This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As I commuter cyclist (I ride my bike to work every day, 5-6 days per week) I was really looking forward to this movie. It wouldn't take much to impress me either - just a good dose of realism, and the occaisional thing I can relate to. Unfortunately, Premium Rush is mostly a standard Hollywood affair, with several obvious "bloopers" such as bikes that are completely trashed one minute and requiring only minor adjustments the next. The cycling aspect of this movie is so totally false - everything from how the actors ride their bikes to how the movie portrays what happens in collisions with vehicles. Also, it gets basic physics wrong too - during a bike race scene between two bike couriers, the cyclist with the steel bike gains on the carbon fibre framed bicycle going UPHILL and falls behind while going DOWNHILL. This is, of course, the opposite of what happens in reality as anyone who rides a bicycle in a group knows well. So should you watch this movie? Well, it depends. If you aren't a cyclist and you are simply looking for 90 minutes of good clean fun, then sure, go see it. But if you are a cyclist, particularyl a passionate one like I am, then steer clear of this one. There are better cycling films out there and better films period. 6/10… Expand

Premium Rush delivers on the promise of its title. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as a daring NYC bike messenger. Apparently there is no end to the risks bike messengers take. Some of the film's best sequences elaborate on various possibilities that could end in disaster. Michael Shannon plays a hapless cop whose gambling habits have gotten him into trouble with the wrong people. His performance is another of the movie's numerous highlights. Gordon-Levitt receives an envelope, the contents of which could help Shannon. Premium Rush moves back and forward in time and all across NYC, following different characters and providing the audience with the central scenario before fleshing out the details. This approach works decidedly better than more straightforward storytelling. Writer/director David Koepp capably maintains tension, while his and John Kamps's script successfully injects humor into various situations. The characters are well defined and have plausible motivations. Ultimately Premium Rush is fairly simple, but it offers enough innovation and personality to rise above standard genre fare. Those looking for a good time would do well to see it.… Expand

I found this to be a funny, entertaining, and all round enjoyable movie, well worth the time and money spent. People who think that movies are always supposed to tell some heartbreaking story need not waste their time. The plot is simple. The richness of this movie comes from an interesting style, funny moments and good low-violence action scenes.

About the best thing that can be said about this movie is that Gordon-Levitt and Shannon do what they are asked to do with the characters they are given. The movie has very little plot, and what plot there is we don't have any investment in. The bike riding seems cool, but only for a minute, better to search for bike messengers on you tube if that's what your coming to the film for. Overall a highly forgettable thriller.… Expand

Fast and fun, Premium Rush gave me a reason to perhaps try to navigate the streets of New York on a brakeless, fixed-gear bicycle. The best scenes by far were the incredible high-speed bike-races through the city, zipping by taxis, pedestrians, and even New York’s finest. Director David Koepp’s vision of the non-conventional delivery cyclists is a bit stereo-typical; however, playing on New York City’s stereotypes is a part of what made this film seem much more real (which is needed, because lets face it, biking down Broadway as fast as the cyclists in the film would result in death almost 100% of the time). The setting depicts a very down-to-earth view of urban America, revolving around the massive clique of Bikers that have such a poor reputation among New Yorkers (due to their disruption of both pedestrians and traffic. I personally have no qualms against them, by the way). The film itself is a fun, fast paced action flick, but with a slightly shaky plot. The idea of an action film based on NYC bike messengers did not originally seem too plausible; however, I feel that Koepp did a fine job, especially when it came to the cinematography during the chase scenes, and protagonist Wilee’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) sixth sense about which bike paths would result in escaping harm’s way. Gordn-Levitt was just one among a small cast that really covered its bases on the type of people who would call New York home (even if those characters were a little exaggerated). A favorite of mine was actually the roid-rage rival of Wilee, Manny (Wole Parks), who played the typical jacked-jerk incredibly well. Michael Shannon, playing a crooked cop in debt, became a bit more creppy and deranged looking than I feel was necessary, but I suppose his slight hint of insanity paired with his knack for always being outsmarted by Wilee made the film much more fun to watch. Gordon-Levitt was a great protagonist: funny, confident, and likable. The action and chase scenes were much better than I could have ever though bicycle action scenes were capable of. Walking out, I felt like unchaining my bike and speeding down 3rd Av, weaving in and out of taxis and trucks, but alas, I know Premium Rush is the closest I’ll get to that kind of experience. Besides a slightly unrealistic and totally unnecessary plot (has anyone in this movie heard of the subway?) It was a great watch. Premium Rush wasn’t a blockbuster of any sorts, but definitely a fun movie to watch, and I’d definitely recommend catching it in theaters.… Expand

