James Hunt, played by actor, Chris Hemsworth. Photo: rushmovie.com
Sometimes my inner racer wants to come out. When the freeway is clear and the speed limit is not 25 mph, that little kid inside of me wants to step on the gas and go. This movie reminded me that I appreciate fast cars and skilled driving.
“Rush” came on this past Friday and grossed $10.3 million at the box office over the weekend, according to HollywoodReporter.com, running close with “Prisoners” with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth plays Formula One race car driver James Hunt, who rivaled against fellow Formula One race car driver Niki Lauda, played by Daniel Bruhl, in this movie based on a true story. Not only is the casting of each character in this movie amazing, but each actor’s resemblance to the actual people is unbelievably similar. It blows my mind.
The acting is exceptional. Hemsworth, best known for his role as Thor, and Bruhl, both do a good job bringing to life James Hunt and Niki Lauda and bringing their intense, ruthless rivalry to the screen. Each character has his quirks, and I didn’t really like one more than the other. Throughout the movie I found myself cheering for both characters.
Lauda and Hunt are equally annoying and frustrating to listen to, but both are likable and have some good life lessons to teach. Director Ron Howard also does a phenomenal job formulating a movie that makes every emotion you can think and feel a reality.
Seeing a McLaren, a Ferrari, and fierce racing and crashing scenes, literally had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Despite most of the movie being about racing, that bittersweet battle between the two protagonists is memorable. “Rush” is spot-on from my knowledge of the unforgettable 1976 Formula One world championship. It is astounding how accurate the re-enactment of Lauda’s crash is, down to where the cars landed on the track after the crash.
The Niki Lauda and James Hunt rivalry brings this movie to life. Photo: rushmovie.com
The racing scenes are thrilling, and the sounds of the cars are especially extraordinary. This movie is worth seeing. It’s a little over two hours, but you’d never know, it races by so fast. Too bad we don’t have easy access to one of the race sites.
Really though, “Rush” is fun, exciting, exhilarating, and maybe not a family movie, but a good date movie. It’s not a just for hardcore racing fans; it’s genuinely intriguing for everyone. I’d even pay to see this movie a few more times. You just might leave this movie wanting to race your way back home. But remember, we are all not professional racecar drivers and we shouldn’t be driving nearly as fast as these guys. Still, a person can dream!