Review of Unstoppable

This gripping suspense tale charts the efforts of a veteran rail engineer (Denzel Washington) and a novice conductor (Chris Pine) to stop a runaway train before it derails on a twisting stretch of track running through a densely populated Pennsylvania town. Though opposed by a scheming railroad executive (Kevin Dunn), the pair are assisted by a competent but overwhelmed yardmaster (Rosario Dawson) and by a savvy federal official (Kevin Corrigan). Bolstered by adept performances and by the amusing asides in Mark Bomback's script, director Tony Scott crafts a diverting entertainment solidly founded on its main characters' heroic selflessness and incorporating themes supportive of marriage and family life. A few scenes of graphic injury, about a dozen uses of profanity, at least one instance of the F-word, frequent crude or crass language. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2010

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Review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

The penultimate film in the wildly successful franchise based on J.K. Rowling's fantasy novels finds the Hogwarts trio -- Harry (Daniel Radcliffe, of course), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) -- on the run, jumping all over Britain to escape the clutches of evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his Death Eaters. As the "Chosen One," Harry is on a mission to destroy evil by locating the paraphernalia which sustains Voldemort, including the three items that constitute the "Deathly Hallows." Director David Yates' adventure mirrors the darker and more violent tone of Rowling's final volume, making this unsuitable for younger viewers. Much action violence with frequent peril, brief partial nudity in a sexual context, scenes of murder and torture, a few vaguely sexual references. A-III -- adults. (PG-13)2010

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Unstoppable

In a 2001 incident that rail enthusiasts call the "Crazy Eights," an unmanned train carrying, along with other cargo, thousands of gallons of a highly toxic compound called molten phenol hurtled through the Ohio countryside for two hours before finally being brought to a halt. That episode provides the factual basis for "Unstoppable" (Fox), a gripping suspense tale that transcends simple entertainment by showcasing altruism in the pursuit of public safety. 
The fictional emergency unfolds across the Rust Belt areas of southern and central Pennsylvania after inept railroad employee Dewey (Ethan Suplee) makes a series of corner-cutting mistakes that leave a 39-car freight train rolling along at full speed with no one onboard. 

Though competent yardmaster Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson) tries to cope with the situation, she is soon overwhelmed by Dewey's lack of candor about the accident and by the wrong-headed schemes of her supervisor Galvin (Kevin Dunn). A smarmy executive, Galvin is more concerned about limiting his company's liability than averting a catastrophe. 

Through a harrowing process of elimination -- early efforts to stop the speeding vehicle result in injury and death -- veteran engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) and novice conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) find themselves the only ones positioned to intercept the runaway before it reaches a twisting stretch of track running through a densely populated town. Should they fail, unlucky train 777 will almost certainly derail there, spewing its corrosive contents and exploding nearby fuel tanks. 

Galvin orders Frank and Will not to interfere, but they persist, aided by the defiant Connie and by savvy Inspector Werner (Kevin Corrigan), a visiting Federal Railroad Administration official. 

The initial hostility that divides the main duo -- Frank resents young newcomers like Will who consistently displace more experienced workers like himself, while Will feels Frank won't give a rookie a break -- is swiftly dissolved by their shared sense of mission. 

Bolstered by adept performances and by the amusing asides in Mark Bomback's script, director Tony Scott crafts a diverting entertainment solidly founded on Frank and Will's heroic selflessness as they put their lives on the line for the many strangers whose well-being is in jeopardy. 

This nail-biter is further enhanced by themes supporting marriage and family. Thus, Will struggles to overcome the consequences of his uncontrollable, sometimes violent jealousy, which has caused his wife to leave him, while widower Frank works to maintain his relationship with his much-loved daughters. 

The film contains a few scenes of graphic injury, about a dozen uses of profanity, at least one instance of the F-word and frequent crude or crass language. The classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America declared that some material might be inappropriate for children under 13.


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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Warner Bros) is the wildly successful franchise film based on J.K. Rowling's fantasy novels. As in Rowling's final volume, the tone here is darker, the action more intense, and the violence intended to shock as the forces of good and evil are set on their inevitable collision course.

The film opens with the fact that the Ministry has been taken over by Death Eaters, loyal to the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Their mission is twofold: Rid the world of Half-bloods (part witch, part nonwitch or "Muggle") and their supporters, and find Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe, of course), the "Chosen One." No one is safe. But the main focus is Harry, and his loyal pals Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), who rally to his side.

Thus, the trio had to travel instantaneously from place to place, to escape the Death Eaters. Harry, Hermione and Ron jump all over the real world, from Piccadilly Circus in London to the Scottish Highlands. Director David Yates (a veteran of two previous Harry Potter films) offers a picturesque travelogue of the British Isles that is a soothing respite from the film's otherwise relentless clashes.

Their travels are not just about escaping Voldemort; our trio is in search of items that can destroy the Evil One, including the titular "Deathly Hallows," three items that, together, make one "Master of Death."

Here, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" ventures into "Lord of the Rings" territory. Like Frodo Baggins, Harry -- all grown up and accepting his destiny -- embarks on a perilous journey to rid the world of evil. But, also like Frodo, Harry is tempted by darkness, as are his friends.

The film offers lessons about perseverance, loyalty, friendship, and self-sacrifice as it builds to a cliffhanger climax.

The magical elements in the script are benign, serving to support the plot, not endorse the evils of sorcery. The romantic tension of earlier films takes a back seat to the action this time, with a few exceptions: stolen kisses, close dancing, and a peculiar fantasy scene, invented by Voldemort, -- all designed to enrage Ron, which it does.

The film contains much action violence with frequent peril, brief partial nudity in a sexual context, scenes of murder and torture and a few vaguely sexual references. The classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America declared that some material might be inappropriate for children under 13.

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