Sony has really hit the synergy button with “Gran Turismo” — which started as a popular auto-racing video game from their PlayStation division.
That game led to a partnership with Nissan in which players entered a competition to get the chance to drive real race cars, which then led to one of those gamers making a splash on the real-life racing circuit, which of course has now led to a Sony Pictures motion picture about that journey. Archie Madekwe stars as the gamer — Jann Mardenborough.
That chance comes courtesy of a marketing executive who gets Nissan and the makers of the video game to put on a competition to find gamers who might be able to make it on a real-life racing track. Bloom plays the role with the right mix of likable enthusiasm and a slimy hint of a carnival showman.
Director Neill Blomkamp does a wonderful job with the racing sequences and comes up with a few new shots that help dial up the tension: He’s added close-ups of various mechanical parts on the cars as they engage and operate during the race. These are very dramatic and help to highlight the danger and complexity of the sport. He also depicts some of racing’s traditions by detailing the truly impressive ceremonies at the start of the famed 24-hour Le Mans auto race.
The second half of the film is much more powerful than the first half. The script by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin motors along very quickly for the first hour, but probablyquickly. For instance, more time could have been spent on the scenes at the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy, where the gamers are put through their paces to see who will make the final cut. The movie unfortunately just blasts through that part of the story.
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