Wordiezett So much average

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

haphazard72 Just watched this while on a train trip- hang onto your seats for a couple of hours of mad, crazy speed in an amazing setting!This is very similar to Journey to Le Mans in that it follows a number of characters (competitors), however with a focus on one in particular and his efforts to go from a odious finish, to a win.I won't give it away, suffice to say the ending was not what I expected, and because I know next to nothing about the race itself, hadn't seen or heard any of the events shown in this movie. (Is it a movie or a documentary????)I've worked with Formula 1 cars for a few years and this type of race absolutely astounds me! It has nowhere near the safety and control that the F1's or MotoGP races have, yet they travel at these insane speeds that are comparable!It's just crazy to watch this event! Well,worth the watch regardless of what type of racing you're into.The cinematography was great- some really good footage, particular the rider cams.As I said, hang onto your seat....

Tom Gooderson-A'Court TT3D: Closer to the Edge is a 2011 Documentary which brings the world famous Isle of Man TT motorbike race to the big screen. Beginning in 1909, the TT is one of the most famous and dangerous motorsport events in the world and involves riders taking to the roads of the Isle of Man off the North West Coast of England and reaching speeds of up to 200mph on roads that would usually feature cars, buses and taxis travelling at no more than 30mph. The film follows the contrasting preparations and styles of three riders in the build up to the week long race event and follows their fortunes and misfortunes during the event itself.The men who feature most prominently are 17 time TT winner John McGuinness, 8 time winner Ian Hutchinson and 30 year old Guy Martin who becomes the focus of the documentary. Guy is yet to win the event and is quite a character. He is a fast talking, old fashioned Lincolnite who is a lorry mechanic during the week. He is described as a maverick and as eccentric by fellow riders and is popular with riders and fans alike due to his unique take on life and take-no-bullshit persona. It is Guy Martin's character that helps to make the film so interesting. While other riders sleep in their huge trailers, have massages and arrive at scrutineering on time, Martin sleeps in the back of his van, turns up when he wants and complains about anything and everything. As a result he comes over as a bit of a dick at times but is generally very likable.The film gets inside the heads of the men who risk death in the pursuit of the perfect time and discovers what drives them. By interviewing riders, fans, mechanics and marshals the film uncovers the passion behind the event and gets the audience close to the action with some wonderful on board photography. It really gets the heart pumping to be on board a bike travelling at 170mph around blind corners and crests with walls, houses and lamp posts just inches away. Safety or a lack of it is a major theme of the documentary. While riders claim that no one makes them do it and those who have crashes say they can't wait to get back on a bike, the film doesn't shy away from showing some quite catastrophic crashes and indeed there are deaths during the film as there are every year at the TT. It is perhaps surprising in a Health and Safety conscious 21st Century that the event still takes place and is perhaps the last bastion of this sort of racing. The rider's attitudes to danger reminded me of reading accounts of Second World War veterans. Riders describe broken ribs, backs and severed feet with the same calm dignity that veterans described being under fire. It is like taking a step back in time.The film builds to an incredibly tense and exciting albeit tragic final third during which Martin and the other riders battle for the five race victories available. The race scenes are thrilling and fraught with danger. The action gives you an idea as to why riders come back year after year despite the danger. Despite being a great documentary, not all is excellent. The narration by US actor/musician Jared Leto feels out of place. For a film that is so intrinsically English and featuring some wonderful Northern English characters, having an American rock star doing the narration didn't feel or sound right. Another sound problem was understanding what Guy Martin was bloomin' eck' well sayin' now ay then. I went to University just a few miles from where he is from and I could barely understand him so I wonder if anyone else could. This though is just one of the quirks of a thrilling, jaw dropping, beautifully shot and action filled documentary which is well worth spending 104 minutes watching.

