Unstoppable Is Blowing Up the Prime Video Top Charts, but Is It Really Worth Watching?

The crisis of ideas in Hollywood is obvious, but it has hardly affected the sports movie genre. Every year, the release calendar is filled with projects about athletic achievements.

During production, Amazon MGM's new film Unstoppable captivated with its central character, Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and managed to become an NCAA wrestling champion.

Despite attempts to give Robles depth and make him truly interesting, the creators of Unstoppable settled for a cliched presentation, a series of stereotypes, and a lack of enthusiasm for their own material.

What Is Unstoppable About?

In 2007, Robles graduates from high school, and despite his physical limitations, he easily defeats his opponents in the ring, but he clearly wants more. Ignoring offers from less prestigious colleges, Robles makes his way to the University of Arizona team under the guidance of coach Shawn Charles.

The road to the championship proves difficult, especially when chaos reigns at home: Anthony's mother is in a toxic relationship with his stepfather, there is barely enough money for food, and there is nothing to pay the mortgage.

Robles' only support is his siblings: one even says that before going to bed he asks God to cut off his leg – if only to become as successful and strong-willed as his brother.

Unstoppable Has No Dramatic Depth

The real Robles threw away the prosthesis at the age of three and decided to do everything on his own. In Unstoppable, this fact was left out because Robles himself repeatedly insisted that people ignore his limitations and perceive him as an equal.

A commendable, respectable tactic, but as a dramatic unit, Robles disappears almost immediately. The element of the main character's exceptionalism is lost: the audience is left guessing until the end about Robles' professional skills that led to high results, but is never given a clear answer.

The movie moves mechanically from the ring to the house, from the house back to the ring, and all the domestic quarrels and shared pastimes look simply fake. The very life that hardened Robles is practically absent from the movie.

Unstoppable's Only Advantage Is Jharrel Jerome's Performance

Only the lead actor, Jharrel Jerome deserves praise: the star of When They See Us and I'm a Virgo has long been ready for the big screen; Unstoppable is clear proof of that.

His performance as Robles proved to be as multifaceted as the predictable and simplified script allowed.