Weekly Review -- Heart and mind

Rush (2013) -- An adrenaline junkie's dream ride. A drama about mortals aiming for immortality. A tale of two men, each one living his passion and searching for truth in his own way. A film that works on numerous levels, Ron Howard's Rush justifies its title with every sequence, its story of inspiration a reminder of why we visit the cinema.

In 1970s Europe, the glamour and excitement of Formula One was addictive and unbeatable, pitting British playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) against cool-headed Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). At times playful and at times ruthless, the men's rivalry is only matched by the amount of heart that each one of them puts into the work, creating blacktop art with every race. As their personal lives get entwined with their desire for speed, both racers are chased by their demons, eventually paying a heavy toll...

Rush is not a film about Formula One racing. It is not an actioner and it is definitely not a stark, academic drama. It is a film about two opposing personalities working toward the same goal, living the energy and fumes raging through their bones. Howard is a filmmaker that recognizes the complex rhythms of unconventional mindsets, and here he explores two polar opposites in the context of constant danger and unforgivable mistakes. The contrast between the devil-may-care Hunt and the methodical Lauda is fascinating to watch, constituting the film's soul. While the impulsive Hunt approaches his job as a lifestyle that may just get him killed, the analytical Lauda views it as a living entity that one has to respect in order to survive. When Hunt charges, Lauda calculates. As Hunt goes through a bevy of women at his disposal, it is the psychology of engines that Lauda is occupied with. Throughout their conflicts and tribulations, their similar backgrounds and unwavering integrity occasionally bring them together and remind them that maybe they could actually share a beer and a few war stories someday. However, just when their encounters start bordering on friendship, another race gets under way to show how great the stakes are, how intoxicating speed is and how Hunt and Lauda's clash is slowly becoming part of their DNA.

The film's vintage cinematography and sharp editing need to be praised, since they are both integral to the experience. Anthony Dod Mantle's (Slumdog Millionaire, Dredd) cinematography makes the film feel like a postcard sent from another time. Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill's editing contributes to the fast pace of the scenes and creates a parallel to the culture portrayed, one that might resemble sheer chaos to everyday people. The two elements work together to add to a narrative that requires no addition in terms of exhilaration, but that certainly benefits from the mechanism of these aesthetics.

In order to flesh out a palpable and cerebral dynamic between the principal characters, Rush needed two actors with wit and magnetism to spare and found them in the form of Hemsworth and Brühl. Hemsworth is pure charisma as Hunt, who lives in the here and now and whose headstrong nature often prevents him from seeing the big picture. Brühl is fantastic as the practical Lauda, who values precision and safety above everything else and for whom winning is simply icing on the perfect cake. It has to be said that the actor's Austrian accent is impeccable and that he outdoes himself in the post-accident scenes. I also really liked Alexandra Maria Lara's turn as Lauda's wife Marlene, whose understanding of her husband's passion is on the same level as her incredible emotional strength.

Rush is one of those rare films that have the capability of appealing to everyone. It is a snapshot of a moment in time that ushered in a new era of image and sportsmanship. Entertaining and smart, it offers courage and vision wrapped up in a compelling duel, ultimately depicting ideals that we should all be striving for.

9/10

Weekly Review -- A time of despair

Speculative fiction has been pretty non-existent in cinema for the past decade. In general, with the possible exception of a few details here and there, this sub-genre has been absent for a while. Enter The Purge, which aims to look at our world's issues through the lens of an autocratic future. Unfortunately, it never manages to get its opinions off the ground, leaving us with a mere shell of a metaphor.

In 2022, the New Founding Fathers of America regime has managed to bring the country's crime and unemployment to a record low. The catch to this utopia is the Purge, an annual 12-hour period during which crime is legal and citizens are allowed to vent anger and hatred through any means necessary. As always, the Sandin family is preparing to sit through the night in their fortress of a home, but when their son decides to let a desperate stranger in, their status changes from observers to targets...