About half way through this film, I thought to myself, "Wow, that 66 Metascore is pretty generous for this very average B-Movie!" I mean, sure, it's an adrenaline rush, but the acting is horrid. Jamie Chung is easily the weakest link - her Mandarin accent is ridiculous. Michael Shannon is an excellent actor, but he's so far over-the-top in this role, it becomes a cartoon. And it seems like the movie wanted to be a videogame when it began. If I wanted to play a game, I would have stayed home and launched one on my PC.… Expand

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a gonzo bike messenger in NYC, who's given a crucial delivery. Sounds easy, but a crooked cop (Michael Shannon) complicates everything. This movie moves! Besides the crazy street riding, exceptional accidents and narrative flashbacks, the graphics add another element of visual impact. Even with a few breather moments, the pacing never lags and there's enough variety to avoid repetitive peddling scenes. If you're wondering how a simple trip downtown can take up 90 minutes, you'll be surprised to see how strong editing and creative storytelling can propel it forward. This is not a major motion picture event, but it sure is action packed and fun!… Expand

You will have a good time watching the film IF you can ignore all the implausibilities and over the top situations. Example: near the start of the film the bad guy is chasing a bicycle in New York gridlock traffic. A bicycle would leave a car behind in it's dust in this situation as it can weave in and out between the cars, but somehow this car keeps remaining on his tail no matter what he does. This is one small example of many other ludicrous situations. You have to let it go and enjoy the high energy and exuberance of the film. Although Joseph Gordon-Levitt is fine in the lead role, the movie is stolen by Michael Shannon playing the bad cop. He makes a good creepy bad guy. If you like to see bicycles wipe out at full speed, you will really enjoy this movie.… Expand

Premium Rush's non-linear storyline end up confusing, but thanks keep pushing my adrenaline. Terrific chasing bike scene itself is worth the ticket price.

Good! The best movie this year. I've been disappointed in most movies this year with VFX substituting for story. This a great ride both action and narrative wise. It isn't going to solve the worlds problems but if you want a movie you can enjoy. The marketing has been terrible but this is going to the next ShawkShank movie on TNT in a few years, where they show it every month and you can watch over and over again for the ride.… Expand

Whenever Michael Shannon is on screen, this movie is an absolute blast to watch. Unfortunately, when he's not, it's borderline unwatchable. If this movie had been filmed in the '90s, you can be certain the main character would be using the word "radical" every other sentence. It's THAT kind of film.

This movie came as a huge surprise to me. Usually when a movie is moved from one dumping ground to another, that usually means the studio has no fate and the movie is most likely crap. About 97% of the time this is true so it's nice to see a movie like Premium Rush to just completely surprise you. Crap this certainly isn't. Sure the story isn't anything new but when it's this well done it doesn't matter The only real thing that bothered me was Jamie Chang's fake accent. It was laughably bad and kind of took away from the film a bit. Sometimes the film had a little trouble finding a consistent tone, but it didn't bother me much, it might bother some people though. Other than those things, everything else worked. As I just stated above, the story is nothing new but it doesn't matter when it's this well done. I'm surprised that no one has ever thought of making a movie about bike messengers before. If they're made as well as this I'll gladly take more of these than movies like Fast and Furious(to be fair I actually liked the fifth one and I'm excited for the sixth one). I never thought a movie about bike messengers could be just as exciting. By using bikes instead of cars, it makes this movie seem so fresh as your not subjected to the same routine car chases that you see in every action movie. The story is told through mostly flashbacks over the course of four or five hours. It's not entirely original storytelling but who cares? It also does not ruin the nice brisk pace. There's never a few minutes between each action scene, I guess the best way to describe it would be like Joseph Gordon-Levitt's bike, it has no breaks so once you get on it and go you can't stop, that's what this movie is like. Once the movie starts you are on a non stop adrenaline fuled ride. Sure the movie might pause for a little bit for character developing moments but it never detracts from.the pace. The style of this film is what also elevates this movie above most action films. There are these cool sequences where Levitt's characters about to get into an accident so we see through multiple Windows what's the best possible route for him to take that will avoid him getting into the accident. I've never seen something like this before. The movie is also well shot, there's no shaky cam, it's a nice smooth ride. We're treated to point of view shots, overhead shots, rear shots, and side shots which makes it all the more entertaining. I personally like the point of view shots the best. The performances are solid across the board but the two who stick out are of course, Levitt and Michael Shannon. Levitt has the screen presence and Charisma which makes his performance all the more enjoyable. Shannon has fun chewing up his lines, he is a badass and he knows it. Overall, the story exactly original and Jamie Chung's fake Asian accent is pretty. bad which kind of takes away from the movie a bit. The strong direction, breezy pace, the style, and the performances definitely make up for those things. In today's world when a movie takes the same story that's been done before but manages to put it's own fresh twists on it, that's sufficient enough to set it apart from most movies today It's also certainly sufficient enough to warrant a recommendation. I would also like to mention that this movie succeeded where a handful of movies failed, it actually delivered on it's promise.… Expand

