User reviews

Gamer Jann Mardenborough, a Gran Turismo supremo gets the chance to compete for a chance at the big time, a chance at The Nissan GT Academy, and subsequently a shot at winning a contract with Nissan racing.

To say this is as far off my type of movie as possible is an understatement, I stood out at the cinema like a sore thumb, I didn't expect to enjoy it, but I have to say it, it's a very good movie.

If you're expecting Fast and Furious, don't, sure it's full of speed and it's high octane, but it's more a triumph against the odds sort of story, with Jann the central character, a guy from Wales, taking on the elite at their own game, in what is an elite sport.

Jann faces challenge after challenge, and just when you think he's succeeded, he's thrown another curve ball.

Some very good use of special effects, the crash scenes in particular look amazingly realistic. There's also some wonderful location work too, they really did make use of several world-wide locations.

Archie Madekwe does a great job as Jann, he puts in an excellent performance, you really do see the young man develop and grow through the film. Always good to see Bloom, and he played the part well, David Harbour was excellent I thought, he added a lot to the overall story.

Is this the most random soundtrack ever, I never thought Kenny G, Black Sabbath and Enya would feature together in the same cinema, let alone the same movie.

I never thought I'd welling up over a bluebird, but there you have it, there were one of two very touching scenes.

Hard to imagine it's based on a true story, but credit where it's due, it translated into a fine movie.

7/10.

I'm not a gamer, I have an old version of GT kicking around I may have played last 5+ years ago, but no matter, what an incredible true story this was! I had no clue this actual story happened, and as far as true-events films go, this is right up there with the best. It's a true underdog inspirational story that was cast perfectly, and filmed just as great, with stunning effects, visuals and camera work. The pacing and story-flow was just right, in that the 134 min runtime flew by quickly. Watching it in a 4DX theatre added to the experience for sure. It's a well deserved 8/10 from me. Now I just may have to go find that old GT game and throw it in and go for a spin.

Here's The 4K Lowedown on the advanced screening of "Gran Turismo" (PG-13 - 2023 - Theater) Release date: August 11, 2023

Genre: Drama/Sport

My Score: 8.4 Cast=6 Acting=8 Plot=9 Ending=10 Story=8 Interest=9 Script=8 Cinema=9 Sport=7 Triumph=10

A struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world.

"If you miss a line in the game, you reset...you miss it on the track, you could die." I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I think you have to at least have knowledge of the game to appreciate the cinematography, but this is not a video game movie. It checked all the boxes for me with the action, racing, and the triumph over adversity. This is definitely worth a watch and was a good change of pace after watching Oppenheimer.

What an absolutely fun romp of a movie that was done a great disservice by its advertising campaigns. Unlike its very bad marketing would have you believe this is a great watch with an engaging story, anger inducing antagonists and some amazing acting performances, David Harbour is especially good as Jan's main guy. Orlando Bloom was also very good and Archie Madekwe should Sue the trailer house for displaying his performance as anything other than stellar. The movie has some problems of course, some of the CGI is abysmal and feels like it was a mix of bad CGI and wanting to make it look like a video game at all times, and the end result is really distracting. Also the movie loves to just abandon characters that could really go somewhere. Overall though, it's a great watch and I would highly recommend you ignore the trailers (that give away a weird amount of the plot) and go watch this film.

I didn't know much about this movie before I watched it, except that it was based on a video racing game. To be honest, I expected something more akin to the cheesy Fast and Furious movies. I had set a very low bar of anticipation.

With that in mind, the reality of this movie was an enormously pleasant surprise: a fascinating true life story that magnificently captured the adrenaline buzz and accomplishments of elite motorsport.

The racing scenes, and there's a lot of them, were masterfully created. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat. It was an emotional rollercoaster; one minute I was grinning with euphoria, then gripping my hands in fear, then I was giggling out loud with a happy release of nervous energy.

Being a true life story, it couldn't be spoiled by poor plot writing. I loved the uplifting, feel-good, tale of the talented underdog risking all to achieve his dreams. Yet it wasn't a cliché because it was real; the movie had no sense of being formulaic or contrived.

The acting was spot on, the characters perfectly well developed, and the special effects were both awe inspiring and seamless.

The movie was enthralling from start to finish. It's absolutely a contender for being my favourite movie of the year. It's also one of my favourite motorsports movies of all time: and that's a compliment I don't give easily. How did this have so little buzz and anticipation before it was released?

Gran Turismo is a terrifically executed sports movie, fizzing with energy and momentum from start to finish.

It follows the story of Jann Mardenborough, a gamer who always dreamed of becoming a professional racer. Thanks to the Gran Turismo academy he suddenly finds himself with a chance to make his dream a reality. It's a wild story and the fact that it is based on real events is astounding.

