“Everyone’s driven by something…”
Vroom vroom – buckle up for some seriously entertaining race drama action from two-time Academy Award winner Ron ‘A Beautiful Mind’ Howard.
Rush is a full-on spectacular big-screen re-creation of the bitter rivalry between pretty boy English F1 driver James Hunt (Chris ‘Thor’ Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Brühl).
You don’t have to be a fan of Formula One to enjoy this fast and furious action drama powered by both the nailbiting racing and the sexy crackling charisma of Hemsworth, who is on top form as Hunt.
He is ably backed up by Brühl, all icy discipline as Austrian perfectionist Lauda, Hunt’s nemesis on the Grand Prix track.
Howard directs the film with style and heart, bringing to life the period which was arguably the most glamorous and dangerous era of Formula 1 racing.
Rush really lives up to its name, covering the exhilarating true story of how two people pushed themselves to the very edge of physical and psychological endurance in their desire to win.
Everything works to deliver a superb viewing experience. The racing action rivals the excellent Senna for the title of most edge-of-your-seat cinematic ‘on track’ thrills.
The personal lives of the two drivers are fascinating as their chalk and cheese lifestyles offer insights into the driving philosophies of these two legends of F1 history.
There are some great lines in the script, and enough funnies to make you laugh out loud in places, too.
The many love interests of Hunt bring a James Bond-esque playboy element, even though the main females of the film – Olivia ‘TRON: Legacy’ Wilde and Alexandra ‘The Reader’ Maria Lara – play second fiddle to the two men who eat up the screen with their fierce rivalry.
Rush packs real emotion – especially in dealing with Lauda’s near death crash, which sidelined him for many races and gave Hunt the chance to wrestle the title from his grasp.
Both men are flawed but the actors manage to have you empathise with them, all the while leaving you astounded that this is a true story.
For racing thrills there is nothing else out there to touch Rush, and it is definitely a film to be seen on the big screen. You can almost smell the 1970s cologne alongside the engine fumes and burning rubber!