7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The ultimate wish fulfilment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional race car driver. Based on a true story.
Starring: David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Archie Madekwe, Takehiro Hira, Darren BarnetAction | 100% |
Sport | 13% |
Biography | 11% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.90:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.90:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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?
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.
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.
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.
2019
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2011
Theatrical & Director's Cut | Limited Edition
2006
Shout Select
2013
1985
2022
2015
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1987
30th Anniversary Edition
1990
2016
Remastered
1986
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2011
1990
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2024