Rush

“Men love women, but even more than that, men love cars.”

From acclaimed director Ron Howard comes the adrenaline fuelled, ‘Rush’, a film that tells the story of the 1976 Formula One World Championship and the two contenders involved; the enigmatic James Hunt, and the methodical, Niki Lauda. The story hones in on how the attitudes to racing of both Hunt and Lauda differ, as well as illustrating how their personal lives are in complete contrast. However, the end result is that despite their dissimilarities, their skills on the track were regarded as equal, at least for this particular season. Whereas Hunt was the maverick playboy that lived life on the edge, Lauda was the much more reserved and rigid individual who used the science of driving as an art form to racing. He is one of the first of his kind in that respect, going against the grain as far as his wife, Marlene, was concerned, who says of their first meeting that he can’t be a Formula One driver because they usually “...have long hair, are sexy and their shirts are open to here”. Hunt on the otherhand embodied the glitz and glamour of the sport, taking it many steps further with a string of controversial antics that have become legendary in motor racing folklore. He can be better described as the George Best of Formula One, such was his excessive behaviour around sex, drugs and rock n roll.

What I liked about the film is that in the traditional sense of rivalry, one is the hero and the other is the villain. In this case, arguments can be made that both drivers briefly drift in and out of both roles, but never to an extreme, and by the end both are considered respected heroes. There’s a lot of authenticity about the dynamics of the film and how it portrays Formula One in 1976, especially with the use of the original cars that were driven at that time. The use of special effects to highlight how these vehicles moved at high speeds, and how spectacular they could crash also adds to the grit and originality of the film. Lauda has spoken in support of the film’s authenticity, but I do feel that the rivalry between Hunt and Lauda has maybe been overstated. The film portrays feelings of bitterness and hatred, with an underbelly of respect, but Lauda has stated in the past that he and Hunt always had a friendship, the deepest respect for each other and he would often visit him and the McLaren team in the pits. Whereas the portrayal of Hunt seems to be spot on with his cavalier attitude, Lauda was maybe not as serious as the film suggests, "I was not as strict as I appeared in the movie, but I was more disciplined than he [James Hunt] was. I would never drink before a race. Certainly after it; I had to. Every race could have been my last." Lauda has stated.

Whether the feelings between the two main characters have been dramatised or not, ‘Rush’ is a very engaging, edge of your seat thriller, especially if you’re not aware of who was the eventual victor in the F1 championship. Both Chris Hemsworth (James Hunt) and Daniel Brühl (Niki Lauda) are at the top of their game as they play these two icons to such great effect, and the likeness and mannerisms of how they portray both individuals could make one believe they’re actually watching live footage from that era.

I think I’m right in stating that this is the first ever feature film that has brought a factual piece of motor racing history to the big screen, and a great job has been made of bringing the likeness of the 1970s motor racing scene to Hollywood. The viewers get a feel and idea for what it must’ve been like to be in the sport at this time, which carried a hell of a lot of danger compared to modern day racing, and they also gain an insight into the mentality of the drivers who took on this daredevil challenge. It is said in the film by Lauda, “25 drivers start every season in Formula One, and each year, two of us die. What kind of person does a job like this? Not normal men, for sure. Rebels, lunatics, dreamers... people who are desperate to make a mark and are prepared to die trying.” That statement alone epitomises the dangers they faced. However, for every quote of Lauda’s realism of the sport, there’s a quote from Hunt that highlighted the glamorous side of it. He sums it up perfectly by stating, “Niki, don't bring the percentages into this. Don't be a pro. The minute you do that, you kill what's good about this. You kill the sport.” Lauda was probably more right in his assessment considering he bore the brunt of an infamous crash that left him scarred. However, from the safety of our seats at home watching on TV or DVD, one cannot help but feel the attraction in Hunt’s philosophy, which is the alluring aspect that makes the life of a Formula One driver so fascinating and appealing.