Gran Turismo

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-neill-blomkamps-gran-turismo-is-such-an-enjoyable-surprise/ "Gran Turismo is one of the most exciting surprises of the year! Being completely unaware of the inspirational true story on which the movie is based made it even more fascinating, engaging, and wildly exhilarating. Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski's score contains countless tracks loaded with extremely high levels of adrenaline that transform all racing sequences into moments of pure entertainment. Exceptional performance by David Harbour, who commits himself to his role in such a way that, if the awards season started now and there was no clear dependence on marketing campaigns, the actor would be one of the frontrunners. I strongly recommend not researching anything about the real story *before* the film, even if just to avoid dealing with the predictable, formulaic structure of this type of movie." Rating: B+

Archie Madekwe is quite good here as the gamer Jann Mardenborough who entered a competition devised by Nissan marketing man Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom) to raise the profile of their sports cars in a league usually dominated by the likes of Porsche and Ferrari etc. There's a great degree of cynicism from the high-pressure, high-octane, industry that these glorified couch potatoes could ever make the grade, but with the help of slightly jaded but experienced coach Jack Salter (David Harbour) they decide to push these youngsters to their limits. What now ensues is based on fact, so we have little jeopardy to the ultimate denouement. That said, though, Neill Blomkamp manages to build the momentum well with some excellent action photography to get the adrenalin pumping. Neither Bloom nor Harbour are really here nor there, but the young Madekwe does manage to exude some of the grit and determination of his ambitious, fiercely competitive, and dedicated persona and it's been quite a while since I heard the dulcets of Enya emanate from a big screen. It does take a little while to get out of neutral - maybe just a bit too much familial scene setting to justify the fees of Geri Horner and Djimon Hounsou but once we escape that, the thing picks up entreatingly and is quite a thrill a times to watch. Definitely better on a big screen.

**Wrong in so many levels.** Big fan of the game since PS1 till that day. Trailer gave me no thrills so i was expecting nothing but no! Way worse than trailer. Guys ! Even GT (is a half-sim) has some reality way more than this. For starters Whats with the Hungaroring? Silverstone Academy is reverse Hungaroring, Le Mans (La Sarthe) is regular Hungaroring.... In racing there is no wiggly helmets; cars don't explodes, engines do, there are no spotters except ovals!; track races have qualies, you don't start in the middle of nowhere; you dont pass your opponent with down shifts and sudden throttle; GT3 cars are fast as any car on straights; Le Mans 24H doesn't finish at the last lap; it finishes at the end of 24 hours + 1 lap; Nurburgring is 20.83 km and if you crash in the middle of it nobody waves yellow flags in start-finish straight. I could have add more but i am already bored. Good soundtrack, good cinematography, well blended CGI but no soul and no technical aspect. I don't even know how Yamauchi San gave his blessing to this as himself a real deal racing driver. Lastly this film is the second DRIVEN disaster IMO.(4/10)