# Unstoppable - Blu-ray Review



## Cory Phoenix

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5925&w=o[/img] [img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5493&w=o[/img]*Title:* Unstoppable
*Starring:* Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson
*Directed by:* Tony Scott
*Written by:* Mark Bomback
*Studio:* 20th Century Fox
*Rated:* PG-13
*Runtime:* 98 Minutes
*Release Date:* February 15, 2011

*Movie:* :4stars:
*Video:* :4.5stars:
*Audio:* :5stars:
*Extras:* :3stars:
*Overall:* :4stars: 

*Synopsis:*
When I think of movies "based on true stories" or "actual events", I'm reminded of examples like _The Strangers_ and _Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ where a little research of the "true life events" resulted in more than slight disappointment. However, the structural basis of _Unstoppable_ is actually fairly solid. Among some of the minor details, the location is different, and many of the extreme events are obvious dramatizations, but for the most part, the substance of the story is based on facts.

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5919&w=o[/img] [img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5492&w=o[/img]Will Colson (Chris Pine) is the nephew of the president of Allegheny and West Virginia Railroad (AWVR). With only four months of training, combined with the fact that today is his first day on the job as a conductor, he is instantly hated by the veteran engineers. Nevertheless, he is paired with 28-year vet, Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) assigned to pick up some train cars in Stanton, PA and deliver them up the main line to Fuller, PA. Frank is a highly experienced and skilled worker, but later we find he's being forced into early retirement with reduced benefits. He immediately puts Will on a short leash warning him of his one rule: "If you're going to do something, do it right. If you don't know how to do something, ask me."

Meanwhile, in Fuller, rail yard hostlers Dewey (Ethan Suplee) and Gilleece (T.J. Miller) are ordered to remove a freight train from it's current track to make way for a train full of children on a field trip (ironically to learn about railroad safety). As you may be able to imagine, a number of things must all simultaneously go wrong to send a train "the size of the Chrysler Building" barreling full-speed down its track unmanned and without brakes. Well, you guessed it; after a chain of protocol errors, Dewey leaves the moving locomotive to properly align an upcoming switch to the correct track, but is unable to reboard as the train picks up speed. With the air breaks disconnected, train 777 is carrying thousands of gallons of fuel, pulling 8 cars containing 30,000 gallons of hazardous molten pehnol and is aggressively accelerating without a conventional method of being stopped. Dare I say....Unstoppable??

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5924&w=o[/img] [img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5492&w=o[/img]Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson) is the rail yard master back at mission control in Fuller, and she eventually gets wind of the situation. In full-on crisis mode, Connie orders all trains on the main line into sidings, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic collision between train 777 and the children's field trip train. When Frank and Will get their orders to move into the nearest siding, Frank decides they will be unable to fit due to extra cars Will connected by mistake. Frank suggests that they speed up to try to make it into an upcoming RIP track. Again, a head-on collision is narrowly avoided as Frank and Will coast into the RIP track just as train 777 clips their last car. But, as the train passes, Frank looks back to notice the coupling of the rear car of 777 is left open. He disconnects the locomotive from its load, and proceeds to chase after 777 in reverse. Frank tries to convince Connie with a theory that if they can catch 777 and couple to its rear, they may be able to slow the train enough to avoid a disastrous situation.

However, Connie, Frank and Will are at odds with railroad president Oscar Galvin (Kevin Dunn), who desperately wants to avoid as much monetary disaster as possible. Amidst threats of being fired, attempts to derail train 777, hawking media helicopters and police pursuit, will Frank and Will be able to come together despite their conflicting personalities so that they can avoid an imminent tragedy in the heavily populated city of Stanton?