bob the moo Despite growing up on the edge of the Northwest 200 race in Northern Ireland, I never really got into motorbikes or motorbike racing, I had plenty of others around me who caught the bug but the risks of even being on the road on them just put me off, even if I did enjoy the festival of the race each spring. I had heard about this film from positive reviews and I also had a colleague (60 years old, bikes since he was 16) say how great it was – although I wondered if I would enjoy it in the same way, or as much given that I'm not a biker.Despite this I thought the film was great and really did a good job of structuring the "story" so that the viewer gets a taste of the thrill, the fun and the community but also gets a taste of the loss, the risks and the sense of addiction that exists. I say a "taste" because to me, the casual viewer, it never shakes off the impression that what is being played out is insanity. I have been around the TT course as a boy on a family holiday and the idea of doing it vastly in excess of 100mph is just madness to me, always has been, which I presumed would be a massive barrier to me feeling anything else about the film. Indeed I did spend a lot of my time muttering the word "Christ" under my breath – well, apart from the times where I was saying it loudly while watching someone fly off the road, down a hill, into and then over a wall and end up in traction; but I did also get more than that from it.The focus on Guy puts a very human face on the sport and in truth it helps that his manner makes him unintentionally comical; for me it was the moment early on when he was saying he hated people using the word unbelievable and said "when a man eats his own head then I'll use the word unbelievable but that'll never happen" but then, after a thoughtful paused said "well, never say never". Guy is a character and he is the easiest way to feel the desire, the rush and also how "normal" a lot of the riders are. The viewer will like him and will urge him to win – making even casual viewers interesting in and caring about the races.This device is also used in regards the deaths. Some have said the film maybe mentions them too much, but they are a fact and they are tragic and doing less than the film did would be a disservice to them – and the way Guy is used is really good. The two deaths that occur close together are discussed but beyond me thinking it was sad, i didn't really feel much. However, on the race where we know #8 (Guy) is leading #10, the film makes a big deal of waiting for Guy to come round the corner – and as we wait we wonder if he has lost time or made it up, only for #10 to come round the corner. At this point I was sat forward in my seat with my hands over my mouth, waiting for the film to tell me what just happened – and then news of fireballs and red flags. It was a sick sense of worry that was made possible by the investment with Guy that the film built up and, while it could be called exploitative, it gave me just a brief taste of a little of the worry and risks that those involved have to live with. In terms of the filming itself, I didn't watch this is 3D but it is still great to look at. Great shots of the bikes, great use of on-board cameras and sadly crash footage that hurts to watch. I watched it on DVD – not sure I could have coped with this on a big screen.Closer to the Edge isn't a perfect film by any means but I was impressed by how accessible it was for the viewer. The selection of Guy works well and I warmed to him and this interest in him made me invest in the race – which not only gave me the desire for him to win, but also had me on the edge of my seat when I wasn't sure if he was alive or dead. While it is easy to present facts, it is often harder for this sort of film to make the "feelings" of those involved come across to the viewer but this film did that pretty well I thought and makes it well worth a look for the character, colour, thrilling footage and the emotion of being even a little involved – only downside was that it made me even more secure in my feelings about these machines.

Spikeopath Since 1907 there has been a motorcycling event held on the Isle of Man known as the Tourist Trophy. Raced at great speeds around the winding roads, lanes and streets of the Isle, it's as dangerous as it is exhilarating. There has been over 230 deaths caused as a result of the races held on the Isle; so just what sort of person gets on those motorbikes and takes up the challenge?………Barry Sheene was scared of it, he wouldn't ride it. Southern Softie.Forget the 3D aspect that was a part of the film's release, for although it's undoubtedly ace in that format (judging by the supreme quality of the 2D Blu-ray version I saw), this documentary film does not need gimmicks or window dressing to sell itself. This is a pure and honest character picture that is based around a high speed race festival of some standing. Much like the brilliant Senna documentary from earlier in the year, this too is not just a film for motor sport fans. It's selling point is that it attempts to get under the skin of what makes these race riders tick, showcasing their reckless dedication to the sport they love so passionately. Even when faced with death of friends and family in the races, or untold serious injury to themselves, they are undaunted in their willingness to get back on a fast bike ASAP.It's not as if these are irksome characters either, these bikers are affable human beings, easy to identify with and support. No egos on show, and no nasty underhand tactics being used to gain an advantage, they all share a common goal and believe in said goal with modesty and principals firmly intact. At the centre of Richard de Aragues' film is Guy Martin, the epitome of the down to earth racer who rides at the festival. Leather clad and with Wolverine sideburns, Martin is a wonderfully rich character, full of bon mots as he speed talks about anything from masturbation to the unbelievability of a man eating his own head! Martin provides much of the humour on show. That the film successfully blends such humour with the inevitably more sombre moments is a testament to the fine work by de Aragues and his editor, Beverly Mills.Sombre comes in the form of death, two riders were killed at the 2010 meeting that the film focuses on, Australian Martin Loicht and Paul Dobbs of New Zealand. Dobbs' widow Bridget is a willing participant in the film, and her input is beautifully tender whilst helping us outsiders to understand the passion and drive of someone like her passed on husband. The race footage shown is brilliantly shot, real adrenalin pumping and often hair-raising into the bargain, and the back drop of the Isle itself is gorgeous, beautifully photographed by Thomas Kürzl, making this still further an essential Blu-ray package. Are there missteps? Well it didn't need an American narrator as it sounds out of place, one can only presume that Jared Leto is a fan and was seen as a good link for the American audiences? While there's a slight problem with making the ebullient Martin the main player, in that the achievements of the other riders featured perhaps doesn't get the glory it should. You will find yourself rooting for Martin for sure.I'm not a motor sport fan myself, I admire them but would never call myself a follower. In the space of 12 months motor sport has had two film documentaries of supreme standing. Just like Senna, TT3D: Closer to the Edge is not only one of the best sports based films of the year, it's one of the best films of the year, period. 10/10