An Adrenaline Rush

Rating: 8/10 (28 August 2017)

A great rivalry thoroughly dissected and cunningly brought to film. The first scenes were cleverly written and directed to introduce to us our two protagonists. Just a little over 5 minutes into the film and we already know what kind of people James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Nikki Lauda (Daniel Duhl) are. So much so that after James Hunt is making out and having shower sex with Nurse Gemma (Natalie Dormer), we don't expect to see her again. And Ron Howard does well to let it spontaneously pass and not fuss over any details because letting it pass like that further builds Hunt's character.
More importantly, however, is the build of the rivalry between Hunt and Lauda. Chris Hemsworth delivers by far his best performance in perfectly depicting Hunt's arrogance, cockiness and charisma. Daniel Bruhl also does a fascinating job in portraying Nikki Lauda. While the two characters may be on opposite ends of the spectrum, their rivalry pushes them to evolve and be anywhere on the spectrum if it means winning. While their fundamentals and core foundations do not change, everything else does. As these changes unfold the rivalry becomes stronger and stronger and the races ever more intense.
The cinematography is notable and was indeed complementary to this film's immersion especially on the race track. The races were shot splendidly and conveyed the tension, ferocity, and thrill of the races. The brief shots from the driver's helmets were brilliant and gave the audience a feeling of subjectivity.
I've seen a couple of movies that featured races and such, but never did any give me such an adrenaline rush. This, I think, is the result of amazing camera-work, powerful performances and of course masterful directing.