Even though the real events are unbelievable, the story beats are all pretty familiar and follow the usual sports movie formula. There's the underdog, the jaded mentor, the belligerent rival, the customary montage. None of this is ground breaking but it is all well presented and packaged up. The fact it is based on real events adds that bit of extra excitement and besides, who doesn't love an underdog story?

The direction from Blomkamp is crisp and clean yet also energetic and chaotic, which makes for a visually engaging film. You really feel the excitement and thrill and danger of the racing, which was crucial to establish and get across, and was handled well.

In terms of performances, Archie Madekwe is a really solid lead, bringing a strong emotional presence and charisma to his character. David Harbour brings his character to life perfectly with a thoroughly engaging performance, and Djimon Hounsou is a scene stealer with some of the more emotional baggage.

I wasn't expecting to like this movie as much as I did, but I was impressed! It has an unbelievable story to tell and it does it very effectively. A lot of it feels quite derivative of the underdog sports film genre, but the great direction and solid performances raise this film up above many of its peers, resulting in a thoroughly entertaining movie.

Loved this movie! My wife and teenage daughter saw this in Regal Cinemas theater on 7/24/23, a few weeks before the release date. We bought tickets to a 'surprise' pre-screening and didn't know what we'd be seeing.

What a great surprise! A little something for everyone. Great acting, great cast with Orlando Bloom and David Harbour. Our daughter liked Josh's Stradowski even though he's the bad guy in the movie.

Overall definitely worth watching, good production, good storyline. I like that it was based on a true story. It holds your attention with good action, and also pulls on your heart strings without being overly deep.

Well, I love the game, so I knew I was going to go watched it, and it's really good if you are a fan of the game. The idea that you can make playing Gran Turismo so real that you would get recruited to drive an actual race car like it was your PlayStation is a Gamer's fantasy and it comes alive in a movie that's not a fantasy but a legit true story.

Gran Turismo has got everything you need dramatically for a sports movie. The Trailers leading up to this film don't do it justice. It's got far more heart to it as it unfolds an amazing underdog story.

Like the game it's based on it showcase every aspect of racing but now with a more personal touch.

It's no Need for Speed but it's one of the best games adapted to a movie ever.

It's not a video game story. The fame is the platform for the real story. A young man wins an opportunity to become a real racer because of his prowess in the game. This is the tale of how he managed to attain his dream. David Harbour steals the movie from Orlando Bloom with his gruff, cynical view of the racing program and his grudgin change of heart. The racing sequences are spectacular and the effects superb. Don't go because you think it's all about a video game. Go because it's a story about a kid whose father is disappointed in him and his devotion to a game and his dream to be a real racer.

I watched Gran Turismo early as part of Regal's Mystery Movie Monday. For some perspective, I've never watched professional racing or played Gran Turismo. And I'm generally not a fan of based-on-true-story against-all-odds movies. They're usually all the same.

The reason I say all this is to illustrate that the movie had to be really good to win me over. And it definitely does. Even though it goes through many of the same motions as these types of movies, it does it all so well. I was fully invested in the story, the characters and their outcomes. My crowd was really into it as well.

I can't speak to how the movie translates the game, but they creatively incorporate some cool visuals. It helps it feel like a video game movie as opposed to a movie about a video game. The race scenes are awesome, you really feel like you're there. I like the cast, with the two leads being the obvious standouts. And there are some really heartfelt moments.

I had a great time with Gran Turismo. It's definitely a movie you want to see on a premium screen (IMAX, Dolby Atmos, etc). I think most people will like it, gamer or not, race fan or not, old, young, etc.

(1 viewing, early screening Mystery Movie Monday 7/24/2023)

As a side note, I'm really hoping we've turned a corner with video game movies, similar to what happened to super hero movies in the early 2000's. I really enjoyed Sonic 1 and 2, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie is in contention for my favorite movie of the year.

There is still so much potential. If they continue down the super hero path, then someone like Christopher Nolan will take a property and show what can truly be done. My dream would be for Metroid to be the Dark Knight trilogy of video game movies.

Went into this not knowing the background of this film but came out pleasantly surprised with a great race car driving film but also a great video game film.

If it weren't a true story, the concept would have been cool but definitely not believable and therefore no where near as good as it is.

The racing and the direction taken to display the races was particularly impressive and at no point was it unclear what was going on. The acting was ok to begin with but got better as the film went on, especially with the emotional scenes. For me Harbour was the best actor in Gran turismo.

The script was fine but did it's job well of portraying the stakes in high intensity scenes.

Not really too much to fault as a true story racing film.

It's hard one to judge!

But it is overall very enjoyable, tense and excellently produced and executed.

