank Barnes convinces him to tag along to help stop the unmanned train.
Unbeknownst to Colson, the day’s event will positively impact his marriage. At the possibility of death, he makes peace with his estranged wife, Darcy, who got a court restraining order to keep him away from her and their son.
Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson)
Credit: Unstoppable
Connie Hooper starts her day like every other day. But things will change when she gets a call from Dewey about an unmanned train supposedly moving idly. Connie Hooper is Fuller Yard’s train yardmaster.
As yardmaster, she authorizes Ned Oldham (Lew Temple) to go ahead and try to close off the train track. Knowing things have gone from bad to worse, Hooper calls the VP of Train Operations, Oscar Galvin, as well as local authorities. At the end of the movie, Hooper gets a promotion to VP of AWVR train operations.
Rosario Dawson plays the character of Connie Hooper.
Dewey (Ethan Suplee)
Credit: Unstoppable
Having a bad day at work takes a new dimension for Dewey when he sets a string of events in motion that’ll put the city in danger. Dewey is a train hostler who overplays his hand by jumping out of locomotive 777 to change a trailing-point switch.
Although he puts the train’s throttle in idle, the throttle moves out of position into full throttle. As the train begins to gain speed, Dewey is unable to board the train cab to stop it. Ethan Suplee delivers a near-perfect performance of a hostler who knows he’s lost his job and has put the lives of innocent citizens in danger.
Oscar Galvin (Kevin Dunn)
Credit: Unstoppable
Kevin Dunn plays the character of Oscar Galvin. Oscar Galvin is your typical company top management who’s always looking to maximize the company’s profit and reduce losses. Galvin is the vice president of AWVR train operations. Galvin gets brought into the loop with a call from Connie informing him of the situation.
Although Connie suggests derailing the train in an unpopulated area, Galvin chooses to go with an option that will save the trains. Unfortunately, not only did his idea not stop the train, it led to the death of the company’s employee and former U.S. Marine, Ryan Scott.
Galvin tries to remedy the situation by going with Connie’s idea of using derailers. However, with the unmanned train’s momentum, the derailers failed to derail the train. Realizing the dangers ahead, Galvin relinquishes control and lets Connie and Inspector Scott Werner be in charge.
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