Denzel's adrenaline rush

MANILA, Philippines - Denzel Washington escalates the action speed into 150mph in the heart-stopping movie Unstoppable opposite Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson.

Denzel plays Frank Barnes, a veteran locomotive engineer on a mission to stop a massive unmanned train loaded with toxic chemicals from destroying a Pennsylvania city. As the giant locomotive and its explosive cargo roar through the countryside, Barnes teams up with rookie conductor Will (Chris Pine) to stage a daring rescue mission.

Based on true events, Denzel essays how close to reality is filming Unstoppable in some parts of America and why raw action in the film is better off without CGI.

What was the appeal of this particular project?

“I was somewhat reluctant at first, but he talked me into it. Having seen the film twice now, rough cuts of it, and it’s purely an adrenaline rush. The train is the star of the movie. Chris Pine and I are just hanging off the side of it. I know what’s going to happen and I’m still cheering.” 

Was it a tough shoot?

“It was sad in some ways. There was a scene we shot in Brewster, Ohio and they needed 50 extras and 2,000 people showed up. It was where the old Firestone (tire) plants were. All the steel mills and coal mines are there and a lot of folks are out of work.   I’ve never been to that part of America before.”

How did the people respond to you?

“In the loveliest way. They try to feed you. Man, they like cheese. Oh my goodness. They want to fatten you up. At the hotel this woman brought me this bowl of oatmeal. I don’t need that much oatmeal. It was piled up.”

Does the film embrace technology or is it a cautionary tale?

“This is the kind of movie where you get your popcorn and your soda and cheer for the men as they chase ‘The Beast.’ It’s just a good movie on that level. There’s nothing really heavy about it.”

The movie is loosely inspired by true events. Did you meet any of the men who might have had similar experiences?

“Yeah, we met two guys who actually did this sort of thing. They were living their normal lives and were very happy with their work, but in those ordinary lives they had the opportunity to do something extraordinary and became the better for it.”

Were you hesitant to go from Pelham to Unstoppable?

“Absolutely! I said, ‘Tony, two train movies?’ He said, ‘No, it’s not the same, Denzel, it’s not the same. Come to my office.’ In his office he has like 900 trains, all kinds of toys. I said, ‘Oh okay, you just need somebody to talk between train crashes?’ The train really is the star of the movie.”

What is it like for you being the elder on set to the likes of Rosario and Chris?

“Chris and I talked a lot. He’s a bright young star, a very good actor with a great sense of humor. He’s interested in getting better. He’s doing a lot of theater and he had a lot of questions. I tried to answer them, everything from management to how to save your money and plot your career. We got along well.”

What’s the best advice you can give young actors?

“Take your work seriously. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Get on the stage as often as possible; that’s where an actor really learns how to act. All the actors that I really admired growing up or as a young actor were all from the theater.”

Unstoppable opens tomorrow, Nov. 12 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.