Film reviews - Gran Turismo and Heart of Stone

 

The long absent Neil Blomkamp (its eight years since the under rated Chappie) returns with what may seem like an artistic left turn but in fact it suits his style perfectly. It may be a movie made in the tradition of `unlikely hero trying to beat the odds` but the director’s sensibility steers it cleverly between hazards. While filmmakers have recently been discovering better ways to adapt video games for the big screen in the case of Gran Turismo there is a readymade true-life story that forms the basis of this movie. You might watch it and think it unlikely but most of what we see happened and as a film its excitingly rendered whether you know the story or not.

 

The premise is based on the story of Jann Mardenborough a nineteen-year-old whizz at Gran Turismo (which incidentally we’re told is not strictly speaking a video game at all but more of a simulator). Having ambitions of driving professionally yet stuck in a small town with parents who would prefer him to do something regular with his life Jann gets a unique chance to pursue a dream when he enters a competition is seeking the best ten performers in the game to enter a GT Academy for training and races. The winner will then go on to race professionally in real cars; “from gamer to racer” as the movie slogan puts it.

Essentially presenting a sports movie, Blomkamp really pull us into another world and manages to convey the rigours of racing on the screen. The thunderous, immersive soundtrack on the circuit is nearly as noisy as Oppenheimer’s oppressive thrum yet this is less ominous and more about power and speed. The engines sound huge while a combination of small cameras dotted on the cars, drones swooping over and around chasing the action provide what is probably the closest you’d need (or want) to get to the action. The visuals also pay homage to the gaming origins with on screen name tags showing Jann’s position in each race. Just as the early sequences at home turn Jann’s console and chair into an imaginary car, later race scenes reverse the trick as he leans in on his gaming experience to think differently to the professional drivers and we see the car fly apart into its constituent parts. 

The races are acutely edited which I was pleased about as I’ve watched motor racing films and indeed motor racing in real time and its actually not that interesting. This is terrific though cutting to the literal chase every time and offering a seemingly endless variety of shots and angles palpably expanding as the races get bigger. By the time we get Le Mans some of the drone shots are gymnastic yet never too distracting. They conjure up the excitement and the danger. Perhaps because I’m neither a gamer nor a driver it gripped me more than it will some but as a big screen experience, I found it excellent. Even the trackside watchers and relatives amp up the tension better than in a lot of other films of this sort I’ve seen.

This kind of film also needs a roaring heart and for that we are lucky to have David Harbour, an actor who is able to vividly inhabit each character he plays while avoiding obvious acting choices. For me he is the standout performer in the hugely talented Stranger Things cast, here he plays Jack Salter a former racer who dropped out after an accident and gradually starts to feel he can inspire Jann to go where he did not. Playing so many scenes with him is Archie Madekwe who gives an elegant, committed performance as Jann and together the two have bags of on- screen fire. The story never slips into the cliché of them having a real fallout or some sort of substitute father option, instead Salter gradually grows to respect Jann’s tenacity and perhaps see something of his younger self. The subtle way Archie Madekwe gradually makes the character more confident yet retains his honesty means you are rooting for him the whole time, essential in this sort of film. There’s also Orlando Bloom who seems a more interesting actor now he is older; he plays Danny Moore the company man who dreams up the idea of the competition and while initially only interested in making money and promoting the product is, despite himself, drawn into the thrill of the chase for itself. The real Jann’s parents must be surprised that for the film they have become Djimon Hounsou and Geri Halliwell Horner. We know how good the former is but the latter is great too even though both have slightly underwritten parts.

Accusations have been made that the film is nothing more than a spectacular advert for the video game and is full of product placement though how you are supposed to tell this story without mentioning either Gran Turismo or Nissan I’m not sure. To be honest I think they keep it to a realistic minimum, it’s not like the film is actively trying to sell you the game. Sports films will always be plastered with advertising because sport is and films that instead invent their own companies and products don’t work so well because we know they’re fake. What is worth pointing out is the issue of a serious accident in which a spectator was killed in an accident involving Jann and which in the film happens out of the time line as the real event occurred years after the events depicted in this film. This sort of thing often happens of course to make drama more dramatic plus the real Jann- who was fully involved in the film and did some of the stunt driving- felt it was important for it to be included as it was all part of his experience. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Gran Turismo and really enjoyed this movie. What I want to know, though, is whether Jann really did listen to Kenny G and Enya before races?

Given that we’ve probably seen every twist, double cross, and `impossible` mission spies can undertake the issue facing any newcomer to this genre is how to present these elements in a fresh way. Heart of Stone intended no doubt as a franchise starter shows a lot of promise. Though initially beginning as something of a traditional `agents undercover at a glamorous location in a casino` scenario within ten minutes there’s already a significant rug pull that energises the rest of the film not least because a second shock later on works even better. Throw in several exciting set pieces and a twisty narrative that leans into current concerns and you have a movie that works very well.

Rachel Stone is initially introduced as a newcomer to an undercover MI16 team whose mission goes awry and she is left behind. Only it turns out she is herself underdoer with considerably more skills than the others realise managing to rescue her team without them even knowing courtesy of a daring parachute jump down a mountainside. In truth she works for an organisation called the Charter whose existence seems in doubt even amongst her MI6 buddies. From here the action barrels along until Rachel finds herself taking on the mission solo having been told to stand down after her cover is blown. 

While it is clear that Gal Gadot isn’t as crazy as Tom Cruise in doing everything herself, the action sequences are superbly realised and it’s at these moments when you might question the wisdom of debuting this film on Netflix rather than in cinemas. Not tv can replicate the noise depth of a cinema screen and some of the explosions and chases would gain from the sort of picture only an IMAX screen or similar can provide. What the film is also missing, and it need only be a single scene, is some sort of background for its main character. I think there’s a couple of lines of dialogue, suggestions that working for the Charter means no personal connections yet in a drama this needs to manifest itself somehow. It’s why all those tv detectives are prickly or drink too much! As it is Rachel is no more or less than a very skilled agent so if there is a sequel, we need to learn a little more about her.

It helps of course that Gal Gadot is one of those actors with enough charisma to fill any sized screen and her presence elevates this slightly one note character to a higher place. The film makers know her strengths so while the pre publicity suggested this is a very different role from Wonder Woman, it’s not that far removed given Rachel’s extraordinary feats in some dramatic peril facing seemingly unwinnable odds. She has a good supporting cast too, standouts being Sophie Okonedo as a more amenable boss than you normally get in this sort of film who adds a human side. Jamie Dornan is excellent too - I won’t give his plot away here; suffice to say he gives his all in a multi layered performance. As the increasingly conflicted agent Keya, Alia Bhatt also impresses plus there’s a surprise cameo from Glenn Close.

The narrative itself, though similar to Mission Impossible’s AI conceit, actually does a better job of conveying just how much of a threat it could be with more direct consequences. The Charter’s computer visuals are mostly in mid air and provide an appealing change to the usual screen watching.  In the end this sort of film stands or falls on the action sequences and on that score Heart of Stone is a winner. While stopping short of Mission Impossible's exceptional stand out moments the ones here are considerably above average especially an early fracas at a ski resort, a tense close quarters rumble in a darkened flat and later a Bondian fight atop an airship. What I like too is the film’s refusal to settle into a routine, with surprises and twists constantly resetting the goals.

There’s definitely strong potential for a sequel and hopefully the fact that its debuted on streaming rather than the cinema won’t hinder that follow up.