Gran Turismo Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Gran Turismo Blu-ray Movie Review

"If I lose, I lose more than just a race..."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown November 13, 2023

Take a trip with me, all the way back to 1997. A little racing phenom, Gran Turismo, had been tearing up the PS1 charts since its release in May, spending the summer collecting a string of buzzy reviews hailing it as a "must own" glimpse into "the future of racing games". Me? I waited four months to buy a copy. Why? Because I knew what was coming. In August, I walked into our local Babbage's (might need to Google that one, kiddies) and stood at the cash register with bated breath. "A copy of Gran Turismo, please." Anything else? "Yeah," I said, stirring with excitement. "I also reserved one of the new Dual Analog controllers." Smart choice, kid! It feels like you're really driving when you use one of those. Yes, yes. Analog sticks legitimately rose to the level of "the future" in 1997. Never mind that. What I remember was getting home, tossing GT1 in ye olde PlayStation and watching as the videogame world opened up in front of my eyes. Flying at high speeds along a dazzling forest track, trying to get used to the precision of analog-stick steering. Opening as many cars (of the 180!) that I could manage. Finding my favorites. Toying with the cinematic replay feature after races... I couldn't get enough.

And so it was, earlier this fall, that I walked into the lobby of a 4DX multiplex and unashamedly bought a ticket for director Neill Blomkamp's Gran Turismo; high on the octane of nostalgia alone. I didn't expect a good flick. At all. Just a little trot down memory lane. I didn't care about the "based on a true story" tagline. The whole plot sounded ridiculous. How could it possibly pull off movie magic with such a hamstrung storyline? And, believe me, I certainly didn't expect to find myself... having a good time? With what revealed itself to be a surprisingly solid little videogame adaptation? One that turned out to be... wait a minute... a lot of fun? What just happened?

Blomkamp's 'Gran Turismo' is based on the unbelievable true story of a team of unlikely underdogs -- struggling working-class gamer Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), failed former racecar driver Jack Salter (David Harbour) and idealistic motorsport executive Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom) -- who, together, risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Putting a gamer in the driver's seat of a very real, very fast high-end car may seem like little more than a videogame fan's fantasy, but that's exactly where Mardenborough found himself in 2011, beating out more than 90,000 contest entrants to score a chance behind the wheel. Marketing materials hail it as an "inspiring, thrilling, action-packed story that proves that nothing is impossible when you’re fueled from within." The film also stars Darren Barnet, Takehiro Hira, Geri Halliwell-Horner, Djimon Hounsou and Josha Stradowski.

Is Gran Turismo a genuine true-story biopic? Eh, don't ask questions that spoil the smartly tuned, teeth-clenching races that are the stars of the show. There's enough truth here to warrant the tag, and enough serious edge to the performances to sell what might otherwise be a ludicrous story of a gamer rising to fame in career racing. Bloom is a bit miscast (as is often the case outside of his more fantastical roles), with some rather flat enthusiasm and garish charm. But Madekwe and Harbour bring the chemistry, and not much else matters. The plot unfolds at breakneck speed (once it gets rolling that is), relying on flashy visuals and Harbour's incredulous disbelief turned suspension-of-disbelief to mask the potential silliness lurking beneath the surface. Moreover, Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski's score, though a tad generic and videogame-y, rises to the bar of Jacques Jouffret's whip-pan cinematography to create a real sense of asphalt-blurring suspense, hair-raising danger and striking visuals. Speed isn't the only thing the film recreates either. There's a decent streak of heart and humor at the film's core. The whole thing runs rather long and could've used some trimming, sure, but there's a palpable sense of energy and electricity on hand to draw you in, leading up to a third act that barely takes a breath.

