For a film about a bike messenger trying to deliver an
envelope, Premium Rush is a lot of
fun. The action is fast paced and well shot and the acting good and sometimes
great. The plot is a little uninvolving but plays second fiddle to the high
speed bike action.
The film opened in the UK the day before I saw it and unfortunately
for a solid and exciting film there were only ten people in the Saturday
evening screening I was in. For a film written and directed by David Koepp, the
man who penned Jurassic Park, Carlito’s
Way, War of the Worlds and Indiana
Jones 4 and starring the hot, new kid on the block Joseph Gordon-Levitt I
hadn’t seen one trailer, poster or review before seeing the film. In a way this
was a good thing as it avoided the chance for spoilers but the promotional campaign
for the film seems non-existent. This is a shame as it’s a decent film and more
people should see it.
The film’s great strength lies in its cinematography. The
camera weaves in and out of traffic on the handlebar of Gordon-Levitt’s bike,
allowing the audience to feel as much a part of the action as possible. Other
cameras show the bikes and cars whizzing past at high speed making the action
look incredibly dangerous. If fact if you see the film and stay for the post
credits scene you’ll be able to see just how dangerous the filming was for lead
actor JG-L. The frenetic action is enhanced with several scenes in which the
frame freezes at crucial intersections. These then take us inside Wilee’s head
as he tries to figure out which route to take through the bust rush hour
traffic. You’ll see white arrows cross the screen to mark out potential routes
and then show what would happen if said route was taken. This was a great idea
and helps to take us into the mind of a seemingly crazy man who is willing to
cycle through New York
at 50mph with no breaks. Another attractive element of the film is the map
which we pop in and out of from time to time to show the route and location of
Wilee as he battles against the clock and a crooked cop.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a character which isn’t a stretch
for him but he plays it well. He is amiable and looks very fit on the bike. Dania
Ramirez also looks fantastic but her role is pretty much limited to looking hot
and shiny on a bike and making sure her nipples are erect when she’s on camera.
Supporting actors Wole Parks and Christopher
Place are fine with Place in particular getting
some good lines and action but the star performer is undoubtedly Michael
Shannon playing one of his trademark mentally unstable characters, something
which few do better. He has the feel of a cartoon villain, like a bad guy from
an old Disney cartoon with his menace, anguish and contorted face. In fact the
whole film has a kind of cartoon feel to it. Shannon
plays Tom to Gordon-Levitt’s Jerry or Wile E. Coyote to Gordon-Levitt’s Roadrunner.
This idea is further expressed by the bike Cop’s hapless attempts to catch up
to Gordon-Levitt who keeps bumping into and then outsmarting him in some of the
funnier scenes.
What lets the film down is the plot. Told in a non-linear
timeline it slowly reveals what Wilee is carrying and why Shannon ’s
Det. Monday wants it. This is a good device for keeping the audience guessing
but there is a huge plot hole. Saying what it is would give away the ending but
it should be obvious to anyone who has seen it. Another problem is that
although the plot is meant to tug on the heartstrings and make you feel for
certain characters I just didn’t. I wasn’t invested enough in the Chinese side
of the story to care what happened and was much more interested in the cat and
mouse thread of the two lead actors.
Overall Premium Rush is
a good action movie which deserves a larger audience than it looks like it’ll
get. The action and cinematography are great, Michael Shannon is outstanding
and it’s always good to see New York
City up close but it’s let down by a flimsy plot.
7/10
GFR 7/10
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