Above anything, the races and camerawork are certainly the thing to watch it for. The human element reminded me of the people-plot on a Transformers movie.. it is intrinsically a part of it (and very necessary), but it is somewhat skippable, generic and dull. Buuut at the same time, both David Harbour and Djimon Hounsou made the movie for me and would not have enjoyed it without them.

I also found it hard to keep in mind that this is something that actually happened 2011 (and should have been big enough for me to hear about it.. but it seems those kind of news don't reach my small country). On the one hand, that factual element makes this an impressive story to tell once you are done watching. But by that same effect, the movie FEELs too much on rails from the start and there are little surprises or memorable moments. Doesn't feel like they had to change or enhance much, as it is all very realistic and safe, and most drama is a checkbox that needed to be ticked. As you can see, I'm on the fence as to how much I liked it.

I guess I'm glad I waited for streaming, instead of watching on theaters.

Remarkably predictable yet somehow still watchable. Unfortunately, it falls into the realm of complete unreality, characterised by a noticeable effort to impress that results in an odd casting choice. The production feels rushed, lacking the depth needed to engage viewers genuinely.

While attempting to establish a connection with the characters, the film falls short in authenticity, at times bordering on the absurd. The narrative introduces a protagonist seemingly catapulted from a lifetime of bedroom isolation to sudden stardom and a near-death experience. Strangely, the parents, initially deeply invested in their child's life and future, inexplicably shift to mere onlookers via television, neglecting any personal visits until unrealistically late. A similar forced storyline unfolds with the girlfriend, contributing to the overall lack of sincerity.

In performances by Bloom and Hounsou, one can't help but notice a decline in their usual high standards, and Halliwell might find more success in retirement.

The film evokes a sense of those storyline videos often skipped in video games-perhaps a deliberate choice. However, despite its potential, it remains firmly in the category of a children's movie that could have been significantly improved with more thoughtful execution.

It's so scripted and a cheesy movie. Is this what movies are these days? It's so predictable, some of the worst acting by this crew of actors.

I must say it was really disappointing. Save your time and don't watch it or be prepared to turn it off less than halfway through.

The acting was unbearable, but it was really just a junk movie and a lousy script that the actors could not pull off to make it even remotely believable.

This movie is definitely a hard pass, and in the past. I was hoping for more, but it is what it is and what it is, is no good. Total fail. I hate even writing this many words. It's a waste of time.

Gran Turismo (2023)

Racing games are probably my least favorite because I get enough road rage in real life. However I do enjoy an occasional well made racing film like Ford vs Ferrari or Rush. Even though Gran Turismo is a highly popular video game, or racing simulator, this film is NOT a video game adaptation because quite frankly there isn't much to adapt. Instead, it's simply an underdog story that involves a video game and the impact that it had on real life events, kind of like what the film Tetris was. However, this one is quite an unreal story and the entire time I couldn't believe that these events actually occurred.

The movie is about an expert Gran Turismo player named Jann. He is considered to be the failure of the family as all he does is play video games but one day, he receives an invitation to participate in an online race. The winner of the race will get chance to compete for a spot to become an actual racer for team Nissan. Sitting with a controller is quite different from being behind an actual wheel of a 300 km/h car and soon enough Jann and other competitors will realize what they signed up for.

I know some people have been criticizing the start of the film but for me, it was one enjoyable experience that kept getting progressively better. Yes, it doesn't reinvent the sports drama genre but it takes on an intriguing true story and executes it well. The video game inserts looked good and the actual racing scenes very exciting to watch. David Harbour put on an impactful performance of an inspiring aged mentor who gradually passed down his wisdom to the young and inexperienced protagonist.

From the negatives, the editing looked slightly weird at times but it didn't take away from the experience as the action and drama scenes hit home. The fast paced story kept me excited the entire time and I remember holding my breath more than once. Whether you enjoy good underdog stories, play racing games or like cars in general, you are going to have a good time in the cinema.

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Low budget straight to video racing movies have done the same story before. It's nothing more than a too long Nissan and GT sponsored advert. It should have been a 80 minute movie, because it's mostly filler scenes and no character development at all.

There is no excitement at all either, because you know who wins before the movie starts.

CGI looks cheap frequently and especially during car crashes which looks like cardboard flipping.

Archie Madekwehave looks bored and have as much charisma as Chuck Norris.

Not even David Harbor, Djimon Hounsou or Orlando Bloom could save this trainwreck.

Worst movie 2023 because they stole the recycled story from low budget straight to video racing movies.

Some major strengths of the movies come from the technical standpoint. The movie was visually amazing. The performances were quite decent. The message of the movie which it tried to deliver was also conveyed in a good way. Family connections were also explored in a very organic way.

The problem in the movie was its highly linear storyline. Everything was highly predictable and one could easily guess what happens next (although it can't be complained much due to the movie being based on a true story).

