Exhilarating

Rating: 9/10 (29 September 2013)

Chris Hemsworth stars as James Hunt and Daniel Bruhl (whom you may remember as the lovestruck Nazi soldier in Inglourious Basterds) as Niki Lauda, two Formula 1 race car drivers in the 1970s who had a fierce rivalry. It's the classic clash of psychologies setup: Hemsworth is a fun-loving womanizer who races for the thrill, while Bruhl is the strict disciplinarian. There's nothing really surprising or deep about this movie, but, my lord, is it excellent. It's just a great example of straightforward, Hollywood filmmaking, perfectly put together in every way. The racing scenes are exhilarating, but it's really the great lead performances that impress the most. You almost have to hate Hemsworth. How can anyone be as handsome as he is and as good an actor? Bruhl gave perhaps the most undervalued performance in Inglourious Basterds, and this movie proves he ought to be a huge star.