Closer to the Edge
Review by Matthew Turner22/04/2011
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Four out of Five stars
Running time: 103 mins
Impressively directed and beautifully shot, this is a superb documentary
that's by turns thrilling, heart-breaking, jaw-dropping and laugh-out-loud
funny, thanks to exhilarating race sequences and a delightfully colourful
central character in the form of people's champion Guy Martin.
What's it all about?
Directed by Richard de Aragues and narrated by Jared Leto, TT3D: Closer to the
Edge is a documentary about the annual Isle of Man TT races, in which motorbike
riders compete for the titular Tourist Trophy by racing around five different
courses, each of which is fraught with danger: indeed, as the film soberly
points out upfront, a total of 231 riders have lost their lives on the course
since the races began in 1907.
The film attempts to follow a number of different riders as they prepare for
the 2010 event, including legendary winner John McGuinness, young local boy
Connor Cummins, super-fit challenger Ian Hutchinson and seemingly lone female
competitor Jenny Tinmouth. However, it largely abandons that idea in favour of
sticking with colourful, fast-talking, heavily-sideburned Lincolnshire biker
Guy Martin, who's given to delightful non-sequiteurs (“He nearly got his dog to
talk. Nearly”) and cheerfully talks about wanking while discussing his various
routines.
The Good
Guy Martin is such a fantastic character that he often threatens to unbalance
the film, since he's both extremely funny and much more fascinating than anyone
else we see on screen. This occasionally backfires (it would have been
interesting to learn more about Jenny Tinmouth, for example) and it means that
you automatically end up rooting for Martin in the race sequences, which seems
a little unfair on the other competitors.
The race sequences are cleverly edited to include both snatches of commentary
and footage of the riders at key moments; as such they're genuinely
exhilarating to watch and there are heart-stopping moments when various
competitors come off their bikes (in other words, the film provides both
thrills and spills).
The Great
The 3D works brilliantly throughout, plunging you into the onscreen action with
the use of helmet-mounted cameras and high-speed footage; this is particularly
powerful during a shocking crash sequence. On top of that, the film is superbly
put together with engaging details, such as an ex-competitor driving around the
course in a car and giving you a running commentary on how to take each corner,
complete with motorbike noises, while de Aragues even finds room on the soundtrack
for George Formby's “Riding in the TT Races”.
Worth seeing?
Well made and superbly shot, this is a hugely enjoyable documentary that's a
must-see for motorbike fans and newcomers alike. Highly recommended.
