MovieChat Forums > Unstoppable (2010) Discussion > WTF With That Helicopter Drop Scene???!!...

WTF With That Helicopter Drop Scene???!!!

posted 12 years ago by FattyMcButterpants
20 replies | jump to latest

So they actually get a train IN FRONT of 777, only to try and use it slow down 777 long enough to drop a guy on top of it from a helicopter? WTF? Like 4-5 times they show the Engine being used to slow it down actually sitting flush against 777. What the hell did they need to drop a guy from a helicopter for? They could have just had a second guy on the Engine literally walk across to 777 and shut it down!!! Meanwhile, the guy driving the rescue Train keeps hitting the breaks and slamming into 777, eventually injuring the guy coming down from the helicopter. If they had put a second guy on the back of the Engine in front of 777 instead of in the helicopter, they could have just let 777 push right into it so they could easily walk across to it. No need to try and slow it down. Its frustrating watching that scene and just thinking, WHY ARE YOU PROPELLING DOWN FROM A HELICOPTER!!!! JUST WALK ACROSS FROM THE OTHER TRAIN!!!!

[–] Tech49 12 years ago

Typically Hollywood. Makes no sense at all, only good for the drama. The movie would have ended right there. And it's supposedly based on a true story. I can't believe that stupidity happened for real!

[–] spookyrat1 12 years ago

"WHY ARE YOU PROPELLING DOWN FROM A HELICOPTER!!!! JUST WALK ACROSS FROM THE OTHER TRAIN!!!!"

Some points to consider:

" They could have just had a second guy on the Engine literally walk across to 777 and shut it down!!!"

Your assuming there was a guy on the second train who was happy to do that with the train speeding along at 70m.p.h. Not every one is brave like Chris Pine.

Or may be you're suggesting the guy drop from helicopter, land on the engine in front then step across. I don't think landing on the engine itself was as easy as landing on a carriage or tender. Notice he didn't try to drop straight on to the 777 engine.

Sorry Fatty you haven't stopped me in my (railway) tracks with this one.

[–] FattyMcButterpants 12 years ago

Not sure I follow you here. Why wouldnt I assume there would be a second guy to walk across from the front engine to 777? Do you think the guy driving the front train and the guy dropping from the helicopter are the only two people willing to help stop 777? How about instead of putting one guy in the engine to slow it down, put two or three? It wouldnt even be that dangerous because once 777 runs into the engine in front of it, it would be smooth railing because 777 would just be pushing it like one of its own cars. It would be a piece of cake to walk across. Or how about instead of dropping a guy from a helicopter, you just put him in the train slowing down 777 to begin with. No need to drop him down, he could have been on it the whole time.

[–] equalthree 12 years ago

Agree Fatty. Pretty simple really I would have thought.

Also why did Chris Pine have to jump off the train, speed up and get back onto 777 to stop it. Why didn't someone else do that along that stretch of track (I realize they did try earlier but still. Poor Chris.

[–] spookyrat1 12 years ago

"Not sure I follow you here."

I'm not sure I'm following you either Fatty.

" Why wouldnt I assume there would be a second guy to walk across from the front engine to 777? Do you think the guy driving the front train and the guy dropping from the helicopter are the only two people willing to help stop 777? How about instead of putting one guy in the engine to slow it down, put two or three?"

The guy in the second engine "volunteered" to try and slow the train down. He'd diverted from somewhere close by and was a friend of Denzil's character. It didn't work, the train crashed and he got killed. Why would you assume that there was another guy or guys on that same train who would be volunteering to jump between trains and that "it would be a piece of cake" at the speeds they were doing?

"Or how about instead of dropping a guy from a helicopter, you just put him in the train slowing down 777 to begin with. No need to drop him down, he could have been on it the whole time."

To my way of thinking, you seem to be assuming they had a lot more time than they actually did, to try to organise to get someone with the necessary experience dropped on to the runaway train. "Smooth sailing"! "Piece of cake!"???

I thought the narrative set up by Tony Scott was pretty convincing. You clearly didn't, though I still don't understand why.

[–] paveld78 12 years ago

Please watch the movie again.

It is CLEARLY shown that the helicopter drop guy and the frontal braking guy are starting AT THE SAME TIME and FROM THE SAME PLACE. Therefore, why try it with a helicopter in the first place? It would be much safer to load both guys onto the engine, get in front, wait until the 777 touches with this new engine, then jump from the back of "new engine" to the front of the 777 engine, quickly get into the cabin and stop the train.

(As a matter of fact, I don't understand why the conductor of the "forward braking engine" couldn't have done this alone when he saw the helicopter plan failed -- he was still in front of the big train, being pushed by it!!!)

