Plot: What’s it about?
Twenty years ago I remember watching The Real World: San Francisco and one of the cast members, Puck, was a bike messenger. It was the source of some debate though the character himself was more the star of the show (and was eventually asked to leave). Flash forward to 2005 and I’m dating a girl who had a thing for mountain biking. Ok, cool. So I get into it, buy the gear, pick up a bike and after a few falls on rocks that left my arms and legs tattered – no thanks. Mountain biking (and the girl) are both history. The point I’m getting at is that people who do these things do it for the sheer thrill of it. Take Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character in Premium Rush. His bike has no gears or brakes and he gets, on a good day, $80. As I scratch my head and think to myself…why? But if I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn’t have to ask it.
Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a former law student who never even bothered to take the bar exam. Instead he finds the thrills of life while zig zagging through the complicated streets of New York City delivering messages and packages to those that need them fast. On his latest run, however, he’s been given a special delivery that’s worth quite a bit of money. Unbeknownst to him, the package is actually a ticket of sorts that will allow Nima (Jamie Chung) to get her son into the United States. However Det. Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) is in debt up to his ears and learns of this ticket. Suffice it to say that he’ll stop at nothing to get what he believes is his so he can continue his gambling in the underworld of New York.
Premium Rush is actually a play on words and I originally read it as the “thrill” you get from risking your life while doing what you love. Then again it might be a term for something that’s needed in a moment’s notice. Truthfully, I didn’t think about it too hard. I’m a bit fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and 2012 was certainly a big year for him with starring roles in Looper, The Dark Knight Rises and this as well. While Premium Rush got some relatively good reviews, it probably wasn’t the hit that the studio (Sony) expected it to be. It plays out in a close approximation of real time over the course of 90 minutes, so the filmmakers waste no time getting to the action. Some love this approach and others not so much. I’m the former.
Video: How does it look?
Presented in a 2.40:1 AVC HD transfer, Premium Rush puts you right in the middle of the action. The photography is top notch, complete with super slow motion shots, some amazing biking (that I’m almost positive wasn’t Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and some good shots of New York City. Detail is amazing, we can see the hairs in Wilee’s buzz cut, the blemishes in Michael Shannon’s face and even read with absolute accuracy the “maps” that pop up from time to time. Black levels and contrast both work in sync making for a very pleasing viewing experience. It’s what we’d expect from a new to Blu-ray release and Sony delivers here.
Audio: How does it sound?
The DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack is used with great effect, especially during the biking scenes where Wilee whizzes by a car, tree or the policeman who follows him throughout. Dialogue is crisp and clear (like we’d expect anything less) coming out of the center channel. In addition to bike chases, there’s a pseudo car chase but the main draw here falls to the front channels. Surrounds are active during a majority of the movie making way for a pretty active soundtrack. A good effort here.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In addition to an UltraViolet copy of the movie, all we get are two brief EPK featurettes: “Behind the Wheels” and “The Starting Line.”
