Rush

After writing about a lack-luster movie yesterday, I figured it would be in good form to focus on a film that brings a quality effort to it.  The day has been a good one full of beautiful sun, homemade bread, great conversations, and Conan the Barbarian.  Don't worry, I won't be reviewing that one today.  To honour such a great day (minus the Conan part), I will be reviewing a movie that has scored well with critics and has some mild Oscar buzz around it.

Rush is Ron Howard's latest directorial efforts, and is his first independent movie since Grand Theft Auto in 1997.  It is hard to believe that a movie attached to such an iconic director would need to seek its own funding, but that is the blockbuster and sequel dominated world in which we live.  The movie focuses on the real life racing rivalry between British driver James Hunt and Austria's Niki Lauda, primarily around the 1976 Formula One racing season.

One large step in the right direction for this film is the casting of the main characters.  James Hunt is played by Chris Hemsworth, who is starting to show that he will become a great force in Hollywood.  Hemsworth does a wonderful job catching the playboy lifestyle and the philosophy of danger, risk and improvisation.  This personality is completely contrasted by Daniel Bruhl as Lauda, a man who is about study, numbers, and a meticulous precision in the details.  The film follows the progression of both drivers, and the real power is when they are in scenes together as they have such a chemistry of loathing and competition that is compelling and makes us feel the true dimensions of their rivalry.

As I mentioned, the movie focuses on following both characters and that was a bit of its downfall for me.  It first introduces us to the characters in 1970, and then takes us through the next six years in the lives of both drivers in order to set a backdrop for the 1976 season.  It is an incredibly ambitious task that was attempted, and I did find it rushed at times (pun kind of not intended).  At other times I was left not sure how the reality of their assension from Formula Three to Formula One happened, and the logistics around it.  I really enjoy a story that leaves me with an understanding of something that I was previously ignorant to, and I left still feeling ignorant as to how someone truly gets to Formula One.  It was addressed, but as mentioned, felt rushed and not completely fluid.

That is the only real complaint I could have about the film, it is just unfortunate that it took up half of the movie.  The second half was the nitty gritty around the 1976 season, and it was a visual and audio masterpiece.  The sounds of the cars were captured so magnificently that I felt like I was transported to the pits of the race track, and there was a moment where I could almost feel the exhaust from the engine ruffling my hair.  It is not just that it was loud, but the way the audio was portrayed that caused a sense of being right next to an engine that was boiling over with horsepower and excitement to be let loose.

The visuals were just as great as the noise.  I saw a number of big budget movies this year, and their over use of CGI left me desiring something that looked authentic, and Ron Howard provided just that.  It was thrilling seeing the driving sequences, and that helped build the adrenaline that was already riding on the storyline that was emerging through the races.  The sets and outfits should be mentioned as well, as they were useful in teleporting the audience back in time.

At the core of this film was a story that proves that life can write crazier narratives than authors would dare.  The pure drama that unfolded during that season is something that seems almost too contrived for a movie, and made for such an intriguing and emotional story that was exhillerating as the cars that carried the stars.  It is an excellent showing of why people watch sports.  Sports tell small little stories at each event, but every so often there is an overarching narrative that trancends the spectacle and lives on in history.  When such a thing happens, we are gripped, pulled in, and left to be thankful that we lived during something that will become timeless, something that we will be talking about for decades to come as both technical brilliance and the fates collided to weave a drama that cannot be forgotten.

Rating - 3 out of 4 Stars