[–] spookyrat1 12 years ago

"Please watch the movie again." Yes, please do.

"It would be much safer to load both guys onto the engine, get in front, wait until the 777 touches with this new engine, then jump from the back of "new engine" to the front of the 777 engine, quickly get into the cabin and stop the train."

You're talking about putting all your eggs into the one basket. All I'm saying is that I can understand them not doing this. They decide to go with a train and helicopter.

"(As a matter of fact, I don't understand why the conductor of the "forward braking engine" couldn't have done this alone when he saw the helicopter plan failed -- he was still in front of the big train, being pushed by it!!!)"

Read back through the postings. I think this has been suggested before. My response to that is that the forward breaking train didn't have a volunteer who wanted to do that. The driver was a volunteer and friend of Frank's.The runaway after all has a huge mass and is travelling at 70 mph+. I think I said rather flippantly earlier, that there was no one as brave as Denzil or Chris on that train.

It's clear to see in the movie that Frank and Will have doubts the forward breaking plan will work any way, though they hope it will. But it doesn't.

Let's be clear here.

I'm not saying that any of the outlined scenarios you or other posters have offered aren't feasible.

What I'm saying is that IMO, given the circumstances that are dictated by the movie's plot, the narrative offered by the movie appeared logical enough to me.

It didn't cause me to exclaim "WTF!"

[–] brek_zarith 8 years ago

You seem to suggest that the only reason Judd wants to volunteer is because he's Frank's friend.
I don't believe he even knew Frank was on those tracks at that moment. I'm sure they would have volunteers enough.

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[–] spookyrat1 8 years ago

You seem to suggest ...

Well you didn't read correctly, because I didn't say that and can't see where I wrote that.🐭

[–] brek_zarith 8 years ago

He'd diverted from somewhere close by and was a friend of Denzil's character

The driver was a volunteer and friend of Frank's.

I did read correctly, it's called reading between the lines.
Why else do you keep mentioning that he's a friend of Frank's? It seems like an important fact to you.

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[–] spookyrat1 8 years ago

You seem to suggest that the only reason Judd wants to volunteer is because he's Frank's friend.

I didn't say that and challenge you to quote me saying that. So yes, you do fail at reading between the lines.

Why else do you keep mentioning that he's a friend of Frank's?

Frank mentions it in the film. Why are you so seemingly fixated on them not being friends? Better still, don't reply, as I doubt whether I'd be the slightest bit interested.🐭

[–] brek_zarith 8 years ago

Reading between the lines means I can't quote you.
Why are you so eager to make a complete fool out of yourself?

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[–] spookyrat1 8 years ago

LOL! You're already doing a great job of making a fool out of yourself Doofus.

...I can't quote you.

What a surprise! That's because reading between the lines doesn't mean putting words into someone's mouth/post who didn't say those words. Now run along and try to stop taking up the space of more literate posters. You may even wish to start up your own thread seeking feedback on ALL the reasons influencing Judd in taking that last fateful ride.🐭

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

man you really picked the wrong side of that argument Spookyrat.
you ended up keyboard warrioring away defending the ludicrous hollywood bullshit plotholes and illogicalities in the film to the death!

and then you say the other guys ,making a fool of himself!

[–] JonahVarque 11 years ago

Then it would have been a 12 minute movie.

I liked how Captain Kirk got Scotty to transport some of the runaway train cars during the course of the filming. They started with 57 runaway cars. About halfway through it was about 25. In stanton it was about 18 (with no locomotive 1206 at the end of the train). By the end of the movie, engine 777 was pulling about 10 cars. So, Scotty, if you're going to go to all that trouble, why not just transport someone into the cab of Engine 777?

I hope Engine 1206 has now been nicknamed "The Enterprise".

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[–] ralph_2ndedition 11 years ago

They started with 39 cars, and finished with just as many... What movie were you watching?

[–] Pedro_Exit 11 years ago

Still 12 minutes too long!

[–] straightcurve 11 years ago

easily the worst scene in the film. followed up by a ridiculous Hollywood explosion. that's the only part where the Hollywood clichés interfere actually get so stupid that you can't ignore them.

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[–] Mugros 11 years ago

The most pathetic thing about that scene was marine "Ryan Scott". It's a complete faceless role, yet he is even included in the epilogue. I guess Tony Scott wanted to "support" the troops.

[–] Trumerica 11 years ago

Yes it was all for drama. I travel all of the time on the road and would have jumped across even at 70 mph. At first I would have been scared, but I am so used to the road now I am no longer afraid of fast moving vehicles on the interstate.