‘Premium Rush’ entertains at its own pace
August 29, 2012

The movie Premium Rush stars JGL who plays Wilee, a courier that aggressively speeds through the streets of New York in lieu of the best routes to his destination. Premium Rush effectively portrays the fast paced, hubbub of New York City. Wilee rides a “fixie” bicycle, which is a type of bicycle that does not have brakes nor gears that standard bikes do. He mentions in the movie that having no breaks is safer than having them, recalling a time where he was badly injured from his brakes. While on a regular route to deliver packages/ letters, he meets a woman, played by Korean actress Jamie Chung, portraying a Chinese woman “Nima” that desperately needs a letter sent to a location. Unbeknownst to Wilee, this letter would be the start of an intense chase from an undercover “dirty” cop, Manny.
A highlight of the movie is when Wilee quickly decides which direction would be the best to take. The scene is accompanied with a slow motion view of each route he would be taking—the pros and cons of each maneuver. A nice portrayal of what many cyclists go through while on the streets. Although the reason behind the chase could have been a bit more intense, the movie correctly showcased a man’s love of his fast paced, dangerous life… with his bike. Would it influence a non-cyclist to grab a bike? Yes. It did so for me. Four stars out of five.