by Alice-Ginevra Micheli, Contributing Writer
I think many of us were in shock when the first trailer for Gran Turismo premiered. Don’t get me wrong; a race car movie, while not so common anymore, is also not that surprising. Movies based on a video games are also rising in popularity nowadays, particularly with the recent successes of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Last of Us. A film inspired by a true story is also quite run-of-the-mill, and to be honest, more present than some might like. However, for there to be a project that is all three of these combined? Now that’s rare, and not necessarily in a good way.
To say I went in this with low expectations is an understatement. There was very little of me that was interested, even though theoretically, there were plenty of elements that should be of interest. I went in out of morbid curiosity. After all, my preferred console is the PlayStation, and who doesn’t like a racing game or an underdog story? However, there was something about this one which just seemed to be not quite right. Turns out, my instincts were correct.
Gran Turismo follows the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a real British motorsports athlete who got his start in video games. Throughout the film, we see how he’s taken from player to racer, and how he and his team of underdogs take on the most elite sport in the world.
I’m sorry to say that this film is extremely average. Some would even say below so. It’s always difficult to say this when we have a true story as a foundation, but the entirety of the events presented here are so unoriginal; I knew exactly what was going to happen at every beat. This would be fine if there was some heart that gave audiences something to root for. Especially with this being an underdog story, there really should be some good will to keep audiences onside. But this is not the case.
A big issue is the pacing. There is too much happening, but it also somehow lacks energy. So the events fly by as we jump from moment to moment, victory to victory; but it also seems to take forever. At one point, I checked my watch, thinking we must be near the end, and there was still an hour to go. Truly, the plot points could have padded out two films easily, allowing space for the moments to breathe. However, it would have had to do a much better job at bringing me onto Jann’s side, rather than having me rolling my eyes at the most basic form of storytelling I’ve seen in a while — and that includes the Mario movie.
In fact, with all this conversation about AI taking over the jobs of writers and actors, watching this did bring up a question in the back of mind as to whether this movie was a ghost-tester for that type of content. Even some of the dialogue seems ripped from the Top 10 Most Used Motivational Lines in Cinema list that I’m sure exists somewhere.
The performances aren’t anything to write home about. Archie Madekwe does fine as the hero of the story, even though he isn’t given very much to do, which is ironic given he’s in almost every scene. Meanwhile, Orlando Bloom’s marketing magnate seems like he’s sleep deprived, which results in some questionable character choices and line readings.
To be honest, the only saving grace is David Harbour’s once-great racer, now disillusioned mechanic, Jack Salter. I don’t know if it is Harbour’s natural charisma that shines through and works here, but he actually brings some energy that audiences can feed off, so that’s something.
This really is a shame, as there is space for a collection of great racing movies in the entertainment sphere, especially with the public’s renewed interest in Formula One. However, Gran Turismo is not the film to fulfill this desire or satiate this thirst.
Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the worst movie you’ll ever see. In fact, it’s quite passable as a paint-by-numbers underdog sports story. It’s fine. However, given that this was directed by District 9’s Neill Blomkamp, I would have hoped for some style, some modicum of intrigue to shine through. Overall, though, it is inoffensive and bland, and I’ll probably never watch again.
Rating: Didn’t Like It
Gran Turismo is currently playing in theaters
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