For most of cinema history, video game adaptations have not been well-received. Films such as 2005’s Doom, 2007’s Hitman, 2016’s Assassin’s Creed and others obtained universal criticism, while not performing well at the box office. Studios continued trying to crack the code on how to properly adapt this lucrative media into popular film franchises, similar to how comic-book adaptations have conquered the box office. 

The state of video game adaptations began to change in recent months, with the release of HBO’s The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. These adaptations showed that video games are ripe for the picking to be turned into acclaimed television series and blockbuster movies – they simply needed the same level of care and respect comic-book films began to receive around the early 2000s. With Sony developing PlayStation Productions, a production company dedicated to adapting their video game franchises for films and television, the promise of receiving quality movies and series was exciting. After the release of 2022’s Uncharted, PlayStation Productions returned with Gran Turismo, showing a new perspective on video game adaptations.

Synopsis

Gran Turismo follows the true story of Jann Mardenborough, an avid video game player with dreams of becoming a professional race car driver. Obsessed with the Gran Turismo game series, Mardenborough gets his chance of living out his dream in a Nissan-sponsored competition that brings together the best game players from around the world to earn the chance to become a professional racer. 

The film sees the return of Neill Blomkamp, director of District 9, Elysium, and Chappie, back to major studio filmmaking. The movie stars Archie Madekwe as Jann Mardenborough, with David Harbour and Orlando Bloom in supporting roles. 

Caliber Filmmaking Done Right

Director Neill Blomkamp came out of the gates swinging with his debut film, District 9, demonstrating his skills behind the camera, especially with a tight budget. His two follow-up films, Elysium and Chappie, were unable to draw the same praise as his directorial debut but still demonstrated that he had the skills and craft to create exceptional-looking films. Gran Turismo continues to demonstrate what Blomkamp can do behind the camera in immersing audiences into the world of the film. 

A stand-out of the film is the blending between the real world and the digital one. Blomkamp is able to incorporate video game elements to flesh out the story, such as putting graphics above the cars during racing scenes to convey information on how well the drivers are doing. These graphics looked like they were pulled straight out of one of the games. The movie also performs some interesting techniques by placing viewers inside the protagonist’s mindset during certain sequences. For example, a racing scene conveys the information that Mardenborough is utilizing his experiences of playing the video game by transitioning from his car within a race to him playing the game in his bedroom, all within what appears to be a single take. The film’s editing is smooth, with transitions staying in line with the video game setting. 

Likewise, the film uses drones within the racing scenes that are able to capture those scenes better than previous racing film shots. By using drones, the filmmakers were able to illustrate how chaotic racing can be, while filming superior shots and race sequences. Drones have been utilized in films before, most notably in 2022’s Ambulance and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, but Gran Turismo shows how typical average movie scenes can be elevated with the help of drones as they are able to maneuver in distinctive ways that capture unique shots.