Fantastic ride

Rating: Null/10 (5 October 2013)

Speed. The prestige of the championship. The dance of life and death. These are some of the elements that director Ron Howard explores in his enthralling racing film, Rush. It chronicles the rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the '76 F1 world championships and the effect that the drivers had on each other and the rest of the world. I'm glad to say that this film is a great success and ticks all the boxes in regards to pure entertainment.
The first thing I noticed when watching rush was a distinct stylised filming method. The world of 1976 is represented with an amber tinting, and a layer of gloss on top. The racetracks buzz with excitement, the machines look menacing and the editing is frenetic with quick takes to boost the thrill of the races. The film looks glorious throughout and I applaud Howard for achieving this on such a low budget.
The whole cast play their parts well and I was truly impressed with Chris Hemsworth, who adds a maturity to the role and displays the many sides of Hunt. Bruhl is also fantastic as the cool and calculated Lauda. I read that Bruhl spent time with the now ageing Lauda and learnt his mannerisms and accent to the point, and this is evident in the film.
The pacing throughout was great and the story had a near perfect blend of humour and drama. The dialogue and banter between Lauda and Hunt is scathing and brilliant, representing their ongoing competition on and off the track. The exploration of this rivalry is the films crowning achievement, documenting each characters growth during the progression of the season. The viewer is taken on the journey and forms their own opinions on the different philosophies of both drivers.
Whether or not you are a fan of F1, you will love this film. It showcases the drama, the passion and recreates a bygone era of playboy drivers willing to risk it all. The races are tense and the acting first class. Howard has crafted something special here and I recommend it to anyone searching for a great time.