A Tony Scott film that is pure adrenaline-fuelled, action entertainment.
The premise is simple: a train carrying tons of highly explosive cargo, is hurtling unmanned through America. As the cops, train workers, and a few unlikely heroes try to prevent a major catastrophe, the train makes its way to an overhead bend in the track, where it will most likely derail, and destroy the town of Stanton.
Denzel Washington and Chris Pine star as a train driver and conductor respectively, who are minding their own business as they take one train and its cargo to the next destination. Pine is new on the job, and Washington is nearing forced retirement (almost similar to their careers), so there is more than a bit of tension between the two stars. Once their path is dangerously crossed by the unmanned train hurtling towards them, they become the only ones who can stop it.
It is a brilliant film for anyone who loves tense action films that are unrelenting in their grip on you, such as Speed (1994) or Enemy of the State (1998). For an hour and a half, you will be stuck to your seat and desperate to know what happens. It uses a multitude of filming techniques to build the suspense, such as news footage, overhead shots, and side on camera cars, creating a layered effect.
The performances make this film stand up against other such action films, Washington is his ever-brilliant self, and Pine gives another great performance (watch the newest Star Trek film if you haven't already!).
It will not make you scratch your head with confusion, but it does manage to take an epic story, throw in some pointed comments about the US economy, and make a film that is thoroughly entertaining.
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