Gran Turismo

     

      Forget for a moment that this is a two hour and twenty minute commercial for a Sony Playstation video game and Nissan Motors. It's based on a true story and once we get past the video game opening sequences, it becomes a high action, intense and crowd pleasing racing film.

      I've never played the video game and knew nothing about the story but was intrigued by the "true story" aspect and the racing sequences in the trailer. Much to my surprise, not only did it not disappoint but I found myself completely engaged and at times, on the edge of my seat.

      Director Neill Blomkamp seamlessly blends CGI and actual racing to deliver a high octane story about a Gran Turismo video gamer who trains to becomes a real racing car driver. The script does add some drama, time- shifting some of the actual events to heighten the intensity of the story but any film "based on a true story" will always add elements to enhance the plot.

     The cast includes Archie Madekwe, a very engaging young actor as the gamer/driver Jann Mardenborough, David Harbour as Jack Salter, the ex-driver who mentors Jann, and Orlando Bloom as Danny Moore, a marketing executive at Nissan who comes up with the idea to train gamers as real drivers. Jann's parents are played by Geri Halliwell and Djimon Hounsou and Mr. Hounsou has some geniunely emotional moments with his son.

      IMAX was made for a film like this. Try to see it in a theater on the largest screen possible with a good sound system. I saw it in a theater with Dolby sound and it was amazing. And not for nothing, you have to love a film that makes Kenny G's music an important plot point.