TT3D: Closer to the Edge (2011)

I love this movie so much

Very best movie i ever watch

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

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.

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

A wonderful documentary which manages to maintain a completely enthralling atmosphere from start to finish. I'm not totally convinced about the value of 3D (nobody was quite mad enough to stand in directly front of Guy as he rode towards the camera). The film contains a level of often brutal authenticity that no actor could ever portray. The resulting connection with the audience becomes both direct and memorable. Keen followers of bike sport, particularly those who ride themselves will connect immediately with their on-road/track heroes but this film will draw all-comers into the truly unique and somewhat eccentric world of the TT. There are of course few more unique and eccentric characters than Guy Martin himself - who ultimately personifies all that is great, quaint, slightly unhinged, rough around the edges, and totally British about TT and the Island. Can't wait for the DVD...

This is the best film about any kind of motor sport that I have EVER seen. This film creates the atmosphere of the Tourist Trophy Races, delves into the psyche of the riders, teams, marshalls and spectators, and is a no holds barred representation of the excitement, adrenalin, success and celebration, failure and heartache, sadness and tragedy, and most of all courage that is brought out by this event.The production is superb, and three D also enhances the visual experience. The filming is also artistic and visually stunning, and shows the beauty of the Isle of Man to brilliant effect. The film is absolutely stunning, and I'd recommend viewing to anyone who is at all interested in motor sports in general, bike racing in particular, or getting behind the characters of the sportsmen and women involved.VERY SRONGLY RECOMMENDED!!!!