Rush (2013), R, 3.5 stars

Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl as James Hunt and Niki Lauda.

I have a confession to make. I do know some things about racing: NASCAR and F1. When directors try to make a racing movie, they try too hard to make the racing sequences spectacular, they do not focus on the characters. Like Days of Thunder and Driven, the filmmakers really concentrate on terrible dialogue and the remaining time of the movie is basically fluff when it comes to the last race of the movie. Therefore, you would have formulaic caricatures of the love interest, rival, rivaled-turned ally, and predictable scenario of the race. This movie breaks the rule.

The movie starts out with a narration from Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) to kick off his first race in 1970. He meets with James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth), a guy with racing talent but a tendency to woo women and vomit before a race. Niki Lauda is technical and a calculating genius as to preparing cars. The rivalry begins when both cars spin out and Hunt wins the race.

Lauda invests himself after failing to communicate with his father to take a loan buying his way into a F1 team. He meets his teammate, Clay Regazzoni (Pierfrancesco Favino) at first encounter in their racing team. Hesketh Racing also acquires Hunt to race for the team.

As Lauda wins his first championship in 1975, Hunt's team fails to acquire a sponsor for the team. But, he manages to find another team to drive for. During the break, Hunt meets supermodel Suzy Miller and gets married. Meanwhile, Lauda is off to an event and has a relationship with Marlene Knaus (Alexandra Maria Lara). The 1976 season starts off with Lauda dominating two events while Hunt struggles.

At the German Grand Prix, there is a meeting on whether to cancel the event due to heavy rain. Lauda refuses to race in the rain, but the majority vetoes it and all drivers race with the rain tires. It gets dangerous because the track quickly dries up and Lauda's Ferrari has a suspension problem and sends him in a violent wreck. He is airlifted to the hospital with third-degree burns and witnessing James Hunt being successful for the majority of the season.

Wilde and Hemsworth get married.

This movie provides the whole set-up. It just delves into the beginning on how the rivalry began and with intensity. The movie does not go through cliches of formulaic twists of a rival being an ally. But, there was a moment where rivals have to be respectful of one other like when Hunt visited the injured Lauda when he told him that he felt guilty of what he had done but with redundant dialogue.

Chris Hemsworth gives a really good performance embodying the athletic ability and the insensitiveness that drives him for a race. He is attracted to fame and women, but hard-working when behind the wheel. But Daniel Bruhl steals the movie with charismatic perseverance haunted with disturbing elements of peeling skin. It would be a long shot if he does get nominated for Best Supporting Actor. But, hey, the Oscars are a surprise. Wilde and Lang are just right for their roles providing their feelings toward their husbands.

The racing sequences are sensational with pure adrenaline especially Hans Zimmer's score. When you are in danger, you do not have that much space to get out. . The dialogue becomes redundant sometimes when the audience witnesses something but has to be told again. But, other than that flaw, this movie is very good and intricate. Ron Howard, the director, has created this true story as one of his best in his career.

***1/2