This film is awesome. Despite having what may be called a convoluted plot, it is given strength by the intense action, superb acting and a brilliant choice of characters, not to mention the crystalline graphics of a GPS and the lively streets of New York. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is just so carefree and alive in this film.

Its probably the most original film of the year. With nonstop suspense and chase scenes, it really is a RUSH.

Exhilaratingly fast and incredibly well paced, Premium Rush gives adrenaline rush at the same dose of blissful flesh-to-steel wreckage. There's just something viscerally appealing about the way human body reacts on impact that can't be duplicate with any pile of vehicular mayhem. The movie captures its speed fantastically, swirling between pedestrians and traffic just enough to create a sense of familiarity compared to the unreal car chases. Plot is actually thick enough to justify the possibility of these riders turning into smudges on a slab of concrete, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon make up for intriguing homicidal cat and mouse chase. The plot uses multi-perspective view from the characters as it moves back and forth to introduce them in their own entwined timelines, it creates a singular event but viewed from different perspectives. Action and narrative go along smoothly this way, as even if the movie doesn't showcase any chase scene, it's still thrilling due to the acting. Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) plays a man rebelling against the social norm, preferring constant flirt with bumpers rather than sitting behind a desk. It's an effective way of luring the younglings because he personifies the freedom one might fantasies at some point. Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) is very genuine in his disturbed look, he's creepy in a photogenic way. I've not seen many throw adult tantrum like him in a while. Vanessa (Dania Ramirez), Wilee's girlfriend, and Manny (Wolé Parks), his rival, make a tidbit about triangle love that goes along the way with juvenile rivalry to impress the girl. It's quite distracting and only displays trivial bravado to buff the movie. Manny is a very irritating character, which ironically meant to be, as he hounds Vanessa, who has a sort of rough allure. There's also hint human trafficking that only touch briefly as motivation, but it's too superficial to be thoughtful. The movie is graphically pleasant, very sharp and colorful. The action moves in an organic urban spectacle and slightly exaggerated speed captured from crisp close angles. Bits of HUD or slow motion are nice touches too. However the script sometimes overreaches to the border of some remarks a fifth grader or internet troll might say. It has some padding as well, especially at the end, which rather disrupts the original pace a little. If offers artificial road rage, fast pace and stunts that shouldn't be taken too seriously. Allow yourself to enjoy the ride and sooth the primal need of seeing someone crashes, badly. Rate 8/10… Expand

This was a very well rounded film with lots of chase scenes on bicycles which is awesome for an avid biker like myself. The writing and direction of this film was really good and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is becoming one of my new favorite actors. Very good film to see for a date night or just hanging out with your friends. Go and see this film.

I liked this movie. I went in expecting very little. In fact, I watched the movie because the projector went down on another screening room. Turned out for the better. All the elements were there. The story was entertaining enough, the visuals were cool, and all actors pulled it off, except for Michael Shannon, his rendition of a detective was too comedic to buy it. Still it was very watchable. We won't understand the Dalai Lama better or figure a way to solve world hunger, but if you have a big bucket of popcorn and a, preferably, attractive companion with you, this is definitely the ticket.… Expand

