Rush (2013)

Director: Ron Howard
Story: Peter Morgan
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl
Music: Hans Zimmer
Time: 123 minutes
Bottom-line: High octane thrills, from start to finish

One of the most un-recognised films of 2013, Ron Howard’s sports drama Rush is based on the true story of the rivalry between F1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. I couldn’t believe that the film wasn’t nominated for even one Oscar, as I found it better than many of the other nominees. Chris Hemsworth and German actor Daniel Brühl star in the lead roles. Rush is a 123 minute non-stop roller-coaster ride.

1970, Formula 3 – James Hunt (Hemsworth) is an arrogant, strong and sexy F1 driver from England. A new opponent from Austria, Niki Lauda (Brühl) collides with him on track. Lauda goes off the race, while Hunt manages to win. From there begins the rivalry among the two F1 drivers. Unlike Hunt, Lauda is a calm, methodical, calculating genius, who relies on precision. In the following years, both drivers win all the Championships among them, and as their rivalry goes to higher levels, their personal lives fall apart. The main focus of the story is the 1976 Formula One season, which proves to be life-changing for both the drivers.

Hemsworth as James Hunt

This is one of the best sports films I have seen, and one of the best ever made too. Peter Morgan and Howard have done superbly to capture all the race track tension, the raw emotions and the whole atmosphere of any F1 competition, and bring it to the big screen. Perhaps the only thing that acts as a speed-bump is the romance between Hunt and Suzy (Wilde) and between Lauda and Marlene (Lara), but keeping in mind the thrill the film provides, I guess a little time can be given for the romance (which also plays an important role in the lives of the racers).

Hemsworth and Brühl are simply brilliant as Hunt and Lauda. The former is perfect for the role, with a charming look and the muscular build required for a racer. Brühl is equally good, and this film might bring some much needed attention. I have seen him before in Inglorious Basterds, in which he has a small role, but his performance in this film was outstanding. He too, perfectly fits into the role, with his German accent and looks (towards the end you can see the resemblance between Hemsworth and Brühl and the actual racers Hunt and Lauda, who are shown on TV). Both the characters have lots of memorable lines of dialogue as well.

Bruhl as Niki Lauda

I was first introduced to Zimmer in Inception, and I have since seen 7-8 films in which he has composed the score; and my admiration for him increases with each film. The cinematography is perhaps the second best thing, after acting. The camera is placed in the right spot in all the scenes, and the photography is as good as any live coverage. All the races, the accidents, the thrilling finishes are all cleanly shot. In fact, I find Rush to be the second most thrilling film of 2013, after Gravity, and most of the credits goes to the cinematography.

Be it in story, acting, or technical aspects, Rush is a class apart. Non-stop thrills are provided, with all engines roaring. I place Rush third on my list of the best films of 2013, after 12 Years a Slave and Gravity. If you haven’t seen it yet, rush to do so!

My Rating: 5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89%