It’s interesting how the order in which we see films can impact our perspective/review. I suspect I would have been more blown away by F1: The Movie if I had seen it when it first came out– a a few weeks before Superman. Alas, I saw Superman first and that one was still front of consciousness as I sat in an IMAX theater watching Brad Pitt zip around a racetrack. F1: The Movie is definitely a high-octane, action-packed crowd-pleaser, and it is best seen on a big screen. But it’s not the type of film that engenders a need for repeat viewings, mostly because it follows a formula that tends to lose traction over time when the vibe feels a bit too familiar. F1: The Movie is directed by Joseph Kosinski who also helmed Top Gun: Maverick, and the two films have more than a colon in common: F1 is essentially Top Gun set in the world of Formula 1 racing. It’s a cool world to visit, and you don’t need to know anything about F1 to enjoy the ride. But when the final race is over, and the credits roll, you’ll celebrate the harrowing hairpin turns more than the conventional plot twists.
Here’s the gist: Brad Pitt plays Sunny Hayes, a rising star on the Formula One circuit in the 1990s, until an accident nearly ends his career, not to mention his life. He spends the next 30 years as a racer-for-hire with a big chip on his shoulder. He’s drawn back into F1 by a former teammate, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) who owns a team that’s on the verge of collapse. Ruben recruits Sonny to drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), a hotshot rookie with– you may have guessed— a big chip on his shoulder! Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) holds her own as the team’s savvy technical director Kate McKenna.
F1: The Movie is a classic road (or racetrack) to redemption flick that was shot during actual Grand Prix weekends and includes real F1 drivers (and fans) as extras. So it feels quite authentic even though it’s not based on a true story– unlike the Oscar-nominated Ford v Ferrari (2019) or the under-appreciated 2013 film Rush.
I don’t think F1: The Movie needed to be two-and-a-half hours long. Maybe one less lap? But it does have a solid cast and moves along at a steady pace bolstered by a dynamic score from composer Hans Zimmer (Top Gun: Maverick). So if you’re in the mood for something Top Gun-esque or need an escape that isn’t borne from comic books, then F1 is a decent option.
F1: The Movie opened in theaters and IMAX nationwide on June 27.