Rush

RUSH

Director : Ron Howard

Year : 2013

Genre : Drama

Rating :  ****1/2

 

Telling the true story of the rivalry between the two formula one racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, 'Rush' is a truly thrilling, engrossing and deeply moving film from director Ron Howard. Set during the 1976 Grand Prix season, the movie chronicles the career of two of the greatest racers that have ever existed and while I know nothing about the sport myself, I know the facts about Hunt and Lauda thanks to my Mum, who has something of an obsession for the long haired Lothario  Just like 'Senna' (the best film of 2011), 'Rush' is just as much about determination, self belief and the unbelievable strength of human nature as it is about cars going around a track at death defying speeds. Combining the thrills generated from the racing scenes with the  bitter rivalry of two larger than life personalities, 'Rush' is a completely addictive film that captures both the danger and the perverse life affirming power of a sport that has claimed the lives of many a great driver. Chris Hemsworth is just brilliant as the fearless and headstrong Hunt and Daniel Brühl gives an Academy Award worthy performance as the methodical and careful Lauda. Both actors are brilliant on screen and thanks to the genius of director Ron Howard, they are able to bring out both the good and bad aspects of their characters. Whether you are a fan of formula one or not, I urge you to see 'Rush'; it is a monumental work and one that is sure to feature heavily at next year's Academy Awards as well as my top 10 films in December.

The film traces the career of both racers in equal measure; we follow the explosive antics of Hunt and we also follow the controlled, internal structure of Lauda and in this sense, it is odd that 'Rush' is being billed as a biopic purely about Hunt because it clear watching the film that it just as much about Lauda as it is about him. The story follows their chalk and cheese personalities both on and off the track and while the racing scenes are brilliantly exciting to watch, it is the battle between the two characters that really make 'Rush' stand out as a phenomenal piece of work. What begins as a feud becomes a bitter rivalry; one that shakes the world of formula one and a relationship that shaped the entire 1976 formula one season. Thanks to the fantastic performances from both Hemsworth and Brühl, 'Rush' becomes so much than a standard biopic; it becomes a force of nature that is a marvel to behold.

The racing scenes themselves are as thrilling as anything I have seen in cinema this year and watching them is a very intense and heart stopping experience. Howard understands the overt danger associated with the sport and constantly reminds us that death could be waiting just around the corner for any unsuspecting driver. From the opening shots, we are pulled right into the world of formula one and with the brilliant use of the sound of the engines roaring at a million decibels and the fantastically kinetic camerawork that explores the mechanics of the vehicles as they race at nearly 200 miles an hour, Howard surrounds in both a sonic haze and a visual curtain of gorgeous cinematography. Having never gone to a formula one race myself, I am not familiar with the sounds and the sights of a circuit; but thanks to both 'Senna' and 'Rush', I really don't feel that I need to. The inevitable crash scenes are terrifyingly realistic and the pain that is felt by the drivers is completely palpable thanks to Howard's intense camera work and insistence on extreme close ups. Showing us the burning cars, the battered tyres and the bruised and bloodied bodies, Howard doesn't hold back in portraying the calamities that take place in formula one and for this reason, 'Rush' isn't suitable for those of a younger age and even for me, these scenes were very difficult to watch. 

The combination of Oscar worthy performances, world class directing and a fantastic script by the great Peter Morgan make 'Rush' one of the must see's of 2013. Terrifying, astonishing and downright brilliant, it is a stupendous piece of work that deserves all of the praise in the world. Ron Howard can anger me at times with movies like 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' and 'The Da Vinci Code', but 'Rush' makes up for every bad thing he has ever done. Chris Hemsworth is best known for playing Thor in 'The Avengers' movies but to me, he will be remembered for his astonishing portrayal of one of the greatest drivers the world has ever known, the likes of which we will probably never see again. Utilising slow motion to beautifully haunting effect, Ron Howard manages to emulate the ethereal nature of the bygone days of formula one and thanks to the heartbreaking-ly poignant epilogue read by Daniel Brühl, 'Rush' is a salute to the golden age of the sport and a man who shaped a generation of racing lovers.