Parents' Guide to GTMax

The premise for this movie might sound better on paper than it is on film. Unfortunately, GTMax doesn't quite come together for a variety of reasons. It's perfectly watchable, with some slick vehicle chase sequences, but the core elements aren't developed enough for most audiences to care about what happens to the characters or what happens generally. The characters are ... fine, but there's nothing unique or interesting about them. Soelie is determined and focused, and she loves her brother and father, but beyond her being a former motocross prodigy, there's nothing compelling about her. The villain is also incredibly monotone and thinly drawn; we never get to know exactly why he does what he does, what his motivations are, and what his history is with being a former professional motocross racer. The movie only mentions these facts about him in a brief exposition dump. Also, characters are scared of him, but there's nothing about him that would suggest that simply being the one with the gun couldn't easily stop him.

The film also struggles to find a consistent tone and voice. Everything is very serious and gritty, only to turn saccharine when the story leans into the family drama going on between Soelie, her brother, and their father. The unsteady tone makes for an uneven feel across the film. Further, the setup already generates disbelief and skepticism, so it's odd that so much of what happens, while occasionally thrilling, generally feels quite easy for these characters to accomplish. Even the final chase, the final set piece, ends almost matter-of-factly, and is ultimately a letdown. And the way Soelie pretty much effortlessly "gets over" her years-long inability to ride a motorcycle during this sequence only reinforces how easy all these "high-stakes" situations are to overcome.