Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s star has been on the rise recently with roles blockbuster hits like The Dark Knight Rises, Looper and 500 Days of Summer; but Premium Rush is one movie he won’t be well remembered for. It sees talented actors like Gordon-Levitt (and Michael Shannon) carrying the movie while being burdened by a dumbed-down plot that never attempts any kind of depth. The film delivers in one area alone, the “rush,” through high-octane bike stunts and exciting chase sequences.
Fearless rider Wilee (Gordon-Levitt) is one of the best bike couriers in New York City; and with a fixed gear bike and no brakes, he doesn’t intend on slowing down for anything, nor does he want to spend the rest of his life behind a desk. Always putting his life at risk, he is forced into the chase of his life as a corrupt cop (Michael Shannon) plans on intercepting a package that Wilee has to deliver in order to pay off his underground gambling debts. All the while, Wilee has to deal with the chaos of pedestrians, a bike cop that hates him, a rival messenger, and a complicated relationship with Vanessa (Dania Ramirez).
Michael Shannon succeeds as a dirty cop, threatening all around him and generally acting like, as Wilee would call him, a “douchebag.” Still, while we’re not expecting dastardly Bond villains, the antagonist in Premium Rush is so one-dimensional that he’s not much more exciting than a common street thug. Despite the plot’s limitations, Levitt also plays his role reasonably well, and as the chase goes on, you’ll likely to still be rooting for him to keep pedaling.
As for the annoying parts, those shots of Wilee projecting himself down different paths, practically exploring alternate futures, starts off as an interesting technique but in the end comes across as lazy and repetitive. Jamie Chung’s character has a horrendous and completely unnecessary Asian accent. And director David Koepp should really have further explored the love triangle between Wilee, Vanessa and Manny (Wole Parks), but is too intent on the all-action bike chases. With the plot basically being Wilee taking a dangerous package from point A to B, and despite hints of possible human trafficking, all other elements are secondary. While there are big things in store for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this film was a mistake; the only thing that Premium Rush delivers is a furious but ultimately forgettable hit of adrenaline.