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5920&w=o[/img] [img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=5492&w=o[/img]_Unstoppable_ gets off to a slow start, but much like train 777, speeds up quickly to become an ever-exciting thrill ride. Director, Tony Scott does a great job making what could be a simple and possibly uneventful story much more interesting by portraying it from multiple perspectives. Unfortunately, in my opinion, both Will's and Frank's side stories seem completely useless and unnecessary and therefore I didn't feel a need to mention them in the synopsis. Trying not to give away too much of the ending, I should mention that after an intense rise to the story's crescendo there seems to be almost a dissatisfying emotional crash. Nonetheless, I don't think _Unstoppable_ is intended to be a think piece, so as an action first thriller that's truly based on similar true-life events, this movie definitely shouldn't disappoint.

*Rating:*
Rated PG-13 for sequences of action and peril, and some language.

*Video:* :4.5stars:
_Unstoppable_ is encoded with an exceptionally beautiful 1080p MPEG 4 AVC codec at an aspect ratio of 2.40:1. Highly, almost to the point of overly saturated, bright colors seem to scream off your screen. Everything from the fire engine red train 777, to the bright blue and red railroad map at mission control, to Will's highlight-yellow rookie vest, this movie from start to finish is intensely colorful. Contrast is exceptional with near-perfect blacks that don't crush and super bright whites that don't blow out. There's no noticible posterization, noise or oversharpening. Film grain is propitious throughout, and sharp textures are well represented from closeups of Chris Pine's facial stubble through rain drop-covered, reflective windows to the highly detailed, rusted, painted, metal walls of the various train cars. Armed with nonstop action, I noticed no softness during fast-paced sequences. Borderline reference quality, some of the action sequences in this video transfer are definitely worthy of an occasional demo.

   

*Audio:* :5stars:
_Unstoppable_ features an uncompressed DTS-HD Master Audio, 5.1 surround track that will most definitely rock your home theater. Giant trains, speeding, sirened police car chases and chopping helicopters rumble, crash and roar around the room, flawlessly from channel to channel. Explosions, collisions and thundering locomotives will constantly engage your subwoofer while breaking glass and screeching, braking metal wheels make an assault on your system's tweeters draped simultaneously over perfectly accurate dialogue. Just as impressive as the bangs and booms are the more subtle ambient sounds and surround effects. Humming rail yard machinery, the sounds of dishes being washed in a diner, the clacking sounds of distant trains, distant police sirens and the bustling of workers at mission control all contribute to a very successful, immersive quality. And, impossibly overlooked is an equally impressive musical score that electrically bounces around the room. Without a doubt, this is a reference-quality audio track that, combined with some intense action video sequences, will surely provide some impressive demo material. The louder the better!

*Extras:* :3stars:

 Audio Commentaries
 The Fastest Track: Unleashing Unstoppable
 Derailed: Anatomy of a Scene
 Hanging Off The Train: Stunt Work
 On The Rails with the Director and Cast
 Unstoppable Trailer
 Trailers for Machete and Casino Jack
 BD Live and IMDB Live
 Digital Copy

*Overall:* :4stars:
_Unstoppable_ is a non-stop thrill ride with numerous close calls and intense action that literally feels like it should be made into a "coaster" at one of the nation's best amusement parks. Lacking slightly in plot, some interest can be drawn from the fact history proves not just that this human-error debacle could happen, but in fact, actually did happen. This blu may be a rental for some, but with a beautifully colorful video transfer and a reference-quality audio track, it will surely fall into the "must-own" category for fans of demo worthy action thrillers.


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## Dale Rasco

I thought the story and video were very good in this one, but the heart of it for me was in the DTS-HD. It rocks!!! :hsd:


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## Cory Phoenix

Dale Rasco said:


> I thought the story and video were very good in this one, but the heart of it for me was in the DTS-HD. It rocks!!! :hsd:


Yeah, it's quite impressive. The first time I watched, I was with the wife. We listened at a moderate volume, and I still thought it sounded great. But, before I wrote the review, I went back and watched the middle 1-hour meat of the movie again at close to reference levels, and man does it really separate and open up! :T


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## Zeitgeist

Nice review!

I'm so glad to read that the audio is as good as the theater version.

