Premium Rush:
Wiley ("The Coyote Man") is a New York bicyclist delivery man who works for a delivery company that operates, well, on bikes. One day, he picks up a package from a young Chinese woman who is also his girlfriend's roommate. The package is of interest to corrupt NY cop Bobby Monday, who owes money to some Chinese gangsters. It becomes a race against time to get this mystery package to the right location, or something very bad will happen to the Chinese customer's child. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Wiley, a likeable, playful guy who gets mixed up with the wrong people. Michael Shannon plays Monday. Shannon plays the role so over-the-top and comical, that his scenes come off as if they were purpousely bad. Danua Ramirez plays Vanessa, a female bicyclist who juggles two guys: Wiley and Manny. Wole Parks plays Manny, an egotistical, speed-obsessed, dumb asshole who you just want to see run over with a truck. Model and part-time actress Jamie Chung plays Nima, the Chinese customer who's package is the source of the trouble, and the roommate of Vanessa. The action is pretty good, with cool stunts and bike chases, but the ending villain confrontation is a total let-down, and there's not many actual thrills, because most of the film is played for laughs. The comedy is pretty good, and the film works better as an action-comedy than a serious thriller. There are funny scenes in the vein of Scott Pilgrim, where Wiley envisions possible outcomes for certain situations, and cool transitions from one location to the next. Overall, the slick editing, fast pace, comedic tone, and somewhat cool chase scenes make Premium Rush an okay film, but still kind of a let down. 2.5/5 stars.
(Editorial Note, January 12 2013: I have had second thoughts on this film, I believe it is an effective comedy-thriller film with some cool bike chases and some interesting acting. I also love Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon, hilarious in this movie. Michael Shannon also plays a crooked cop on HBO's hit Boardwalk Empire, but there he plays a demented and threatening character, here he plays a hilariously over-the-top idiot. I think it's still a bit of a badly marketed film but still a pretty good one.)
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