Getting a rush from a movie rarely happens these days but when it does, it is something to talk about. “Premium Rush,” starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, is this season’s laugh-out-loud action film. The plot line, while demonstrated in a somewhat cheesy manner, is intriguing and allows for more than enough good humor.
As with any storyline, character development and trials play a key role in capturing the interest of the audience. While the carefree adrenaline junkie, Wilee, is the best at what he does, his people skills lack. He focuses more on the ride of the moment rather than the truth of the future, which proves to be a problem both early on, and later in the film.
A qualm to be had of the film may lie in the constant shift between past and present. This flashback method can be somewhat annoying and pointless to an audience that is not used to it. The mind tends to process things chronologically and flashback moments interrupt that sequence enough to fluster the viewer into missing other points about the story.
The main shift of the film was in the focus on mapping out the scene, literally. In just about every scene, a map popped up on a mobile GPS device directing the characters on the best route. While this is relevant to the story being that the characters are bike messengers that need to find the fastest ways through town, the viewer does not need to see a map every ten seconds.
Maps and flashbacks aside, the action scenes were well played out and there was an effective use of slow motion cinematography. The audience could see the finer details in a better frame and not much was left to interpretation. This included “hypothetical” crash scenes playing out in the character’s mind. While the tendencies leaned towards the gruesome, they were vivid and explained the dangers of the profession in an effective and sometimes comedic way.
The comedy of the film resonated through the characters’ quirks and personal ticks. For instance, the dirty cop’s anger management and lack of impulse control lead to some funny interactions while a bike cop’s frustration kept the laughs rolling. Between the plot, cinematography and laugh-loaded cast, “Premium Rush” is sure to be the funniest action film this season.
Grade: B+