I thought the LFE from the locomotives in the theater was remarkable. Great audio. Thought that all of it was well recorded and mastered.

Definitely need to pick up a copy to give my subs a run for their money..


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## Sonnie

I am excited about this movie. At first, nah... wasn't gonna give it the time of day, but now I think it will be worth watching.


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## Zeitgeist

Sonnie said:


> I am excited about this movie. At first, nah... wasn't gonna give it the time of day, but now I think it will be worth watching.


That's funny you say that - because I thought the previews looked so dumb - I thought about not seeing it at all.


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## alecsus27

seen it last night. sound was ok (although a bit boomy at times, for my taste), picture very good, but i found the movie itself (script and direction) rather disappointing to the point of downright boringness - and that because of too many cliches. up to the end, it was just a constant feeling of cheap movie and _deja vu_. me too i was expecting a good film because of the presence of washington (especially after i've seen the _american gangster_), but, boy, that was not at all the case - i really was wondering why did he accept to play in such a movie. ok, it was after a real case, but still...
i would rate the movie a 5, audio 9, video 10 (still, with a note: too much camera shaking may get eye tiring - but that again, that's a fault in direction, not in the image itself)


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## tonyvdb

Im on the other side of the fence here, I thought the movie was great! Was it a little over dramatized? Yes. But it was fun and as I am a train buff even though some of it was done wrong and in reality they stretched the truth it was a good try. 
The audio was great (not Boomy at all) Have you ever been right beside a train hulling a full load with all three or four locomotives running all out? That rumble is very accurate. The video was nice and clean although not the best I have seen. The camera shaking was intentional and gave it a more live News story look to it.


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## Dale Rasco

I agree Tony, I thought it was great. I was also very surprised at how much of the story was based on fact.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSX_8888_incident


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## Cory Phoenix

My only reason for the 1/2 star deduction on the video was due to some selective oversaturation. Doesn't mean it's not still an absolutely gorgeous transfer. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I really liked the color direction. But then again, as a graphic designer in the advertising world, every day I make golf courses greener, vacation waters bluer and beautiful sunsets almost unrealistically vibrant. The fantasy world of Pandora in Avatar actually benefits from oversaturation, but in a movie like this, it's tough to give a perfect score when color saturation is a little unnatural in places no matter how great it may look.
Thanks for all the input, everyone!


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## Zeitgeist

Cory - Could you share what looked oversaturated?

Just curious - because I didn't notice that... but I have to say, I wasn't looking for it.

I don't have the eye for graphics that you do, I'm sure! 

Avatar being over saturated - I totally get.. that was obvious.


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## Jeff Spears

I think the moral of the story is: DON'T BE A DEWEY!


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## Cory Phoenix

Zeitgeist said:


> Cory - Could you share what looked oversaturated?


Well, first off, let me start by saying maybe I was a little too harsh by using the word: oversaturated. Oversaturated insinuates that maybe I didn't like the saturation level. That it was too much for my tastes. This isn't true at all. I really loved the stylistic approach. Unnaturally saturated is probably more what I was going for. 

And, easier than pointing out certain specific examples would be to say that this approach is used extensively throughout the entire film. Simply stated, the selective color saturation of certain areas of the film shouldn't naturally exist based on the lighting. I realize this is highly subjective. So without getting too detailed, one fact most can agree on is perceived color is directly related to the amount of light that our eyes are able to take in. This movie is shot almost entirely on a dreary, overcast rainy day. Some aspects of this natural lighting show through like dull, distant countryside or the neutral grey gravel in the train yard. Coincidentally, this works in the director's favor because when selective saturation is added in the editing room, colors can really pop off of dreary looking environments. I think sometimes we can become too accustomed to how quality film looks after being massaged in the editing room. But, compare the final product to some of the special features you sometimes find on a disk that may have the timestamp rolling in the black bars, and happen to be, yet untouched by the art department. Colors may appear drab, contrast is often washed out, and lighting is usually less than ideal, especially when you're able to directly compare it to a finished scene you remember from the movie.

