Rush Review

Fast-Paced, slick, thrilling, and entertaining. Hemsworth goes from a hammer to a Formula 1 race car. 

From Ron Howard, Oscar-Winning Director of great films such as A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon, and Apollo 13, comes this sports drama that surpasses all other films this year in every way. Not only is Rush the best movie this year, which it definitely is, but it also happens to be the best sports drama ever made in my eyes. Let me start off with saying I'm not a real race car kind of fella. The sport has never intrigued me; it's really kinda plain. So, naturally, a movie about two race car drivers and their feud wasn't a film that topped my watch list. Thank god I gave it a chance. You don't have to be a race car driving fan in order to like this movie, you just have to like good drama, well thought out characters, and flawless direction; which this film has and then some. Ron Howard has always been one of my favorite directors of all time (yes, I forgave him for The Dilemma), and seeing him put together this masterfully crafted film is encouraging. I've seen a lot of films in my time, and no matter how good a movie is, there are always one or two scenes in it that I would have preferred was left out. Rush is one of those rare movies that lacks those kinds of scenes. Every scene is relevant, and each scene is well-paced. This movie does NOT drag on. Every single scene is probably under 2 minutes, it gets straight to the point. All traits found in a well-directed motion picture. The two leads do a great job as well. Going in, I had never even heard of the names James Hunt or Niki Lauda. The commercials heavily implied that their rivalry was infamous and renowned, yet I've never once heard of these two guys. Yet, coming out of the theater, you feel like you've been following this rivalry for decades. They really feel like flesh and blood characters; they have understandable motivations and interesting philosophies in life that were bound to clash. While all of the acting, directing, and writing were great, there was one particular aspect to Rush that truly stood out- The driving. Like I said before, I've never watched Formula 1 race car driving or any kind of race car driving for that matter. The concept is very dull and tame, but that is definitely not the case here. There was something about the cinematography, the slow-mo shots, the music; it all came together so perfectly that even before the wheels start turning you were breathless. I've always heard the expression that a movie could "keep you at the edge of your seat". In all my movie-watching experience, that expression only qualified in 2 different movies. 2012 Best Picture-Winning Drama Argo was the first time a movie literally brought me to the edge of my seat, and I'm happy to say that Rush is that second experience. Overall, Rush is a very well put-together motion picture filled with interesting characters, intense and entertaining sequences, and stunning cinematography/directing. A.K.A.- Why you go to the movies. Final Grade - A-