15 More Dumb Movies Which Are Secretly Smart
9. Unstoppable
Unstoppable - which tells the story of two train conductors (Denzel Washington and Chris Pine) trying to stop a runaway freight train speeding through Pennsylvania - is one ridiculously great popcorn flick.
It's an exhilarating, endlessly thrilling high-concept thriller that rises high on Tony Scott's smashing direction and the watertight pacing, but what really makes this movie stand out is that it's not just a dumb action film. There's more to it than that, and while the film rightly focuses mainly on giving viewers a great time, it also provides a bit of food for thought.
As well as being an exciting runaway train story, Unstoppable is also an effective cautionary tale of corporate America run amok. Denzel Washington and Chris Pine make for a great pair of action heroes but it's actually Rosario Dawson's yardmaster who emerges as the film's most compelling character, as she tries unsuccessfully to talk down the corrupt corporate overlords who care more about money than about the lives the runaway train has put at risk.
All of this material feels plenty relevant now, as cases of corporate corruption continue to hit headlines all the time. Unstoppable features a satisfying happy ending where the arrogant Vice-President of the train company is fired and Connie (Dawson) takes his place. It's a damn shame this kind-of scenario doesn't happen more often in real life.