Rush (2013)

2013’s Rush (which I always want to call “Crash,” b/c of all the wrecks in trailer) is beautiful to look at. Director Ron Howard (the Paper, Night Shift, Frost/Nixon, Apollo 13) has loaded the screen with plenty of bright, oversaturated colors, lightening-fast cars, and unusually handsome people. There are views from inside cars, inside helmets and even inside the engines. Everything zooms around the screen.

The story’s details a rivalry between Formula 1 drivers: Britian’s roguish, impulsive ladies man James Hunt (Thor’s Chris Hemsworth), and the coldly calculating, orthodontally-challenged Austrian Nikki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl of Inglorious Bastards). It’s a fairly traditional tale, where the former is a happy-go-lucky, reckless free spirit, in contrast with the latter, who believe in laser focus to his craft, a strict training regimen, and the benefits of science.

We see the pair rise up through the ranks, ultimately establishing themselves as the top two drivers in the sport. The gregarious and outgoing Hunt is well liked within the racing community, by the media, and especially women. A surly, isolated loner, Lauda is all about his job. He doesn’t have time for the extracurriculars, even if it makes him unpopular.

Danger’s a given in this sport. The fact that every season drivers will certainly die steering at outlandish speeds around twisty race tracks, is just the cost of doing business for these men. Hunt seems to shrug at that reality, preferring to instead floor the gas pedal, drive fearlessly, and let the chips fall where they may. Lauda believes it foolish to try and win races if the cost might be your life.

Like Avatar, I was more impressed with Rush as a technical achievement than entertained by it as an film. The visual effects are seamless and convincing. Twisted metal and resulting fireballs look life threatening. Crashes feel real and frightening. Unfortunately, I didn’t care much about the characters. Lauda’s not really a likeable guy, which makes it hard to root for him when he faces adversity. Hunt is a big lunk, who seems to have more of life’s benefits that perhaps he deserves.

Rush is a rivalry sports film, like Rocky or Hoosiers before it, but with a little morality thrown in to provide depth. We’re supposed to like Hunt because he’s outgoing and affable, if kind of a dim bulb. Lauda is unapproachable and taciturn, but not such a bad guy either, when it comes down to it. Their rivalry moves from competition, to grudging respect, to friendship, as most films like this usually do. Unfortunately, the watching ti happen isn’t all that memorable, and as such Crash (I mean Rush) hasn’t stayed with me so much. It’s lasting impression is as fleeting as the cars that blur past the camera. It’s racing scenes are thrilling, as much as cars driving very fast in circles can be (Americans don’t really care about this sport the way Europeans do). The drama, not so much. Also, the score I found distracting, because the main theme sounds almost identical to the one from HBO’s NFL series Hard Knocks series. Rush is an easy effortless 123 minutes to sit before. Unfortunately, like Chinese food it’s great in the moment, but soon leaves one wanting.