Here’s what I learned from two hours of Formula One racing: Formula One racing can be dangerous. That is all.
Cashing in on our newfound obsession with recklessness and fuel consumption, Ron Howard decided to recreate a 1970s Formula One rivalry between two guys I’d never heard of: Englishman James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). Both men were born to extreme privilege and lavish luxury, but don’t let that deter you, they’re also both serious jerks.
Hunt is a playboy. He seems to care little for pretty anything that doesn’t involve having a good time. Hedonism was (more) excusable in the 70s, of course, but for over an hour Thor here still comes off as somebody you wouldn’t rely on to walk the dog properly. Luckily for James Hunt, Niki Lauda doesn’t even come off as human. Ron Howard directs Niki Lauda as bereft of any mechanism that endears one to other humans. He’s mechanical, calculating and demanding all while stating alauda that he’s much better at his craft than his rivals. And he states this often, just in case you weren’t in the room and were
willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He denies the family fortune in order to gamble on his racing career, which would come off as shrewd and fantastical were he not such an arrogant prick — and unemotional arrogant, too; when he tells you he’s better, he is stating fact, not blowing wind. Ugh. Lauda strikes me as the kind of guy who questions why people have sex and is critical of it to boot. Turns out both these men married, however. Go figure.
Rush more-or-less works because within the context of formula one racing, these two were the best in the year 1976; their adversarial relationship was colorful in public and private. I’m not sold that the rivalry was epic or historic, but given time and place, I’m certain they had battles while ignoring the field at large. In between races, they jaw at each other a bunch. Most of the racing itself is helicopter shots of race tracks and fast cars going fast. The technical details are few and strategy is next-to-nil. Shame that EPSN didn’t exist at the time; it would have captured key race moments better than Rush did.
Rush has been Laudad as one of the “great” films of 2103. As great films go, Rush does not cross that finish line. As entertaining films go, sure, it qualifies. Just don’t expect the checkered flag. I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again — ____________ (in this case Rush) is a nice film. It entertained me for few hours, which puts it in a minority. But great? Really? If this film is great, I don’t honestly know what great is.
Formula racers, check that hair
Vehicles, egos in need of repair
Off the track, there’s still a crowd
Just don’t let them speak aloud
They go fast; they make turn
Occasionally, they crash and burn
Rated R, 123 Minutes
D: Ron Howard
W: Peter Morgan
Genre: Rival douchebags
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Formula 1 historians, if only for the desire to confirm/deny.
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Environmentalists
