``Unstoppable'' Tony Scott's final masterpiece. A sense of dynamism and reality in a simple structure

“Unstoppable” synopsis

A railroad yard in Pennsylvania. Frank, a veteran engineer, and Will, a novice conductor, team up for the first time and board the old locomotive No. 1206. Meanwhile, at another train yard, a brake operation error occurred. An 800m long freight train pulled by the latest locomotive No. 777 has started running unmanned. Moreover, it is loaded with highly dangerous chemicals and large amounts of diesel fuel, so if it were to derail, it would be a catastrophe. They try everything they can to stop the runaway train, but all fail. The last resort left is to connect No. 1206, which Frank and Will are riding, to the tail end of the runaway train and use the brakes to stop it from running out of control. The fate of everything was entrusted to Frank and Will...

It has been 11 years since Tony Scott passed away at the age of 68.

The 16 feature films he left behind were all richly entertaining, yet possessed an artistry that never cheapened the soul. The so-called saccharine production is completely eliminated, the camera work flies at the speed of light, and the intense drama and action shoot straight into the hearts of the viewers. Even in the world of film, it is rare to find someone who has continued to maintain such an immersive and dynamic style.

``Unstoppable'' (2010) was his final work. There's nothing wasted in the perfect length of 98 minutes, and there's plenty to see. It can be said to be a work that can be watched over and over again and is like a ``textbook movie''.

“Unstoppable” trailer

Index

• Thoroughly portray the “human”
• Mix animal sounds with the sound of a runaway train
• Shoot with multiple cameras with a small number of takes!
• What the stage town reminded Tony Scott of
• A film life that continues to weave “sprinting” and “dynamism”

Thoroughly portray the “human”

Tony Scott was introduced to the script by Denzel Washington, saying, ``I'd like you to take a look.''

Denzel has played the leading role in five Tony films, including this one, so he probably knows better than anyone what kind of style is perfect for this director. As expected, Tony was immediately captivated by the script, finishing it in about 90 minutes, the same amount as the movie itself, and decided he wanted to make it into a movie.

There is no complicated structure in this work. The main characters are men who work in the railroad world. One is a newcomer who just joined the company, and the other is a veteran who is nearing retirement age. Two people, each with troubles in their personal lives, do everything in their power to stop a train that has become Unstoppable on the tracks. While this work is a simple and straightforward action story, it is also clever in that it also serves as a projection of the protagonists as they struggle to control life's unmanageable problems.

"Unstoppable" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

Scott began by taking a look into the world of the railroad industry with screenwriter Mark Bomback in tow. There, he closely followed the staff's work, listened to their daily lives, family lives, and the worries they were having, and incorporated a lot of that information to flesh out the characters.

The heart-wrenching reality that is exuded by both protagonists is a reflection of their real voices and lives. This is not limited to this work. Tony Scott's works always focus on ``human beings,'' but in the process, the story naturally expands into a living creature. It's not that the action is predominant from the beginning, but the process of how you are led to that point and how you arrive at it is what is most important.

Mix animal sounds with the sound of a runaway train