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SALT LAKE CITY — The summer is winding down and so are the big summer movies. 2012 saw huge blockbusters like "The Avengers," "The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Hunger Games."
We won't see anything else this summer quite to that scale, but "Premium Rush" opens Friday and while it doesn't pack the punch of these huge blockbusters it's still a whole lot of fun.
Here are five reasons "Premium Rush" delivers.
Pace
The movie starts and it never slows down. In the opening sequence Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character, Wilee, says he rides a fixie bike with a steel frame and no brakes, and that's exactly how the movie rides, with no brakes.
The film is shot in real-time, which adds to the white-knuckle pace. While the film has some obvious problems, the non-stop feel of it seems to hide those miscues. If you see the film in the theater sit down and strap in because once it starts it's not stopping for the next 90 minutes.
Nostalgia
I posted a story earlier this week about some obscure extreme sports movies and one of the reasons those films are so much fun is because they are a little corny and made to simply entertain. That's exactly what "Premium Rush" does.
It is cheesy and clunky at times, but that just adds to the overall feel of the movie. While it's a higher quality than these films, Rush will at times remind you of retro films like "Gleaming the Cube" and "Thrashin'."
If you're not into those throwback films you'll likely miss some of Rush's charm.
Story
Now, before I get ahead of myself the story is not stellar. It's fairly formulaic, but it still manages to stay light and fun while having an underlying heart and tension.
The movie will get serious on you and then throw out a light moment to break the uneasiness. This may be a bit obnoxious for some movie goers but for the majority of us in the theater for the screening it delivered.
Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon is not a household name yet, but with this and his upcoming turn as General Zod in "Man of Steel" it's just a matter of time before everyone knows who he is.
Shannon plays a crooked cop with a gambling problem in Rush and he steals the show. He's obnoxious, heartless and totally unsuspecting. At times he seems like a nerdy loner who's down on his luck when suddenly he'll turn into a terrifying villain.
Shannon makes the movie and eats up every scene he's in throughout the film.
Fun
When it comes down to it, "Premium Rush" is just 90 minutes of fun. You'll be smiling almost the whole way through and walk out of the theater ready to jump on a bike and become a hero.
The movie won't win any awards or change the way we look at cinema, but it will entertain audiences across the country, and sometimes that's exactly what we need.
The story keeps you involved just enough, Shannon's performance will keep your eyes on the screen and at the end you'll realize you just had a good time at the theater.