Anyways, going back and quickly watching the trailer on Apple's Quicktime movie trailer site, I came up with a few quick examples. (I realize the trailer isn't a 100% accurate representation of the blu-ray, but it should be acceptable for these purposes). The scene where the little girl appears to be waiting for the bus when the train flies by is one example. It's dreary, and she looks fairly natural in a rainy day setting. There is a decent neutral grey. But, the green behind her is WAY green. Like, fake golf course pamphlet green. Bringing a still of this scene into photoshop showed that there is 100% saturation of yellow, and near 100% saturation of "blue" in CMYK, RGB and LAB color spaces. This, according to everything I've ever been taught, shouldn't naturally exist. IMO, there definitely has been some selective massaging. Other examples are the faces of the trains as Frank and Will walk through the trainyard, and the closeup of the blue train as it passes by in a dark scene.

I also say it's selectively massaged, because, for example, Will's vest is extremely bright, but there's not an exaggerated reflection of yellow on his face (that I noticed.) Skin tones stay fairly neutral, for the most part. I know that modern-day makeup artists can also have an effect on this phenomena, but that's getting into a whole other kettle of fish.

Next time you watch, see if you notice your eyes being almost forcefully drawn to color in otherwise dreary environments. That's what I'm talking about. It could be a little distracting, but personally I really enjoyed the experience and this stylistic approach to color. In the past, I've bumped the video grade up a half star for stylized approaches that I found successful. However, in this case, to bump Unstoppable's grade to a perfect score would almost seem like I'm ignoring the fact that color is in many areas unnaturally saturated, and doesn't do justice to movies I believe deserve a reference quality 5-star rating like the PotC trilogy, Transformers, Black Hawk Down, and numerous animated films for examples.

I hope this helps to explain my stand a little bit. Clear as mud, huh? :rubeyes:


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## Zeitgeist

Cory - Thanks for your very articulate and lengthy explanation!

I look forward to when I get a copy of it.... and get to look at what you're talking about.

Just from the theater - I already can recall a couple scenes where they appeared the way that you're talking about. Not crazy - but a touch surreal.


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## celica_pete21

One of the best Denzel/Scott Films made!! This truly was a thrill ride. My wife and I were at the theater, and you know the effects a large soda can have on your bladder... There was not an opportunity this entire movie to leave for even a minute!!


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## Infrasonic

I watched this on DVD last night - holy cow that bass is great! This will be one of the movies I take out to audition my system. The story was good too with pretty much non-stop action.


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## Nak

Funny how this is one of those "Love it or hate it" movies. I hated it. One of the worst movies of the year for me, and I love Denzel action flicks. I was put off by the numerous technical errors in both the story and the video. Look through the binoculars and it's raining heavily, put the binoculars down and it's dry... The train is supposed to be hauling a%$ and the slightest turn will derail it, but devices made to derail it have no affect. The high speed of the train makes it near invulnerable, instead of more vulnerable. Again, The train is supposed to be hauling a%$ and the slightest turn will derail it, so cut to a scene where the runaway train is sedately traveling through a fairly sharply curved section of track. The type of cars in the runaway train varying from one shot to the next. etc, etc.

I think the story could have been a good one if the writers and/or the director had put a bit more thought into it. Perhaps hiring--and listening too--a good technical adviser would have helped. Sometimes artistic license is required to tell a story. But I hate it when screenwriters fail to put enough thought into a story, leaving technical errors in that could have easily been written correctly with no adverse affect on the story.

I'm not putting anyone down that liked the movie, different strokes for different folks. I've loved movies that lots of people thought were stupid. it's all a matter of suspension of disbelief. If the story allows you to do that you can get into it and have a good time. If it can't, well it can't.


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## Papersackjack

My name is Jack, and I am new to this forum. I was surprised at how good a movie, as well as how well rounded the Blu Ray was for Unstoppable, but then all Tony Scott movies get the royal treatment.


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