REVIEW:
Blu-ray review: Rush
(Hopscotch, R13)
Reviewed by Chris Gardner
James Hunt was a household name in 1970s Britain. Rush explains why.
This film, from veteran director Ron Howard, tells the parallel Formula One stories of James Hunt and his Austrian rival Niki Lauda as they jostled for poll position.
Only one could become World Champion in 1976.
It’s not the first time Howard, famous for a role in Happy Days, has tackled a true story. Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind are prime example of his work, and Rush is every bit as good as those films.
As much as Rush is for petrol heads familiar with the intimacies of Formula One racing, it is also for history buffs, and those who enjoy a rollicking good story..
Howard tells a story of two completely different men who go after the same dream – one has the world champion title, the other wants to claim it for himself.
Hunt, played with panache by Chris Hemsworth, was a tall, blonde, good looking driver who was renowned for tanking up on drink and drugs before taking to the track. And he was an untameable playboy. The film gets its R13 rating from a couple ore three sex scenes Howard has thrown in to show how Hunt was with the fairer sex.
Lauda, represented in Rush by German actor Daniel Bruhl, was a short, dark, clean living man who was so single minded that he was unpopular with most.
For petrol heads the best bit will be the original Formula One cars of nearly 40 years ago zipping around the distinctive tracks which made the sport so darn dangerous.
There’s some wonderful high definition footage here which makes you appreciate just what was at stake.
But for me the best bit was the people aspect. How these two rivals started almost hating each other, but ended their race as more than friends. As brothers in arms.
Several behind the scenes extras help round this release off.
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