This is all pretty ridiculous stuff, but ridiculous can be fun or exciting. It never gels and one of the biggest problems is the lack of a consistent tone. Premium Rush is a lesser offering from Koepp. I’m a big fan of Stir of Echoes (starring Quicksilver’s own Kevin Bacon!), though Secret Window was pretty bad, while Ghost Town was pleasant, if forgettable. But in-between writing mega-budget films for the likes of Spielberg, he’s also directed smaller films, with mixed results. As a screenwriter, Koepp has had his hand in an incredible amount of blockbusters, including Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, War of the Worlds and many, many more. Premium Rush comes from David Koepp, who directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with John Kamps. One you’d think he might think of ways around, but if he did, then the movie would be over. And yes, Wilee does think to go to the cops, only to hit a big obstacle when he does. Premium Rush takes place over the course of a few hours (several flashbacks give us some info on what occurred for Monday and Nima earlier in the day to set up the events that will plague Wilee later), as Wilee - aided by his semi-estranged girlfriend and fellow bike messenger, Vanessa (Dania Ramirez) - races through town with Monday in pursuit. But when Wilee refuses to give it back, intent on delivering it to its proper destination, Monday turns out to be a rather unhinged, violent type who will do just about anything to get the envelope and its mystery contents back. Picking up a package from a friend, Nima (Jamie Chung), Wilee is approached by Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon), all smiles and grins as he claims the package was given out as a mistake. Which may be pretty stupid and dangerous to some, but Wilee has his own POV on it and about how you should never slow down in life and such and such. Gordon-Levitt stars as Wilee (as in Coyote), a Manhattan bike messenger who lives his life at full speed – literally, because he has fixed gears and no brakes on his bicycle. Unfortunately though, Premium Rush never really comes together and plays as a profoundly silly film for much of its running time. With the right characters and a clever story, sure, why not? We suspend a lot of disbelief at the movies, so why not go with the flow on the story of a bike messenger who finds himself carrying a valuable package that has him in mortal danger from some unsavory types? There’s room for some cool chase scenes and bike stunts, and it doesn’t hurt to have a terrific actor like Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead. That’s the tough road Premium Rush has to face going in, but it’s not an insurmountable one.
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