Unstoppable (2013) User Reviews

A total waste of time and money.

[inspectorjavert-801-22902 · 2/10 · 25 September 2013]

The adverts and trailers intrigued me, as I have often wondered why God allows bad things to happen to good people. I have heard so many opinions and views from so many people on the topic and thought I would give it a shot.

The first 30 minutes were simply advertisements for Liberty University, a song by a woman that wasn't very good, and a few other speakers that really had nothing to do with the movie itself.

The movie, was finally being screened, was just a brief video representation made based on Genesis. I can tell you right now the question was NOT answered in any way. I get the feeling this was just Kirk Cameron trying to make a few bucks for his family of 6 kids and for $$ to put gas into his huge SUV. Other than that, this was a waste of time and money, and from the reaction I heard from the sold-out theater as they left the screening, I was far from alone in my view.

He Meant Well But Kirk Cameron Didn't Deliver

[Unlimitedmovies · 2/10 · 4 October 2013]

We knew this was a documentary and not a Christian movie like Fireproof. What it looks like is a long commercial for Liberty University and a well-meaning but undelivered movie about crisis in faith. At the beginning Kirk is talking with two administrators with Liberty University. The best part is next: a Vietnam Vet in a wheelchair and the father of a Navy Seal that died in Benghazi share their faith experiences. Then a guy plays a beautiful song. After that the "movie" starts and the boredom begins. I really wanted to like this movie and support this Christian film but I feel that their attempts to film it in an "edgy" style made the movie drag terribly. There were lulls in the film, such as when Eve is getting ready to eat the apple and when Cain is killing Abel. I was getting restless with boredom. I know that Kirk can do better than this and I'm sure his next project will be more developed. He meant well...it just didn't work for us.

Don't necessarily agree, but still interesting

[tinyfordst · 5/10 · 19 June 2017]

First of, this is not a movie, nor is it a documentary, this is simply a sermon like feature where Kirk Cameron tells the story of Creation and the bigger plan behind it all from the eyes of a Calvanist.

Now for someone like me who does not agree with Calvanists at all, because I believe in Liberal free will, this "sermon" did not make that much of an impact, but that does not at all mean that I didn't learn anything from it. In fact Kirk Cameron approached a question (which should not be a question in my opinion) with love and in a way that most Calvanists cannot even imagine to do.

The question is "Why does God let bad things happen to good people" and any Christian who has ever opened a bible would know that there only ever was ONE good person, and He volunteered to let the bad happen to Him. So that's the answer, bad things don't happen to good people, they happen to bad people. But Kirk doesn't conclude with this. Rather he tells the story of creation and by removing free will from the first sin, he makes a good attempt to answer the question with the conclusion that EVERYHING that happens is because God has some end plan He wants to reach.

Even though this is a lazy way of living and thinking, because it implies that Jesus went against The Father's will when He healed the sick and raised the dead, Kirk did make an interesting case that helps us see exactly how the Calvinist views God.

I bought the DVD, watched it, and I'm glad I did. Don't think you are buying a film though, it's a mini sermon inside of a Liberty University awareness campaign. Be warned

Opportunistic despite his probably well-intended reasons

[magnus-vertruger · 1/10 · 26 December 2016]

This film is from the same person who made that movie about the saving Christmas, which was supposed to be about a war against Christmas --- that doesn't exist.

Now in this film, based on the review and summary I read, is using a death of a friend/family and leverages the tragic situation to proselytise Christianity.

I don't know if the rumours are true, that this Kirk Cameron was an ex- atheist... but whatever his reasons are for falling into the abyss of Christian ignorance I can safely bet that it is not because he found factual, empirical evidence that firmly supports the Christian belief. (Dust-man, rib woman, talking snake, desert wanderers, virgin births, 'resurrection', etc. --- and an existence of an all-knowing, creating- everything sky father who is seemingly very obsessed with how hairless apes living in a very, very minuscule piece of rock in a +13 billion light-year-wide universe... use their genitals).

I don't know. I don't think even a modestly educated Christian can enjoy this movie. I think only people similar to the director himself - who believes this earth is only 6,000 years old and other creationist nonsense - will enjoy this movie.

Unconvincing.

[Java_Joe · 1/10 · 21 March 2019]

Kirk Cameron likes to say that he used to be an atheist because that's what he thought smart people were. However he became a born again Christian when the father of a girl he liked took him to church and he did it because he liked her. That girl's name was Chelsea Noble and he later wound up converting and marrying her.

Here's the problem, Kirk isn't exactly the smartest guy in the world and it's obvious his conversion was one part due to him wanting to get in his co-star's pants and another part that is he's easily led. After all, he went to church, felt guilty of the things he did and eventually converted. But what if the woman was Jewish? Or Hindu? Or Scientologist? Or, shock of all shocks, a Muslim? Would he have converted to one of those religions as well? I'd like to think so and if the multiverse theory is correct that means that in some other Universe Kirk Cameron is chumming around with Tom Cruise and trying to protect the world from the evil Xenu.

The movie itself is pretty silly. It boils down to, "This is God's will, his ways are known only to him, he has his reasons for doing what he does and we only find out about them after we die." So if you die without knowing God he doesn't want to know you and you burn for eternity in a lake of fire for believing in the wrong God or wrong version of him.

It's not deep. It's not interesting. And above all else, it's not compelling. I am an atheist but one thing I would love to see is a Christian movie that doesn't preach to the converted like this one and so many others do. I'd really want to see one that is designed to change hearts and minds and not just go on about stuff we all know and weren't convinced of the first hundred times we've seen it.

So if you're a born again Christian and you want to believe you made the right choice, this is the movie for you. But if you're anybody else, don't bother. It's not worth your time and you'll walk away feeling the same as you did before.

