deep character story underneath a fast paced thrill ride

Rating: 9/10 (2 February 2014)

Firstly, I'll just say I'm not a huge F1 guy. I very rarely watch it and when I do it's solely because there is nothing better on. I had only heard of Niki Lauda in passing without paying that much attention to it but this film really blew me away.
The film centres around the two rivals Niki Lauda and James Hunt through the 1970s as they both became famous and known for their intense rivalry for the world championship. This is not usually my type of film, I like suspense thrillers usually involving crime or mystery of some kind. However, the story in this is done so well and you can't help but become engrossed in the lives of the characters. I like the fact that no one is really painted as a bad guy in this film but I couldn't help siding with Lauda throughout most of the film, whereas a friend who saw it with me came down firmly on Hunt's side. I think praise must be given to the developers for this as they ensure that the viewer is always able to empathise with one of the two lead characters be it the fun loving playboy James Hunt or the calculating professional Niki Lauda. This ensures interest is sustained throughout.
The other characters are pretty much left on the sidelines but I never really noticed as the film is solely about the lives of Lauda and Hunt and how they influence each other. I do think the film ended rather abruptly but it certainly prompted me to research around the film a little and any film that can make me want to know more after it has finished must be good in my book.
The directing from Ron Howard was fast and exciting it really helped to create a tense atmosphere during the race scenes but unfortunately made some of the slower scenes feel a little rushed.
Overall, it's hard for me to point out from a cold critical perspective what it is about the film which makes it so good, especially seeing as I have no real interest in the subject matter. However, Rush was a really good film and I enjoyed it from start to finish. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good rivalry with fantastic characters which drive the story. You don't have to be a fan of racing as the race scenes only really seek to build up the tension and tend not to get technical. So sit back and enjoy the Rush you'll get from watching this film.