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An action movie about biking through the streets of Manhattan is certainly an interesting idea, and may seem a bit silly, but writer and director David Koepp manages to create a fun and exhilarating film around this premise. Premium Rush is the type of movie that gets better as it goes on, expanding on its characters and creating riveting and never tiresome chase scenes.

The story is a little over the top, but that hardly matters. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Wilee, a bike messenger who loves to ride through the streets of New York like a maniac, with no gears and no brakes. He has a girlfriend who also works for the same company, although on this particular day she is mad at him for not showing up to her college graduation. Near the end of the day, Wilee gets a package from his girl's roommate. This package is of some special importance because a dirty cop, played with exquisite menace and insanity by Michael Shannon, wants the package in order to pay off his immense gambling debt. So of course a chase across the city ensues throughout the remainder of the day.

One of the major benefits of this movie is that it is not told in strict chronological order. The first scene shows Wilee crashing and flying through the air, only for us to travel back in time to earlier that day. Once we meet Michael Shannon's character and have a nice chase, the movie again backs up for a bit, revealing what the dirty cop was doing earlier that day. This helps the movie to avoid being simple and tired. In fact, the movie has an energy that is on par with its bike riding characters, who seem to hardly ever tire of pedaling.

Koepp directs the movie with a flare for Manhattan, where the entire movie was shot. The film makes a big deal about life in the city, while minimizing the gaudier aspects of filming in the big apple. There is no sweeping shots of Time Square or the Empire State Building, and we don't even get a wide shot of the city until the very end. Instead, Koepp immerses us in the town, and by extension the characters that know it so well. At times the script falls into the realm of cheesiness, especially when it comes to some of the one liners, and the all encompassing pride that Wilee has in his work.

Premium Rush is an exiting action movie, and the best one out about bike riding. Michael Shannon's fantastic performance and the on location shooting make this movie an energetic and awesome ride.

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I have just watched 'Premium Rush' and I have to say I'm very impressed with it. This isn't your huge blockbuster but it is something different and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I liked the plot and it was very clever how we saw flashbacks of various things, twists and turns, going in back in time and seeing a different perspective. This really linked the film together nicely.

The action is just thrilling and something different. The chases are fast paced and frantic, it is absolute chaos on the roads. There is some great stunts, its far fetched but its crazily fast. Definitely a film for all the adrenaline junkies out there.

One part of the film that I really liked was, when Wilee was in danger of potentially crashing the bicycle, we see how his mind works. We see 3 potential routes he can take to avoid injury so he can decide the best way to go. Some of these parts are cleverly thought out and also quite funny in parts.

The acting was up to scratch, there was a few characters who added something different. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Dania Ramirez played a very likable pair.

Overall this is a good action thriller type film, suspense builds and the movie is just fast paced. I really enjoyed it, much better than expected. Would recommend it to anyone and I would certainly watch it again. 85 minutes of carnage.

9/10.

It's not a 10 star film but it is a fun ride with action that makes up for a few flaws in plot and the flow of storyline. The best issue in this film is almost constant action and wild biking through the New York streets. One of the elements that were new to the screen and highly workable were the sudden stop of action to follow the split-second decision making of a messenger/biker. Choices (usualy three) that have to be made in the moment. The bad guy in the film is nasty and very believable. So, if you're looking for a thrill ride and a fun film then go see it. Enjoy the earthy feel of the cameras that capture the life of a messenger on two wheels competing with trucks, cabs, and cops.

I used to own a bike..then I bought a car..anyway. Basically guy on bike versus bad guy in car. With the whole love story slash you could a been somebody thrown in. I really enjoyed this movie. It's definitely leaving the brain at the door, but in a nice way. There are no major action scenes. Acting, storyline, action, ending..I literally can't fault any of this. The director kept it very realistic; with a hint of... dare I say eighties ..we can do it nostalgia.

For the movie buffs I'd say, Gleaming the cube mixed with Taxi (original french version..we all known US version was rubbish). Adrenalin sports guy takes on the system. Watch it.

Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a high risk bike messenger. Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) is a corrupted cop who's desperate for what Wilee is carrying. That's as simple as it gets. There isn't much more substance in the story.

The story is simplistic and reasonable. The involvement of the snakeheads allow a minimal semblance of substance in the writing. Make no mistake, this is about the action. And it's got great exciting NYC street racing action. David Koepp is the writer/director here. He's a prolific Hollywood writer and has directed a couple of good thrillers. In this one, he used all of his action skills.