Ever since 2009 hit (500) days of summer, Joseph Gordan-Levitt has been on one huge ride to the top, (G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra), which wasn’t even close to being one of his best films, then the mind blowing blockbuster (Inception), (50/50) which nominated him for his first Golden Globe, (The Dark Knight Rises), which was one of the most anticipated films of all time, and my absolute favorite movie. Later this year JGL will be seen in the anticipated syfi thriller (Loopers), and Steven Spielberg’s iconic film (Lincoln). So, JGL is defiantly on the rise of being one of the top actors, and personally one of my favorite actors of today. Then we have Premium Rush! How will JGL new movie fair? Let’s RIDE LIKE HELL! In Manhattan, (Wilee) played by Joseph Gordan-Levitt, is a bicyclist who pickes up mail, and sends them to their destination in a certain amount of time, while dodging cars, aggressive pedestrians, garbage and NYPD cops that are on bikes. The story spikes up when wilee went to go pick up a package from a university, and there we encounters a dirty cop, who has interest in that package, chases the bicyclist throughout the whole city trying to get that package. Premium Rush is fast paced, quick and at all times moving in all directions, for most of the film that is. To my surprise, the movie starts off very strong, and keeps me engaged all the way through the 2nd half of the film. The scene that starts’ losing it for me is Towards the end of the film, we get about a 10 minute action scene on bikes that gets very repetitive very fast, and at this point of the movie is where my focus simmers out and I start to lose focus on screen. The word repetitive is really what defines this bike action film. Other then the redundant action scenes, we also get repulsive flash backs, now the first couple times the flash backs happen it really doesn’t bother me, but after more then a couple times, it lost most of my attention. Going into this movie, I wanted it to be complete silliness and not for the film to be to serious. After watching this movie I really enjoyed and was completely surprised on how well the story was. The story really wanted me to root for these characters, even if they weren’t written the best. I really admired the story a lot. Premium Rush isn’t my favorite film of the year, and isn’t as fun as I hoped it to be, even though there are some really great WHAT THE **** moments that had me cracking up, (envisioned getting hit by a car multiple times), the movie under whelmed me on that aspect. The last good quality I would like to mention is the tremendously good acting. Michael Shannon plays such a great dirty cop in the film; he had me laughing my pants off throughout the whole runtime, I really enjoyed his character a lot. Also, can’t forget about Joseph Gordan-Levitt as the lead man. He plays the character perfect, smart, energetic and funny, and brings good energy to the screen. Overall, Premium Rush is filled with fantastic performances and a good story, but even so, the film is dull at times, and gets old very fast. Not a movie I would want to pay full price for, but as a good rental.… Expand

I wasn't expecting heavy dramatic turns but this thing was far worse than I expected. The dialogue was simply awful. And I found myself laughing at things that weren't supposed to be funny which is obviously never a good sign.

I didn't even know about Premium Rush until a few hours before seeing it, and sometimes going in without knowing what to expect makes the experience so much more enjoyable. I found it to be very engrossing, without a dull moment throughout the 90 minutes. Good action with a decent storyline that developed in a very interesting manner. There were funny moments to add further to the experience, one which was great overall. I definitely recommend it for anyone seeking a quick, entertaining flick that won't leave you thinking too hard or being confused, but saying, "Oh, that was cool"… Expand

If you really like to watch chase scenes, on bicycles, then this movie is for you. I enjoyed the flashback-back and forth timeline presentation and some of the stunts where cool but it got old quick. I think it got lost between trying to be clever and action backed. In the end I was disappointed.

The film was overall decent. While it did have a very big cool factor, the plot was a bit non-existent, the writing was not very memorable, but the structure was at least interesting. While some people loved Michael Shannon's acting in this film, I could not help but be pulled from the film with every word he uttered. His voice grated on me like the asphalt in a bad bike crash. The film had good sequences, but I hardly remember what happened and I only saw it about three hours ago. I didn't expect much from this film, and I got what I expected.… Expand

No plot. Completely flat characters. Villain is not redeeming in any way. Damsel in distress also not very likable. Incredibly serious things happen with no consequences. Really dumb decisions made by characters for the purpose of making the movie have anything happen at all. Majority of humor involves a Chinese phonebook and a very muscular black man. Absolutely terrible conclusion. Only thing to watch in this movie is the bike chase sequences and they're not great.… Expand

Quite the original story here; its quite thrilling, without the explosions or as many as the guns as the Transformers franchise. It doesn't include a very heavy plot, so you don't exactly need to concentrate very hard (HOWEVER, there are jumps back and forth in time), but it was a very entertaining, fun, late summer chase movie. Walking out of the film, it will have persuaded you to jump back on your bike and see if you can do some tricks. If you're bored, and you just want to relax and watch a flick, see Premium Rush!… Expand

Original setting on top of an average cliche chase movie. That original setting held me over though and enjoyed it very much. It is just refreshing to see some kind of experimentation done on modern movies. I would of liked a little less of the bad guy and the movie itself could of been trimmed down 10 minutes or so and been a bit better. Overall very good a nice interesting adventure.