With that out of the way comes the skeptic's obvious question: how much of your enjoyment came down to nostalgia and videogame fandom? It's impossible to tell, though I have no doubt fans of the PlayStation series have more to build on than those looking for a straight- laced sports film. Thankfully, Blomkamp and screenwriters Jason Hall and Zach Baylin don't hedge their bets on the movie's title, any inherited series' good will or the ever-rabid PS5 fan club's eagerness to turn out for a videogame adaptation. Their eyes are on a bigger prize. They're out to make a strong racing film, and therein lies Gran Turismo's advantage. Every beat of the film is eager to prove the merits of its existence. Some more cheesy winks and nods might have squeezed some extra easter egg love out of gamers but Blomkamp doesn't use the videogame series to try to make a videogame movie, just like the GT PlayStation series has never tried to be a mere game. From GT's 1997 inception, Sony has tried to blur the lines between racing and gaming, and Blomkamp's flick does the same. Will it ever rank among the sports subgenre's best? No. There's quite a lot of tropes gumming up the gears, although other than District 9, that's essentially become one of the filmmaker's unintended, unfortunate calling cards. The thing that makes this something of a hidden gem is perhaps that it doesn't, well, suck. It's better than a Gran Turismo movie has any business being. I'd rather watch this than a Fast and Furious sequel, truth be told. And that's the wonder of moviemaking, kids. With the right team, the right actors and just enough luck, anything can be done well. Anything can be entertaining. And Gran Turismo is certainly entertaining.

Gran Turismo Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Blu-ray release of Gran Turismo features a strong 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation that rarely disappoints. Jacques Jouffret's palette and photography are chillier and less saturated than you might expect. The film doesn't offer up a golden-hued Michael Bay look by any means (thank God, it's overused in these sorts of movies). Instead, colors are more lifelike, skintones more natural, and shadows more revealing, despite the fact that black levels remain as dark and well-contrasted as anyone could hope. That's not to say there aren't scenes packing some primary punch. There are. But just as the film is more interested in bolstering your suspension of disbelief, so too do the visuals aim for more realism, and they deliver. (Although CG touches occasionally stick out a bit like a slightly sore thumb.) Delineation is excellent, without crushing or unsightly noise. Detail is exacting, with crisp edge definition free of any halos, precise fine textures and a fully accurate and faithful representation of the original photography. I also didn't detect any significant artifacting, banding or other anomalies, though I did catch sight of a handful of minimally banded background elements. Still, this is a really well done video presentation that will leave fans happy.

Gran Turismo Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sadly only the 4K Blu-ray release of Gran Turismo offers a Dolby Atmos mix. Be that as it may, the standard BD edition of the film still offers a top notch DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that, were it not for inevitable comparisons to the Atmos mix, would rank very high. Dialogue is clean and clear, regardless of how chaotic races become. Prioritization is nicely balanced, with each element of the original sound design nestled neatly amongst one another. The rear channels are quite engaging too, with smooth pans and a soundfield that does a fine job drawing you in and creating believable interior and especially exterior environments. Likewise, low-end output holds up its end of the deal, lending a solid sense of weight and heft to the proceedings. GT fans will be pleased at how closely this lossless 5.1 mix emulates the theatrical experience.

Gran Turismo Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted & Extended Scenes (HD, 11 minutes) - Five additional scenes/scene extensions are included, though none of them struck me as remotely necessary. For big fans of the film only.

• The Plan: The True Story of Jann Mardenborough (HD, 6 minutes) - The one extra that picqued my interest by title alone -- a possible deep dive into the true story behind the claims of "true story" plastered across every trailer prior to Gran Turismo's theatrical release -- sadly turns out to be little more than an all-too-brief look at the people and events that inspired the film.

• The Wheels: The Fast-Acting Cast (HD, 6 minutes) - The actors sit down for an EPK quickie.

• The Pit Crew: Action and Stunts (HD, 6 minutes) - A look at the fast action and movie magic that created GT's kinetic races. Like most of the featurettes, though, this is pure studio fluff.

• The Engine: Driving the Visuals (HD, 5 minutes) - A glimpse into the film's driving styles.

• The Garage: The Amazing Automobiles (HD, 5 minutes) - The cars of Gran Turismo, front and center.

Gran Turismo Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though rather slim when it comes to special features, the Blu-ray release of Gran Turismo nevertheless justifies the price of admission with a surprisingly fun, dare I say emotionally engaging flick, an excellent video presentation and a strong DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. The 4K Blu-ray is the clear winner between the two, particularly with the Atmos mix it has in tow, but the standard BD remains a high quality alternative.