Premium Rush takes what could have been a very intense claustrophobic thriller in a city and pushes all situations to a 10, which dilutes the final product. Premium Rush’s visual flair is impressive and fun, but the rest of the film is pretty bland. What a waste of two talented actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon.
Taking place in NYC, Wilee (Gordon-Levitt) is one of those to-the-max bike messengers who treats his job as an extension of his lifestyle. His bike has just one gear and no brakes, pedal to the metal to get things to where they need to go. After breaking up with his girlfriend (Dania Ramirez), Wilee picks up a letter from Nima (Jamie Chung), who looks distressed when she gives it to him. As Wilee is about to leave, Detective Monday (Michael Shannon) demands he give him the letter. Wilee refuses, and thus sets in motion a lengthy speed chase between man and bike on the streets of NY.
Director David Koepp’s biggest asset (other than the two leads) is his visual style. His kinetic direction keeps the story moving, even during the minor instances where the story slows down. Perhaps he knows he has minimal material here, so by keeping things moving, Premium Rush’s flaws are kept to a minimum. The best parts of the film are where Wilee has to make a split second decision and the scenarios are played out. Time transitions are route creations are also crafted in a fun way.
The plot tries to fill enough material into Premium Rush, but at 90 minutes, it is about 15 minutes too long. Giving Michael Shannon more material was a good idea, since his character is by far the most interesting. There are some minor twists that elevate the stakes, but as a whole, the story feels empty and manufactured. The climax is especially underwhelming and anti-climactic, which deflates the resolutions that follow.
Character development is pushed to the side in Premium Rush for several chase sequences. The chases are executed fine, but because of lack of caring for all but Nima (and even sadistic Monday), the chases feel bland and unfulfilled. The minimal attempts to create something out of these types don’t really paint a complete picture, and are solely dependent on the actors portraying them. Wille and Monday are fine in the shoes of Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon, but the rest of the characters cannot find hidden depth like these two.
Premium Rush’s core audience is adrenaline junkies. It is a bland action movie and thriller. If you are a BMXer in training, this movie should be able to sell you on it. As I have been hit by a few bikes and made out like it was my own fault, I am not Premium Rush’s core audience and thus was left underwhelmed and uninspired.