Great Job Kirk

[wqjfkxxjiz · 10/10 · 1 February 2021]

Dear Kirk, I just recently purchased your movie. I think you did a wonderful job. I would love to see another movie from you. I am so sorry for the children that are sick but they are so lucky to have you and your wife to help with them! I use to work in healthcare and they need people like us who love and care about them while they are here on earth to care for them! God rewards the good people! But I want to say thank you for this uplifting show As I greatly enjoyed it! Godbless you and your family!

Theologically Solid...Which Means Nothing to Many

[jameswsouthard · 8/10 · 8 July 2015]

Imagine creating a reflective docudrama (it seems to be something like that) for a person likely to consider going to a Protestant seminary or Bible college. Well, that's a noble thing on face value. But what kind of review on IMDb could one expect? That's probably the best way to frame "Unstoppable." Apart from a massive spiritual awakening, the film was destined for meager critique kudos.

But for those curious about a question as old as, "Why did this bad thing happen," and for those who are curious about what the Bible says about that--for someone prepared to wade through the inevitable complexities and theological nuances--this is a pretty darn good effort.

Let's be fair, most theology comes from talking heads. Most efforts to indulge in the most basic questions of life are either vague, artful pondering from dramas (as old as Job) or they're deadly dronings from puffy-haired evangelists or monotone professors yapping. This is neither.

God's redemptive history is not going to be easily packaged in a digital wrapping with the pace of Transformers or Jurassic World. It can't be. It never will be. But if I have to ponder, muse, reflect or meditate on personal loss, this does as well as anything at straddling that line between style and substance. Frankly, the topic has more substance than most people want to digest, but I have a feeling that Kirk Cameron and John Bona understood this going in.

The answer to the question of "why bad things happen to good people" is found in stepping back and defining, "good" and "bad." From a Christian perspective, much of that is found in the book of Genesis--a colorful, gritty and profound story of human beginnings. And if you can't stomach that, you won't like this. If you aren't the kind of person who can spend an hour in a church services, you won't get this. Let's face it, most Westerners don't go to church anymore. So, what could we expect from this effort.

At any rate, you cannot deny a man his personal story. You can't invalidate the reality of his pain, his confusion or the resolution he finds. I respect Kirk Cameron for this effort--a visually compelling, but difficult reflection on an essential human question. May we all learn to spend more than 10 minutes a year on such questions and may we have men and women willing to help us do so.

Faith and the Human Condition

[sdebeaubien · 8/10 · 17 October 2013]

My wife and I went to see this on a very difficult day. We had found out just that day that her niece had passed away. Our grief was very palpable as we watched this movie, and though we had many tears and wept along with the various parts of the movie that dealt with death and dying, we did hear the message that Kirk was laying out for the audience.

The "Journey" starts at the beginning, because that's simply what all who become Christians come to understand at some point in their walk with the Lord: That the beginning of the Bible, God's letter to us, lays out the groundwork for everything else that comes after it. The Book of Genesis is indeed a book about beginnings, and has as much relevance today as it did 3500 years ago when it was first written down.

This is the "Spoiler" part for those of you who have not seen the movie. If you're a Christian then you'll forgive me for going into it and "Giving away" the ending. But the answer to why bad things happen to good people, or the reason why if God is good, why bad stuff happens is simply the fact that there is sin in this world. There was originally no sin, and humans, specifically Adam and Eve lived in perfect communion with God. It was evil that crept in, and tempted Eve to eat from the forbidden fruit, after which all of creation was messed up and subject to the ravages of sin and death ever since.

What the non-Christian can never understand is why God would write down this silly sounding story about it if he didn't intend to do something about it. And that, again, is entirely the point. God _did_ something about the failure, and ultimately He considered it His failure so He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross at Calvary to take the penalty for all our sin - on Himself - so that we could be restored to perfect relationship with Him. We won't be perfect of course until after we die and live eternally with Him. But Hallelujah - the message of the gospel does explain why bad things happen, as well as provides the answer to all that bad stuff that we can have now, here, today.

That is not a complete gospel message, and the film does not claim to make anything like a gospel presentation, nor does it. If you wish to hear the full gospel, may I suggest you head on down and talk with a Bible believing Pastor at any Evangelical church and find out for yourself if this amazing story could be true.

I liked the movie very much, and I give Kirk Cameron a lot of credit for the work he did on this movie. It is not perfect by any means, but it is far better than average in terms of good Christian messages in any movies out there. The subject matter is difficult - even for Christians - to deal with. Most folks would rather pretend sin didn't exist, and that it's not really a problem. Well, for those of us in the U.S. it may not be, we have so much wealth and prosperity already. It's difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God Jesus told us.

The reason why is because the wealthy have no need of a "Savior" they already have all they need. Most of those out there who thumb their noses at God and desire to live their own life-style pretending that God doesn't exist are essentially telling everyone they have no use for God either, they're happy to self-medicate and keep pretending that judgement isn't coming. I hope that works well for those of you out there living in your dreams.

I could go on, but I will leave you with some curiosity so you can explore these ideas on your own.

Respect his work

[showroomclanton · 10/10 · 25 August 2015]

Kirk Cameron , once atheist, who became a Christian, has devoted his life to the gospel of Jesus Christ. His heart is for the lost and to proclaim the truth of the gospel. There is more to life than living for the moment. We are eternal beings and our soul will never die. There is judgement after this life, but God wants for none to perish but ALL to come to the knowledge of Him and his grace and mercy and eternal love He has for us .

Kirk has done an excellent job in this , and other movies that lead us to think more about the eternal part of our being and to make a decision to see the truth, before it's eternally too late. Thank you kirk for making a difference!! A light in a darkened world!!