Movie Review Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo (2023) 

Directed by Neil Blomkamp 

Written by Jason Hall, Zach Baylin 

Starring Archie Medekwe, David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Djimon Hounsou, Geri Halliwell 

Release Date August 25th, 2023 

Published August 22nd, 2023 

There is nothing particularly wrong with Gran Turismo. It's an occasionally rousing, occasionally emotional, sports movie. It's well acted, it's shot well, the special effects are terrific. So why don't I care about this based on a true story melodrama? It's odd, I can remember enjoying Gran Turismo while I watched it and now, as I sit to write about it, most of the movie has slipped away. I'm left with this sort of vague admiration for Gran Turismo but not much beyond that. I'm having to check and recheck notes that I made and go back to the film synopsis for help. Am I just getting old or did this movie just leave that little of an overall impression. 

Gran Turismo, according to my notes, stars Archie Medekwe as Gran Turismo videogame star player, Jann Mardenborough. Jann has long dreamed of becoming a race car driver but that particular track of profession, is not available to most people. Though the movie only glances in the direction of any kind of social conscience, it's clear that many drivers have had long time ties to family and corporate racing interests. Trying to independently become a race car driver, especially on the European circuit, is beyond merely a pipedream. 

The closest that Jann can come is spending most of his waking hours playing the game Gran Turismo, a real life hit videogame series. Created by Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo is a painstaking recreation of what it is like to race on European race tracks. Yamauchi dedicated years to capturing the cars, the tracks, pit crew experience, everything down to the minute pieces of the car, in order to create a racing simulator so lifelike, it feels like the real thing. I've never played Gran Turismo, I don't play many videogames, nothing against them, but I was really impressed by the glimpses of the game we get in this movie. 

Find my full length review at Geeks.Media

Movie Review: District 9

District 9 (2009) 

Directed by Neil Blomkamp

Written by Neil Blomkamp

Starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James 

Release Date August 14th, 2009 

Published August 14th, 2009 

On the surface Districyt 9 looks like it could be a reolutionary work of science fiction filmmaking. It's stylish with some extraordinary CGI. That's the surface. What is revealed upon actually seeing the movie is a relatively familiar chase movie that brushes over social commentary in favor of an garden variety action plot.

District 9 stars South African film and television star Sharlito Copley as Wikus Van De Merwe. Wikus is a flunky for a corporate military outfit who, because he is the boss's son in law, is placed in charge of a massive operation. It will be Wikus's job to oversee the eviction and safe transport of refugees from a camp known as District 9.

Oh, I failed to mention, the residents of district 9 happen to be aliens stranded on earth by busted space ship. More than 20 years these aliens, given the un-PC nickname prawns, came to earth and their ship settled over Johannesburg. A humanatarian effort found the aliens huddled on the ship dying of starvation and brought them down to the surface where they were given shelter and food.

All these years later district 9 is a ghetto filled with crime, violence and poverty. The aliens are treated badly by humans, hated by most, exploited by some including a group of Nigerians who first discovered the aliens addiction to cat food. Also taking advantage of the aliens is MNU, the company which employs our hero Wikus. Part of his job isn't merely moving the aliens it's discovering their weapons so that the company can figure out how to use and exploit them.

In the course of his job; Wikus is exposed to an alien virus and begins developing alien skin, eventually even a lobster like claw just like the prawns. Taken into custody by his employers, Wikus soon finds himself the subject of the same scientific exploitation as the aliens he has treated so badly. When he escapes there is only one place to go and there the movie kicks into an action mode that is where it  is most comfortable.

Don't be fooled into thinking District 9 is anything more than sci fi action of the highest calibur. There are those who take the easy shots this movie fires off as insight and social commentary but the fact is the very broad strokes are merely a backdrop for the film's real purpose, kick ass action movie chase scenes and fights.

Director Neil Blomkamp, who co-wrote the script for District 9 with Terry Tatchell, alludes to and obfuscates deeper points about racism and corporate greed but those really aren't what he is interested in. The potshots at a company vaguely like the real life KBR (formerly Halliburton) are easy and cheap. The racial stuff is a little offensive, drawing as they do comparisons between ugly, disgusting, savage aliens and real life mistreated humans.

That said, the action of District 9 is top notch. I particularly enjoyed allusions to The Defiant Ones as Wikus and an alien co-hort run from well armed commandos. Is it a little cheesy when Wikus tells the alien to go on without him ('Go, I'll hold'em off')? Sure, but the scene is such a well done homage and parody of similar, humans only, chase scenes, I willingly forgave the cliche.

When Wikus jumps inside a giant alien version of the War Monger vehicle from Iron Man, the action amps up another degree and District 9 becomes one kick ass action flick.

If you go into District 9 looking for something more than fantastic effects and butt kicking action you may be disappointed. District 9 is just posing as social commentary. Having a brain is just a pre-tense, a way to give the appearance of depth to something that is really just a visceral, epic, chase movie.

Taken just for what it is, District 9 is one of the best action movies of the year. If that is not enough for you I suggest you skip it.