Overall a decent movie with a good message which can surely be watched. But don't expect to be blown away in any sense.

I wasn't expecting much when I watched this tonight at a special cineworld screener.. Its a great film and an even better story.

It's a lengthy film but the time flys, it's quite a staggering story in reality given they all were Sim Drivers....

The acting isn't the best but the story itself is great and.the film moves along at a good pace with superb actions scenes. The cinema brings it alive with the noise of the cars, it just won't be the same watching it at home.. If youre going to see one fino this year in the cinema then I would say this is the one to go For. Enjoy and happy viewing....

Video games and car racing go hand in hand in this exciting film of dreams come true based on a true story of a Gran Turismo player who became a professional driver. Jann (Archie Madekwe) is an avid gamer from Cardiff who spends his days playing Gran Turismo, refusing to succeed in the real world. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Danny (Orlando Bloom), a marketing manager for the Nissan automobile corporation, is running an advertising campaign and, together with the management of Gran Turismo, hatches a plan to launch a competition inviting gamers to try their luck in real pulse-quickening car races. Needing help organizing an event, Danny turns to Jack Salter (David Harbor), a former racing driver to train the youngsters. The veteran driver will become the coach of the young promises with special attention to the training of Jann. The latter is based on a true character, in fact Jann Mardenborough plays a stunt double in the film for the actor who portrays himself. From gamer to racer !.

This is a breathtaking film, inspiring true story of a peculiar team, following the famous video game franchise at the time, 'Gran Turismo', containing bravura, willpower love, redemption, and motor oil all swirled together. The picture mingles thrills, family drama, exciting car races, and spectacular sequences though won't mean much on little screen TV. It's a typical Blockbuster where reality , plot and dialog have their place, focusing on the drivers who challenge their contenders throughout the international and competitive racing circuits. This is an overwhelming picture with exceptionally fine camera work and great car races sequences and crashes on the circuits, tracks, and several other places. The drivers, the cars, the crashes are the real stars of this movie from the beginning to the end. Based on the unbelievable story, but plenty of clichés, about a a team of underdogs - a struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec - who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. The main and support cast are quite good, giving uniformly attractive performances: Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings, Pirates of The Caribbean) plays Danny Moore, a Nissan marketing executive who convinces the company to recruit players for the Gran Turismo simulator and transform them into real racing drivers. David Harbor (Stranger Things) is the expert pilot and trainer of the young boys, while Archie Madekwe (Midsommer) is real driver Jann Mardenborough, a Welsh Gran Turismo gamer eager to compete in authentic speed tests, he does impress again in the role of a brave young. Adding other nice secondaries, such as: Djimon Hounsou, pre-Spice Girls: Geri Halliwell , Takehiro Hira, Pepe Barroso, Josha Stradowski, Daniel Puig, among others. All stunts were performed by authentic experts without people damage . A majority of the car stunts in the film were done practically using car shells, and visual effects were widely used. And digital cars were also employed for significant crashes. Many of the film's racing sequences were shot with the Hungaroring, in Hungary, standing in for various different circuits. Most notably the Hungaroring stands in for Silverstone during the GT Academy sequences.

The movie was well made by South African-Canadian film director and screenwriter Neill Blomkamp-. His first and best movie was the successful District 9 , however , being his producer Peter Jackson with his companies Weta Workshorp and Weta Digital that stole the show by means of the breathtaking visual effects, creatures , makeup , Animatrix design make the film results to be a groundbreaking spectacle. Neill Blomkamp is a nice craftsman who is known for the science fiction films District 9 , Elysium and Chappie . He also directed the Demonic and the 2007 short film Halo: Landfall, based on the Microsoft science fiction video game franchise. Rating Gran Turismo(2023): 6/10 . The flick will appeal to car racing enthusiasts.

The first 30-45 minutes are disappointing; the acting is cartoonish and the character development is superfluous (plus the romantic side story isn't believable at all); BUT (and it's a big but) when the real driving begins, the movie finds its right lane (with fewer bumps on the road than expected).

Great visuals (plus good CGI) that appeal effectively to gaming nostalgia, the overall experience of speeding and, in general, shows its big production value.

In sum, it's a highly watchable action movie with -of course- a predictable story (basic hero's journey storytelling), carried mainly by David Harbour acting and lines.

Starts from last place, and breaks through to first, accident and a motivating coach - it's all in the movie

All racing footage is taken from the game.

And the amount of nonsense cannot be counted all.

A completely new car, lack of physical training that would allow you to normally drive the 24 hours of Le Mans - this is not a problem that would easily beat professional racers, former F1 and endurance racers, after just 3-4 months begans of career.

Laughed out loud when at the end of the race Jann decides to drive along new trajectories :) And the trajectories that have been rolled over the years and rubberized are all nonsense :)