****
The premise of Ron Howard’s
latest film is very simple – it tracks the course of two drivers, James Hunt
and Niki Lauda, through the world of 1970s Formula 1, reaching its peak in the
1976 competition.
One of the major credits of the
film is making the audience care about two rather unlikeable characters. James
Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is the epitome of a play-boy, and enjoys drinking, drugs
and driving fast with very little preparation. Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) is the
opposite – he scrutinizes every aspect of the car and the race, and seems
entirely emotionally detached, saying that the death of another driver must
have been his fault. Both are self-centred and unafraid to speak their minds,
and you get the feeling they would be the worst dinner guests. However, as the
film goes on, you cannot help but care for them - both are depicted as being
vulnerable beneath the surface and you end up celebrating in their victories
and mourning their injuries and losses along with them. Brühl is outstanding as
Lauda and will surely receive a Supporting Actor nomination at this year’s
award ceremonies. The relationship between the two drivers is developed well
and after Lauda’s crash, we access a kind of tenderness between the pair as
Hunt defends his friend’s honour after a press conference.
The race scenes are nail-biting
experiences, with the sound of the engines becoming all encompassing. In these
scenes, the radio discussion can be a little forced at times with the
broadcaster spelling out every detail even though it is blatantly obvious on
screen. In the final race, the camera shows us the issue of poor visibility in
such a way that it makes you feel as though you are in the car. Hans Zimmer’s
soundtrack adds to the tension, and you end the races feeling emotionally
drained. Today, it seems ludicrous that they would have been allowed to compete
in such conditions, but this sense of danger only adds to the feeling of dread.
There are moments of humour interjected with moments of genuine sadness and
pain, and the scenes with Lauda in the hospital are truly uncomfortable and heartrending
to watch. As a sports film, it is certainly accessible for those unfamiliar
with Formula 1, and the end will leave you with a lump in the throat.
Comments
Post a Comment