Unstoppable Review

By Ryan Hamelin

Movie: B+

Here we go again. Denzel Washington. Tony Scott. Train. Crisis. Spiraling steadycam rigs and lots of shaky handheld. Copious stylistic edits and hyper kinetic cuts.  It’s easy to say we’ve seen it all before. Mostly, its because that’s an accurate statement. If you saw Taking of Pelham 123, you may assume that you’ve already seen Unstoppable. I know I did. How much variation can a director make with the exact same subject matter, and even one of the same two leading actors? It turns out, quite a bit actually. In my personal opinion, this is a rather substantial upgrade from Scott’s previous efforts, at least the ones that fall into his current “style”, and boasts strong supporting characters to compliment the core talent. Chris Pine was the wildcard going in, as I haven’t seen anything else he’s done besides Star Trek. Would he have range? Would he be able to hold his own against Denzel Washington? These were questions I knew we’d find answers to, and for the most part he comes out looking pretty good. Given more to do, it’s possible that he’d have been able to dig more deeply into the character, but the work holds up even in the film’s few quiet moments.

The other big question you probably have is how the movie plays from the “Based on a True Story” standpoint. The filmmakers want to leave you in no doubt about that one, taking the pseudo documentary approach to their news coverage sequences and flashing a full screen title card to open the film with those very words branded upon it. I’m going to be honest and say I have no prior knowledge of the event in question, so I can’t tell you how accurate or sensationalized the script is. I can say that the film is a pure adrenaline rush from start to finish, and that you will be on the edge of your seat for most of its runtime. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, and when things start going wrong, you know everything you need to know to get your heart pumping. What’s more amazing is just how severely outdated all the technology is, even in such a recent setting, as the trains don’t so much advance as they do maintain. There are no real safety measures in place, and though I’m sure they came up with a whole slew of new fail-safes after the events of the film, the fact that there is almost nothing that can be done once the train is in motion is more than a little unsettling.

The sense of speed is arguably the most successful part of the movie, as the camera whips around the windows of the car, keeping the energy at a ridiculous high. You never slow down, and neither do the characters, making the rescue attempt all the more daring. The finale stretches credibility a bit, though the “Based on a True Story” keeps repeating in the back of your head as the train tips onto one set of wheels. I’ll be interested to see what happens when Scott heads back into the skies for Top Gun 2 as he’s changed his methods of filmmaking so severely in the intervening years. No matter what you think of him, there’s no denying that he’s finally got it all dialed in. Unstoppable works as a culmination of all the different looks he’s been experimenting with, and the script is far better than I was expecting. Also, any movie with Rosario Dawson kicking ass has my wholehearted support. Though it might not be worth much more than a matinee, this is one 90 minute rollercoaster ride that doesn’t disappoint.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief Review

By Ryan Hamelin

Movie Grade: B

I know I’m probably going to get a lot of flack from friends and critics for this review. Why did I enjoy Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief despite it taking 5 minutes to say the entire title? Because it’s one word that seldom enters the vocabulary of those who analytically contemplate the merits of modern cinema. FUN. It’s entertainment, and it revels in its buttery popcorness. It’s a kids fantasy film that doesn’t start with “Harry” or “Chronicles” and yet manages to remain fast paced and enjoyable throughout. It may not end up being the better of the Greek God films released in the next few months, but it could very well be the start of another major franchise. Christopher Columbus did, after all, direct the first two films about a certain boy wizard, so if anybody can start a children’s fantasy saga off on a strong foundation, he’s certainly the man for the job.

I’d have to say that the biggest early success of the film was in the casting department. The film’s star, Logan Lerman, could very well be the next young actor to break into the big-time. His first film role was in The Butterfly Effect, but if you recognize the face, it’s from his great work as Christian Bale’s son in 3:10 to Yuma. He makes the hero likable but also avoids the pitfalls of the annoying/whiny variety that plague so many of his contemporaries. Kevin McKidd, one time television lead on the late, great Journeyman, plays Percy’s father Poseidon and is probably the most convincing of all the gods. Sean Bean isn’t quite as believable as Zeus (maybe because he’s played so many bad guys during his career) but he’s certainly not the worst choice. I’m of the opinion that the only living actor who could truly play the king of Olympus is Liam Neeson, and that is more than enough to ensure that I go and see Clash of the Titans. Pierce Brosnan also puts in some wonderful work here, and I’d love to see him do more non-tuxedo acting.

It’s a shame that the film will inevitably and extensively be compared to the Warnerbros. epic starring Sam Worthington. That film had a far larger budget, and has the benefit of a PG-13 rating to improve the battle sequences and general epic nature of its canvas. For a film directed at children, Percy Jackson does go out of its way to provide reasons to watch for the older crowd, but it still can’t have bloody fight scenes or realistic language (if a hydra was about to breathe fire at you, I don’t care who you are, you’d probably utter a large variety of obscenities). I guess, because of all that, it sortve cheapens the experience to a certain extent glazing everything with a candy sort of texture. Nobody ever seems to be in real danger, nothing ever has powerful consequences, and the scares don’t come across as anything you’d find terrifying if you’ve progressed past wetting your bed at night.

All those comments aside, the story is a great coming of age, reconnecting with a father figure, learning about yourself, magic and fantasy in the real world sort of yarn that, when done well, will never get old. It’s got all the elements you’ve come to expect, and a charm that makes you forgive certain logical missteps. It’s a good time at the movies, and gives you something to look at while chomping down popcorn. There are also plenty of great cameos spread throughout (I won’t spoil them, even though the opening credits do) that will make even a regular admission ticket worth your while. Do I think the film will be a giant success? Very likely. Will it be the movie that finally kicks Avatar out of the top spot at the box office. I’d put money on it. Am I looking forward to the inevitable sequel. Pleasantly, I am, though I also think Lerman might make a pretty good Peter Parker for the new Spiderman reboot that Sony’s been throwing around lately. I hope he and his agent can pull a Ryan Reynolds and get him 2 major franchises in simultaneous development because I think the kid has real talent. Don’t bother trying to remember the whole title, just tell the lady at the counter that you want to see Percy Jackson and that you also need a bucket of popcorn and a large soda. You don’t even need to thank me.