Gran Turismo

I am a huge fan of video games and when Hollywood started adapting my favorite games on the big screen, I was worried that they'll mess it up. We've had "Sonic: The Hedgehog", "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "Uncharted" adapted to the big screen, all of which have seen some sort of success. When I heard the news that Sony was looking to adapt the critically acclaimed video game franchise "Gran Turismo" into a film I instantly thought of it as a big flop at the box office. "Gran Turismo" follows a struggling working-class gamer, a failed former racecar driver, and an idealistic motorsport executive. Together, they risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. 

First off, let's talk about the writing here and the overall story. Since the game has no storyline and is a realistic driving sim, I was skeptical as to how they would handle the story. This being based on a true story was something that I was not expecting at all. I think that the story is good and all but it feels rushed. As for the writing itself, it's great but it definitely is rough when it comes to the characters. Since it wants to have these big emotional moments, it should have focused on giving more depth to the characters and much more screen time. Speaking of screen time, I think that the film feels rushed yet long which is weird to say. It's rushed story-wise and some sequences were a little too long and unnecessary which made for some weak moments at parts. I would have loved to see them up the pace a bit and have long scenes between characters instead of racing. You're going to be wondering "Well, it's a racing film, why do you need this?". The answer is simple! You don't need to repeat racing sequences on different tracks if the first two are fantastic. These sequences were truly phenomenal but sadly lacked some intensity. There were a couple of moments, where the camera switches to the insides of the car and I absolutely loved that. Unfortunately, they were barely utilized in these sequences which left me a bit underwhelmed. Furthermore, I would have loved to see more creative shots in those sequences. I'm not saying that there aren't some cool shots but most of these sequences needed more life and speed.

Moreover, I would like to praise the sound mixing here. It's great and hearing this in a Dolby Atmos auditorium made for an excellent experience. You'll feel every engine roar and every car exhaust which will definitely send chills down any car or racing fan's spine! Additionally, I have to praise the excellent and mesmerizing cinematography by Jacques Jouffret. The film is visually stunning and the color palette used fitted the overall tone of the film. Praise should also go to the talented cast here. Archie Madekwe was phenomenal and gave a solid performance as Yann. David Harbour was fantastic so was Orlando Bloom. It was really fun to see them interact on screen, especially with all the shouting and insults between them. Finally, I think that there's enough use of easter eggs in the film that any Garn Turismo fan in the world will leave the theater with a big smile on his face. All in all, and, despite some issues along the road, "Gran Turismo" is an overall fun flick that couldn't have been achieved without Blomkamp's excellent direction here. It's one of the better game adaptations out there and I cannot wait to see what Playstation Productions's next piece of media is!