Gran Turismo

More of a nice fan-service than a full-fledged drama with emotional charge and theses from life like Rush. Gran Turismo has some nice moments, decent circuit racing scenes, solid unobtrusive visual effects and new faces, plus the old ones are cool and don't get in the way. Hounsou and Harbour do what's expected of them, and Bloom is just Bloom. The relationship line, however, is completely unnecessary. This film isn't talked about much probably due to weaker promotion or a specific target audience, it certainly won't become as popular as Nikki Lauda's story, but it has passable qualities. (10/13/2023)

If you're expecting just another average game adaptation because you're familiar with Gran Turismo, you might be in for a pleasant surprise. I went in not knowing much about the film's plot and was delighted by the direction the creators took. They told a story based on real events, which added depth and authenticity. With Neil Blomkamp at the helm, the film is executed with style, creativity, and plenty of engaging moments. (03/26/2024)

I'm not a fan of PC racing games or real GT racing, yet I enjoyed Gran Turismo in the cinema immensely. Blomkamp's film has an incredibly dynamic energy thanks to the premise, which balances out the fact that it's a fairly simple story: about a young man who manages to cleverly apply his extensive virtual world experience to real racing. Watching it in the cinema, I felt like I was right on the racetrack, where a single hesitation or ill-advised move can have fatal consequences. Of the cast, David Harbour impressed me the most, but Archie Madekwe in the lead role managed to appeal to me as well (btw, Orlando Bloom, who I haven't seen in anything for a long time, has really aged). In the end, I left the cinema, where the audiovisual qualities of the film stood out, extremely satisfied. A bonus was the classic hit song Orinoco Flow. (10/26/2023)

Dynamic, lively, emotive and technically brilliant. The plot is formulaic and the dialogue is ridiculously straightforward, but all of that is overcome by the fact that this is a true story that we wouldn’t believe if it hadn’t actually happened (!). The incorporation of gaming elements into the real world is done so tastefully and skilfully that it make Gran Turismo the best and, mainly, most meaningful film adaptation of a video game so far. Therefore, let’s not compare it to the more mature and thoughtful, but diametrically different racing dramas Rush and Ford v Ferrari. (04/02/2024)

Putting aside the fact that the idea of a nerd gamer wanting to be on par with professional drivers within weeks is endearingly naive, I have to humbly admit that this film won me over from the start and I'm more than satisfied. And I say that as a NON-fan of cars, the game and this hobby in general, so for anyone more into cars and racing, this is pretty much a clear five star. In fact, the racing is clearly the biggest asset, and it is without question confidently and hellishly well filmed, the cinematography is excellent, the sound design and tuning can be felt from your seat literally all around you, and all the races have such a vibe that I found myself tensing up and almost not breathing – and again, I remind you that I don't even consider myself the target audience for the film. The acting trio of Orlando Bloom, David Harbour and Archie Madekwe are full of feeling, emotionally the film is also appropriate to the genre, everything simply works as it should, and this is all perfectly complemented by the kick-ass racing in the filler scenes. It's a huge adrenaline ride full of cars, action and solid music that knocked my balls off and which I actually regret missing in the cinema. With the final realization that this is a story based on real events (lol, I really thought this couldn't realistically happen), I have to raise the rating to full because this is insane :D Neil Blomkamp is a clear guarantee of quality. (10/01/2023)