At no point does this film know which direction it is taking. Is it taking the exploitative route, reveling in its own subject matter and escalating into a full-blown, unapologetic slaughterfest? Is it a philosophical piece that utilizes its topic to comment on today's social unease and the state of gun control? Instead of taking a stand, the filmmakers seem confused as to what it is they are attempting to say. A whole lot could have been done with the story and its moral implications. For example, isn't it significant that a gang made up of mostly Caucasians is hunting down an African American man? This element is reminiscent of Night of the Living Dead and its social allegories, but the screenplay completely ignores its potential. The film does tie in nicely with the gun control debate and the prevalence of brutality in "entertainment", but these topics are merely touched upon and not explored. Simply put, the film does not push as many boundaries as it should and, with a concept this powerful, it owes at least that much to the audience.

**HUGE SPOILERS (PLEASE HIGHLIGHT TO READ)**

The plot holes and misses are all over the place. My biggest peeve is the way that the intruders manage to break in. Considering that James had apparently made a fortune selling these security systems, it should take more than a few chains to pull those panels off. Also, is anyone really surprised that the neighbors turned out to be not quite so neighborly? Under these circumstances, no one would be able to trust anyone and everyone would be a sitting duck. Finally, the entire teenage-daughter-in-love element did not work for me. It felt tacked on as an all too convenient way to bring the killing to the Sandin house. I could not for one second believe that the daughter's boyfriend would do what he had done. If the character's motivation had been revenge of some kind, his actions might have been plausible in the context, but deciding to murder his girlfriend's father in cold blood because of his disapproval of their relationship? Even for the Purge, this development is unlikely.

**END OF SPOILERS**

The cast does what they can with a one-dimensional script. Lena Headey shows grit and strength as a mother caught in an impossible situation, while Ethan Hawke is credible as a father who tries to protect his family and Max Burkholder is terrific as a child grappling with adult issues. The film does offer one revelation, in the form of newcomer Rhys Wakefield. Playing the leader of the gang that arrive to claim their prey, Wakefield offers a measured portrayal of a psychotic who has either lost touch with humanity a long time ago or has never had it to begin with. Throughout the proceedings, the character is deceptively polite and charming, needing only one moment to remind the Sandin family to take him very seriously. I hope that Wakefield does not get pigeonholed into playing bad guys after this performance, but I look forward to seeing what he does next.

On the surface, The Purge is an interesting study of human nature and the paradoxical role of savagery in a supposedly civilized society. The frustrating thing about the film, though, is its reluctance to commit to an actual thesis and its refusal to examine any of its provocative ideas in depth. I hope that the upcoming sequel chooses its path wisely and gives the audience much more food for thought. 

4/10

Trailerblazing -- I, Frankenstein

I, Frankenstein -- January 24, 2014 -- directed by Stuart Beattie -- starring Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Strahovski, Bill Nighy, Jai Courtney, Miranda Otto

It is a great time to be a fantasy film. From vampires to werewolves and from angels to demons, different phantasmagorical worlds and characters keep occupying our screens and we love it. The newest incarnation of the Frankenstein tale finds Aaron Eckhart as the good doctor's monster, fighting to preserve world peace when two creature clans decide to take their ancient war to a new level. From the looks of it, the film borrows heavily from the Underworld aesthetics, which is not unusual, being that the filmmakers are also behind that popular franchise. It is not a bad thing, either, since the presence of what appear to be angels and demons obviously demands a certain kind of somber mood. The effects seem tailor-made for IMAX 3D and I am looking forward to seeing the perspective that the story takes on life and its meaning, which is the theme that Mary Shelley's masterpiece had explored to perfection. Eckhart always chooses interesting projects, and it will be fantastic to see Nighy and Otto in their respective roles; for some reason, the infamous League of Shadows comes to mind when I watch their scenes. Finally, director Beattie had built buzz with his drama Tomorrow, When the War Began, which makes me wonder if he is one of those directors that dip into every genre with success. We do not have to wait much longer to find out -- I, Frankenstein hits cinemas in January.