Rush
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara
****
As shown by the electric 2010 documentary Senna, Formula One is the perfect cinematic sport. Glamorous and sexy in the pits, on the circuit there’s adrenalin-fuelled life-and-death drama at every bend. So little wonder Ron Howard’s Rush is such an exhilarating ride.
Like Senna, it hinges on a racetrack rivalry, as the British McLaren driver James Hunt takes on Ferrari’s ruthless, ambitious Niki Lauda during the 1976 season, one of the most dramatic on record.
The Thor star Chris Hemsworth, despite a wavering Brit accent, captures Hunt’s rock-star swagger well, although Daniel Brühl is just as perfect as the more clinical Lauda. Couple this with Peter Morgan’s smart script, edge-of-your-seat race footage and surprisingly unsentimental direction from Howard, and Rush is a rip-roaring experience right up until the chequered flag.