Unstoppable (2025) - Review

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE remarkable true story of one-legged US wrestler Anthony Robles gets a suitably inspiring movie with the Ben Affleck-Matt Damon produced Unstoppable.

Robles’ real-life journey was notable for just how hard he had to work to overcome prejudice, disability and an abusive step father - over achieving at every point so that his life story eventually caught the attention of former US President Oback Obama, as well as sporting giants Nike.

William Goldenberg’s film is also notable for the way in which it works hard to overcome the trappings of genre convention to be notable in its own right, even when it does still self-consciously tip its hat to other similar movies.

It’s also aided by a top drawer cast, led by Jharrel Jerome (of Moonlight and When They See Us fame) as Robles (laying it all out there with a passion and determination that breeds admiration), as well as Jennifer Lopez (gritty and similarly defiant as his mother), Michael Peña and Don Cheadle (as two of his coaches) and Bobby Cannavale (as the abusive step-dad).

It’s in the character driven moments that Unstoppable really excels, creating a believability that some of its more generic elements could have otherwise undermined.

In one sequence, in particular, Cheadle’s coach tries to persuade Robles not to choose his college because of the quality of those more able bodied students ahead of him - a sequence that shines a welcome light on the unconscious bias exhibited by too many professionals when placing results above nurturing individuality.

For while Robles inevitably proves his coach wrong and goes the extra 10 miles to earn the respect of his peers, affording Cheadle a nice little speech of acknowledgement about how wrong he was to doubt him, it shouldn’t be left to the individual to have to rally against the system. It’s not inclusive. And it will undoubtedly deter and break more talent than it unearths.

Jerome displays humility and indefatigable resolve throughout, as well as a sense of outrage that is palpable during his dealings with Cannavale’s onerous dad (a monster, albeit one scarred by his own abuse), or being there for his mum.

Again, the movie earns its stripes and acclaim during these more intimate exchanges, with first-time director Goldenberg (a long-time editor for Affleck) content to allow time for his characters to breathe. He’s in no rush, particularly as the film opts to focus on Robles’ formative years as opposed to his whole career.

Sure, there are indulgences that you expect from this kind of genre entry: from inspiring musical montages to impassioned speeches and tension packed wrestling sequences (even if wrestling, like football, sometimes struggles to seem as cinematic as, say, boxing).

But even so, Unstoppable isn’t afraid to take some of its cues from Rocky, even visiting some notable Philadelphia landmarks by way of homage.

And, like that film and others of its type, Unstoppable emerges as a rousing ode to triumph over adversity, which carries some all too relevant lessons for a society still working on how to be truly inclusive.