Expectations are a very important factor to your enjoyment of a specific movie. If you are looking forward to a specific film all year, chances are you will be very disappointed by it. Another thing to factor in is the environment in which you watch it and who you do that with. Personally I prefer not watching trailers or reading much about upcoming movies to keep my expectations low and really don’t mind heading to the cinema by myself.
When it comes to Premium Rush I didn’t know much, except that it was about bikers and that Joseph-Gordon Levitt was starring in it. So did I like it or was I disappointed by it?
Joseph Gordon Levitt is Wilee, the best bike messenger in New York. He doesn’t believe in the need of gears or brakes, because they only slow you down. There’s a rivalry between him and other bikers as they are always proving that they are faster. When Wilee gets a delivery, which has to be brought to its destination in time (premium rush), he doesn’t realise yet that this package is different from all the others he has ever delivered. There is a man, played by Michael Shannon, who wants to have the package and is willing to do anything to get it, which results in many chases and other interesting situations.
As a movie this is one you watch if you just want to see a movie which you most probably will have forgotten within a few weeks. I thought it was a very entertaining watch with some visuals which stood out. I liked the “biker vision” Wilee has, in which you see how he decides which route to take, with time slowing down and him seeing all the various options and the results, choosing the best one. Storywise it won’t blow your mind, but the performances of Levitt and Shannon kept me watching. Not a movie you would need to rush out and see at the cinema, but enjoyable if you are looking for mindless fun.
Nice review, I think my problem with it was exactly how you stated at the beginning. High expectations going into the film and then being let down. I also thought Michael Shannon, an actor I love, was completed wasted. Oh well. I know I gripe too much. 🙂
~ Chris
Thanks Chris. Yeah, he should have more scenes, but I did find his role interesting and a joy to watch him play such a crazy cop 🙂
There’s a serious lack of back story and that really bothered me. I don’t know anything about the characters except JGL dropped out of law school and doesn’t like to wear suits. And Michael Shannon has some control and gambling issues. The cast did what they could but their characters were 2D.
I liked the action and that did keep me watching but the plot itself did make me roll my eyes. Also, the ‘climax’ when all of the bikers get together and mob Shannon, was so badly done. Was it supposed to be comical?
I’d give a slightly lower score, mainly because I had expectations due to the great cast, and I was pretty severely let down!
Yeah, I agree that the characters didn’t have much depth, the things you heard about them were only really to drive the story forward, not to get to know them better. Yeah, the climax really wasn’t one. Thanks for commenting!
You pretty much nailed my thoughts. JGL usually picks better projects. Here he went for a pay day instead.
Nice that I managed to do that 🙂
Nice new site, good review 😀
Happy to hear you like it (and the review too) 🙂
Nice review! Watched this the other day as a way to merely pass the time, and, like you, I enjoyed it just fine. Shannon was a beast in it, completely over the top and hilarious.
Thanks Alex. Yeah, it looked like Shannon was having fun doing it.
Michael Shannon is one of my very favorite actors. His films with Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories and Take Shelter) are classic. I kind of view this film as a run up to his General Zod in Man of Steel. All though I never thought a film with the title Premium Rush would include Oscar worthy performances, it will take an awful performance to lower my expectations. It sounds like this was anything but a bad performance.
It was very over the top, but that’s what made it very enjoyable to me. Thanks for commenting!
A little bit sad I missed out on this one when it hit the cinema. I know it’s just going to be a mindless, silly action film. Love seeing those on the big screen.
Your review sounds like what I was expecting. Plus, JGL doing his thing! Looking forward to finally getting around to seeing it.
Yeah, you are as big an action fan as I am Jaina, so I can understand you would have wanted to see it on the big screen. Hope you’ll have a great time with it once you see it.
Interesting because as I read this I realized that I liked it when I watched it, but did in fact forget about it.
fair review here, Nostra
Hahaha, nice to hear that I was right about that aspect!
Excellent review! This doesn’t really seem like my cup of tea, but it sounds like it might be a fun movie to watch with my family, including my son, who tends to enjoy films with more action.
Yeah, it’s mindless action. Although be aware that there is a death in the movie (nothing extremely shocking), but it’s good to know (not knowing the age of your son).