Premium Rush

Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a high risk bike messenger. Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) is a corrupted cop who's desperate for what Wilee is carrying. That's as simple as it gets. There isn't much more substance in the story.

The story is simplistic and reasonable. The involvement of the snakeheads allow a minimal semblance of substance in the writing. Make no mistake, this is about the action. And it's got great exciting NYC street racing action. David Koepp is the writer/director here. He's a prolific Hollywood writer and has directed a couple of good thrillers. In this one, he used all of his action skills.

The movie is set around bicycle messenger/courier who chases and is chased around New York City due to an envelope containing a wanted item by people with different intentions. The events - not shown in chronological order, through various flash-forward and flash-back cuts - are intense, but not too realistic: New York is full of policemen, on foot/in cars/on bikes, and it is not likely to race and speed negligently for miles through dozens of blocks, causing accidents or incidents... Chases are, however, gripping to follow, and thanks to great performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Wilee and Michael Shannon as Bobby Monday, the movie goes beyond trivial cat and mouse play (only pity that Monday did not have the same vehicle than Wilee). Female performers, on the other hand, are not very catchy and romantic/sympathetic background is rather perfunctory.

The movie is definitely for you if you like fast races and thrill within a big city and/or you know NY well (joy of recognition).

Now this is how to make an action flick! A small one, mind you, but it's one of the most fun pictures to come out this summer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as a bicycle messenger in Manhattan who lands the unfortunate job of delivering a small slip of paper worth a ton of money. Corrupt cop Michael Shannon, trying to pay off a Chinatown gambling debt, gets wind of the item and attempts to relieve JGL of it. Unfortunately for Shannon, JGL is a pretty darn fast rider and great with stunts, and soon he has the help of his girlfriend (Dania Ramirez), who is also a bicycle messenger. It's just a simple chase movie, but it's perfectly edited and paced, with well-timed jumps back in time to explain the situation. The actors are all fine (I also really liked JGL's professional and romantic rival, Wole Parks), but Shannon really steals the show. This is the perfect place for his style of menace. Well worth your time.

I have just watched 'Premium Rush' and I have to say I'm very impressed with it. This isn't your huge blockbuster but it is something different and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I liked the plot and it was very clever how we saw flashbacks of various things, twists and turns, going in back in time and seeing a different perspective. This really linked the film together nicely.

The action is just thrilling and something different. The chases are fast paced and frantic, it is absolute chaos on the roads. There is some great stunts, its far fetched but its crazily fast. Definitely a film for all the adrenaline junkies out there.

One part of the film that I really liked was, when Wilee was in danger of potentially crashing the bicycle, we see how his mind works. We see 3 potential routes he can take to avoid injury so he can decide the best way to go. Some of these parts are cleverly thought out and also quite funny in parts.

The acting was up to scratch, there was a few characters who added something different. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Dania Ramirez played a very likable pair.

Overall this is a good action thriller type film, suspense builds and the movie is just fast paced. I really enjoyed it, much better than expected. Would recommend it to anyone and I would certainly watch it again. 85 minutes of carnage.

9/10.

It's not a 10 star film but it is a fun ride with action that makes up for a few flaws in plot and the flow of storyline. The best issue in this film is almost constant action and wild biking through the New York streets. One of the elements that were new to the screen and highly workable were the sudden stop of action to follow the split-second decision making of a messenger/biker. Choices (usualy three) that have to be made in the moment. The bad guy in the film is nasty and very believable. So, if you're looking for a thrill ride and a fun film then go see it. Enjoy the earthy feel of the cameras that capture the life of a messenger on two wheels competing with trucks, cabs, and cops.