Unstoppable (1985)

Akira would have handled this with much more subtlety. With Voight’s character, he probably would have spent the final thirty minutes just sitting there in silent meditation, contemplating the sheer pointlessness of existence while knowing full well how grim the end was going to be. 🙂

Solid movie. Honestly, the best part was seeing Steven Spielberg finally step away from this kind of stuff.

But seriously, why on earth don't they just jump off the Speed? It’s a decent enough movie, I suppose, but really, it doesn't amount to much more than that.

Arthur Moore97 said:But seriously, why don't they just jump off the train? Otherwise, the movie is fine, but nothing special.

Narratively speaking: because the Speed character consciously chose death over going back to prison.

In reality: there's a massive chance you'd just tear your body apart jumping from a speeding train. I mean, think about it... 😁

The character design is certainly striking, but I find myself wondering why she doesn't just leap out instead of standing there paralyzed by fear, waiting for the end. Given that there is snow covering the ground outside, a jump would actually be quite safe.

Arthur Moore97 said:I mean, I get the guy's perspective, but why doesn't she just jump instead of sitting there paralyzed, just waiting for death to take her? Besides, there's snow everywhere outside, so jumping would actually be a pretty safe bet...

Have you ever actually tried jumping from a Speed traveling at 93 miles/h onto a thin layer of snow in the middle of nowhere, where you'd have to trek for hours just to reach the nearest town?

Mark Cruz15 said:Have you ever actually attempted to leap from a Speed traveling at 93 miles/h onto a thin layer of snow in the middle of the wilderness, knowing you'd have to trek for hours just to reach the nearest town?

They were facing certain death if they stayed on that train. It stands to reason that taking such a risk was their only logical option. Besides, they weren't always isolated in the backcountry; they passed through areas where people actually lived.

Arthur Moore97 said:They’re facing certain death if they stay on that train. It would be logical for them to take the risk anyway. They weren't always out in the wilderness either; they passed right by people...

You just don't get it; the first half of my sentence, everything before the comma, is enough to guarantee they die. The rest isn't even relevant at this point, but it certainly doesn't make things easier for them. You can't just leap from a vehicle traveling 93 miles/h and expect to walk away. Snow isn't some yoga mat, and it isn't going to cushion a fall like that. Plus, the ground isn't perfectly flat everywhere, so there's a massive chance they'd slam straight into a rock...

Mark Cruz15 said:You aren't quite grasping my point; the first half of my sentence—everything before the comma—is enough to seal their fate. What happens afterward is almost secondary, though certainly not a mitigating factor. You simply cannot bail out of a vehicle traveling at 93 miles/h and expect to walk away. Snow isn't some cushioned yoga mat that’s going to soften the impact, and since the terrain isn't perfectly flat everywhere, there is an incredibly high probability they would strike a rock.

I hear you, and sure, there is a massive risk involved, but at the exact moment they are diverted onto that blind track, taking action would be their only shot at survival. They can't just stand there staring blankly and waiting for the end.

Not quite. Toward the end of the film, if Manny had actually wanted to, he could have stopped the Speed.

The movie is solid. It captures that perfect 80s vibe with a killer soundtrack, and seeing Jon Voight and Eric Roberts together is great, even if the overacting is a bit cliché. The atmosphere is spot on and the cinematography is high quality; some scenes are genuinely impressive.

Sure, there are plenty of logical gaps, but that’s not what ruins this for me. The ending is spectacularly cheesy, yet somehow works. All in all, I'd recommend it—it's a really strong 80s flick.

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He wasn't trying to bring them back to the train; he was out to kill them. He makes that clear during their conversation at the start when he talks about trying to escape before someone else kills them. They have a personal vendetta. When they escaped, he basically said something along the lines of, "I hope nobody finds them before we do." He came there for blood.

In reality, wouldn't it have been smarter to just follow the train and wait for them to crash? Then he could pick off whoever survived. Instead, he threw himself into a life-threatening situation for no reason. If they actually manage to stop the train, then he's the one left in the crosshairs.

My memory isn't exactly crystal clear on all the details, but I do remember walking away thinking it was a pretty solid flick; I've always had a soft spot for Eric Roberts, and Rebecca DeMornay is just absolutely stunning. 👍

Jon Voight plays that grizzled, hardened convict role so effortlessly that it’s hard not to be impressed—I'll definitely be giving it another watch, though I have to admit the ending left me feeling a little unsatisfied. ^^

Michael Ortiz68 said:Is it actually better than Emperor of the North?

Not even close!
If we’re talking about the absolute best movies centered around trains, 😁
Money Train is up there, but that’s more of a subway vibe anyway.

I have to admit, I haven't actually sat down to watch this
Nor have I heard anything about it
And honestly, I’m not sure I even feel like watching it right now

The rating and the overall concept seem decent enough, though

Deckard, Dyma, and Puky Lee are running the show as mods—don't know the first two, my bad!—but seriously, if you mess with Puky Lee, you're asking for trouble.

Dennis Hall41 said:Deckard, Dyma, and Puky Lee. So, these are the moderators. I’ll admit, I don't recognize the first two—my apologies there!—but just a fair warning to anyone thinking about picking a fight with Puky Lee: you’re going to regret it immediately.

So, sure, it’s written to the right, but I can't help but wonder why it ended up in this particular thread—unless, of course, the moderator wiped the original topic and just moved everything over here. 😁

Catch this Sunday on TBS at 8:05 PM