Zooming into UK cinemas today (and in the US from August 25th) is the biographical sports drama, Gran Turismo. The movie is directed by Neill Blomkamp and stars Archie Madekwe, David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Djimon Hounsou, and Geri Halliwell-Horner.
Gran Turismo is based on the PlayStation video game series of the same name, and is also inspired by the true story of Jann Mardenborough. As a teenager, Mardenborough played the Gran Turismo games, then went on to become a professional race car driver, and the rest is history.
In the movie, motorsport marketing executive, Danny Moore devises a promotional contest for car manufacturer Nissan. The contest is to encourage video game players to take the next step from bashing buttons, and use their video game experience to race in the real world.
Gamers who have logged a considerable amount of race time, and who have proved their skills on Gran Turismo, are invited to join a special training academy where they will learn how to drive a real-life race car. Each contestant will go through an intense training programme, with the opportunity for the best driver to win a place on Team Nissan.
Ten simulation racers are chosen, from eight different countries around the world, including Jann Mardenborough, an expert player from the UK. Jann then trains with race car driver, Jack Salter, and proves he’s got what it takes to put the pedal to the metal.
*Sigh*
Where do I even begin with this one?
*Ugh*
OK, Gran Turismo isn’t an awful movie, but it is a fairly dull, fairly niche one. This is a film with very specific appeal, and unless you fall into one of two categories, then I can’t see why you would really want to watch this movie.
For the record, the two categories include: People who are massive fans of racing cars, and people who have a passing interest in the Gran Turismo video game series. If at least one of these categories is applicable, then you may wish to test-drive this film.
If neither of these things apply, then I’m not entirely sure what you would get out of Gran Turismo. The film does exactly what you expect it to do (nothing more), offers no real excitement or suspense, and feels like something which just exists, rather than entertains.
I also kind of feel the Gran Turismo name has been slapped on a generic racing movie, rather than a movie which has been built around Gran Turismo. There is definitely the sense some product placement has been shoehorned in here, possibly to sell the games.
You still want to know more about the film?
Oh…
OK then.
The cast are absolutely fine in Gran Turismo, with Orlando Bloom and David Harbour offering decent, if uneventful performances, and lead actor Archie Madekwe is perfectly OK as Jann. I think he’s probably a much better actor than the material allows, but he’s certainly not bad here and the same can be said for everyone else on screen.
Heck, even former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner proves her acting skills have (mildly) improved since 1997’s Spice World: The Movie. She only gets a few minutes of screen time, playing the role of Jann’s mother, but she manages to sell the idea that a.) she’s a mother and b.) she’s a human being.
So, yeah, the cast do what they are paid to do and they do it with no major problems. I’d call this a win.
Outside of the cast, director Neill Blomkamp keeps things together well enough, and the movie looks… errrrmmmm… exactly like a movie about race cars should look. All the nuts and bolts are there, and everything moves in the right direction, and so on.
There’s not much more I can say. I’m trying to be positive, because there’s nothing particularly terrible about the film, it’s just very uneventful and you will have seen it all before.
All the way through Gran Turismo I wanted to care about what was happening on screen, but I honestly didn’t. I’ve watched the trailer for Gran Turismo at least ten times this summer, because it is being HEAVILY advertised in UK cinemas right now, and I feel the trailer is on par with the film.
And just to clarify, the trailer is equally as dull.
If you want to watch Gran Turismo, then fair enough – you may enjoy it, especially if you’re a race car enthusiast. However, if you decide not to watch Gran Turismo, because you’re too busy completing a ten-piece jigsaw puzzle or you’re picking up discarded litter in the park, then don’t worry, what you’re doing is arguably more important.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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