Some
may know the story of the Formula One season in 1976, most probably won’t, but
everyone can appreciate this amazing story. Rush,
directed by Ron Howard, follows two formula one racers, James Hunt, and Niki
Lauda, through their respective careers and intense rivalry. Based on a true
story Rush gives us insight into what its like to be a professional racer and
the mental and physical toll associated with this profession. Director Ron
Howard’s use of montage helps relay the intensity of racing, while the track
acts as a third character, giving us a greater insight into Lauda and Hunt’s
relationship and motivations.
Hunt is the
archetypical party boy, drinking before and after races, keeping girls glued to
each arm, and using his lack of common sense to go faster than the competition
is willing too, constantly risking his life on the course. Lauda is the polar
opposite, early to bed early to rise, Lauda spends most of his time out on the
course practicing or in the garage adjusting his car to get it just right.
The two racers
start off in a low level formula 1 league, the film follows them all the way to
formula one. Once in formula one their rivalry only intensifies, with Lauda
winning a title, forcing Hunt to look in the mirror and determine if its time
for a change in his style. Next season with everything on the line, Lauda
pushes himself too far, resulting in heinous crash. Many think his career is
over however his passion for racing combined with his desire to beat Hunt
brings him back to the track against all odds. The film leads up to one race in
which everything is put on the line and the will of two men is tested.
Competition is the
driving force of the film. The two racers compete with the track, each other, and
death. The city is not a common setting in this film, however in many ways the racetrack
acts as a city of its own. In many city films, the city takes on certain
attributes and acts as another character. The track is dangerous, unforgiving,
and isolates the racers. Hunt is willing to die for a victory, where as,
towards the end of the film, we learn that Lauda values certain things in his
life more than racing. The track acts as an extra character allowing us a
greater insight into the minds and actions of Hunt and Lauda.
The use of
quick-cuts and montage in Rush keeps
the viewer interested and relays the danger of Formula One Racing. Forumla One Races typically take about 90
minutes. In order to capture the intensity in a shorter amount of time, Howard uses
extremely quick cuts, going from track to racer to crowd, etc. He combines this
with montage, creating a montage of quick cuts, which helps recreate the
Formula One atmosphere. Overall Rush is an exhilarating experience with a
strong storyline that keeps viewers engaged and dying to see what happens next.
Directed By- Ron Howard
Starring-
Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt
Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda
Olivia Wilde as Suzy Miller
Year- 2013
Run Time- 122 Minutes
Filmed in- UK, Germany, and Austria
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