Superb F1 thrill ride with tight direction and strong performances

Rating: 9/10 (16 October 2013)

Rush - *** 1/2* Ron Howard's Rush dissects the 1970's Formula One rivalry between the brash Brit James Hunt and his complete opposite in the cold and calculating Niki Lauda. The film moves at a perfect pace, providing us with insights into both characters while never painting either of them as a villain or hero in the audience's eyes. The film's major success comes through in the development of it's two core characters, and the contrast Howard places between them as competitors.
The action sequences are incredibly tense and exciting, and yet they never take precedence over the film's central mission of developing the rivalry between these two great men. The driving sequences involve the audience to the point where we develop an understanding for the kind of utter danger these men put themselves in to live out their dreams, as Hunt says in the film of his car, "It's really just a coffin on wheels."
Strong performances from Hemsworth and Bruhl also help drive this thrilling piece of cinema along. Hemsworth certainly impressed me with his brash and overt Hunt, but Daniel Bruhl stole the show for me; his performance conveys the completely mathematical and emotionless nature of Niki Lauda to near perfection. Strong supporting performances from Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara as the men's respective lovers also add to the film's momentum.
Overall Rush is a thrill ride from start to finish, never getting lost in itself and providing excellent character based action both on and off the track. In my opinion this is Ron Howard's best work to date (yes, including A Beautiful Mind!) and a film definitely worth catching in cinemas while you still can.