RUSH Review: Ron Howard Rev's up the Action!

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Any adrenaline junkies looking for a compelling action-packed film with a dramatic, biographic storyline and brilliantly authentic racing footage…RUSH will surely be a perfect fit! 

Removing the overblown, magnanimous stunts and achingly cheesy speed-is-life lines to rival that of Fast and Furious, Ron Howard introduces us to the world of Formula One Racing – in the disco seventies! Any F1 fans will no doubt be familiar with the film’s two main protagonists: James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Nikki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) but if you’re like me, with the extent of race-car driving being something similar to Disney’s "Cars", don’t worry. This film both thrills and entertains for its fast-paced action sequences and captivating visuals. RUSH portrays Hunt’s and Lauda’s rivalry relationship and their tenacious battle to become champions.  

Within minutes we’re painted a clear picture of British playboy James Hunt’s character: as he arrives at a hospital, still dressed in his racing overalls, to be treated for a crowbar cut for sleeping with a man’s wife. Instantly he charms one of the nurses with his tale and ends up bedding her shortly after. Hunt theorises that the real reason women love race car drivers is because they are so close to death, and that is the real catch. Whether the actual James Hunt who passed away aged 45 of a heart attack, shared this same view is unknown, although the lothario lifestyle definitely surrounded him. Hunt is our typical stereotype. He drinks, smokes and doesn’t take himself seriously; he even wears a patch on his racing suit reading: ‘Sex: Breakfast of Champions’, to which he proudly abides by.

Hunt begins his racing career in the lower leagues, with his team of upper class eccentrics who enjoy caviar and wine trackside. He races near the knuckle and takes any risk to be the best; to the distaste of his Viennese opponent Nikki Lauda. 

Lauda is a more rigid individual, who also possesses an immense knowledge of cars and mechanics. He is a conscientious nerd and an introvert in comparison to Hunt’s brazen 'Mr. Popular' persona. He prefers cars to people most of the time and isn’t afraid of saying what’s on his mind, i.e., when Lauda gets signed to Ferrari in 1974, during track-testing he comments on the car's performance: "Terrible! Drives like a pig…all these facilities, and you make a piece of c*** like this". 

Peter Morgan’s screenplay provides pertinent humour like this throughout, especially track-side where we witness the banter between Hunt and Lauda, calling eachother a-holes and trash-talking to the press. Hunt even nicknames Lauda his “ratty little friend!” The less impressionable elements definitely fall in the scenes away from the track, where the portrayal of Hunt’s and Lauda’s personal life fails to bring much empathy or sentiment. Lauda’s rational character is the refreshing factor of this storyline, straying away from Hunt’s cliched race-car driver archetype. 

As the year’s race by and their careers accelerate, Lauda’s success with Ferrari lands him multiple wins in the 1975 F1 season, meanwhile James Hunt struggles to find a team due to his reckless reputation. Before the start of the 1972 season, Hunt signs with McLaren and we really see the battle for champion intensify. Hunt continues to pile the pressure on as they compete, country after country, facing more dangerous tracks, until they reach the Nürburgring circuit a.k.a The Graveyard. Torrential rain and storms put the track under scrutiny for safety reasons, but after a suggestion from Lauda to boycott the race is ignored, the race goes ahead regardless. This decision proves horrendously perilous for Lauda as he is left fighting life-threatening burns in hospital…

Without revealing any other spoilers, I found myself unexpectedly overwhelmed by the use of lingering slo-mo shots and vintage film-style footage, resulting in this film’s fast-paced, nail-biting action sequences; a credit to cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle who’s skill enables us to be immersed right into the action as if a spectator.

Although we are thrilled and glamourised by motor-racing, RUSH sheds light on the risks both professionally and personally; the dangers and lives of the drivers were an occupational hazard. With today’s car technology and safety functions, we forget that cars were essentially “just a tiny coffin, really” as Hunt aptly encapsulates; a rattling death machine that boys adored.

As a music lover, feature songs such as Bowie’s “Fame” and Winwood’s “Gimme Some Lovin” aided the films duller moments, but Hans Zimmer’s inspiring soundtrack was a fundamental ingredient to this film’s appeal and the beneficial tool to peak them suspenseful scenes. 

The acting is spot-on for both Hemsworth and Bruhl who are enthralling to the audience for their complex yet loveable characters, despite being at either end of the richter scale.

Howard’s directorial career has grown with age and been met with opportunist moments, such as his debut “Grand Theft Auto” which sneaks into this film at times, or the seriously serious "Frost/Nixon" however RUSH is probably some his best work. A film that drives us to the edge with anticipation, ups the gear for performance and steers us into a new direction for action dramas!

Post by Rebecca Jennifer Munns - 16/03/2017