Nobody knew what director Joseph Kosinski had in store when it was announced a few years ago that one of his upcoming projects would revolve around racing. That’s something I could’ve turned my head over since racing isn’t that interesting to me. However, he’s capable of doing anything after the massive success of Top Gun: Maverick, the best film I’ve seen this decade so far. F1 looked cool, even if I’m not part of the appeal of racing or familiar with the surroundings of what goes on behind the tracks. But in the realm of the sub-genre of sports, they can get a kick out of me, where one would hope this would be in the same conversation as Rush and Ford v. Ferrari and less like what we’ve seen with Gran Turismo and Days of Thunder (which Jerry Bruckheimer also produced). There was never a chance this would make me, or anyone else, an immediate fan, but given that this was a cinematic experience designed to bring us into this world, F1 is the kind of old-school blockbuster that can’t be missed on the big screen.
What’s the Story: Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was once one of the most recognizable names in Formula One racing until he suffered a horrific crash at the Spanish Grand Prix in the early 1990s. Over the last 30 years, he has continued to race as a free agent, including a recent win at the 24 Hours of Daytona. His former teammate, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), comes to him with an offer to return to F1 by joining his company, the Apex Grand Prix team (APX GP), in a last-ditch effort to save it from being taken over. The second half of the season sees Sonny racing alongside hotshot rookie Josuha Pearce (Damson Idris) to prove he has what it takes for the competition.
What I notice with Kosinski is that, especially with F1, he’s more skilled and takes more interest in his characters in more grounded stories outside of science fiction (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion, Spiderhead). If you’ve seen one film about racing, you’ve seen them all. That said, I didn’t know what to expect from this, and it lends itself well as an underdog tale. Learning early on that APX GP had never won a championship, despite their achievements in technology, and putting an American driver, Sonny, behind the wheel was a risky endeavor, especially since he was the ninth choice.
There’s something about Pitt’s effortless charm on-screen that I’ve come to fully appreciate more around the time he won his overdue Oscar, and he was the perfect man to play Sonny Hayes. This needed someone who knows he’s a great, aging rockstar-type driver, but beneath thinking of himself and not his teammate, is a guy searching for redemption, not making the same mistakes that changed his life. The fact is, Sonny doesn’t do it because of the money or fame; it’s all for the thrills of racing. This contrasts with Damson Idris’ Joshua, the younger cocky racer who thinks he knows how his career will unfold when trying to establish his name. With one older than the other, it’s obvious Sonny and Joshua don’t see eye to eye when their choices on the tracks clash or how one might push ahead to not listen to orders outside the pits.
The dynamic between the two wouldn’t have worked without Pitt and Idris’ performances. Then there are the terrific supporting performances from Javier Bardem and Kerry Condon as Kate, the first female technical director in F1, where both of them also had amazing chemistry with Pitt. And let’s not forget the sheer entertainment of hearing Condon talk with her delightful Irish accent. It’s a small detail, but it adds a lot to the film’s charm.
But just like how he accomplished with the aerial flight sequences in Top Gun: Maverick, the racing Scenes Kosinski delivered here are some of the most immersive races on film, feeling like you’re in the stands at the Indy Motor Speedway or any famous speedway. They’re pure adrenaline, capturing every moment from every corner at top speed, both inside and outside the cars through POV; it’s one of the better IMAX experiences shot entirely in the format, mixed with Claudio Miranda’s cinematography, impeccable editing from Stephen Mirrione, and Oscar-worthy sound design. It’s even more effective since it appears that Pitt and Idris are in the cockpits while filming at real Formula 1 events worldwide, which will impress Lewis Hamilton.
The original score by Hans Zimmer is another one of his that didn’t disappoint, and I’m looking forward to listening to it again when it’s released. Even the soundtrack, which features a mix of classic rock tunes, such as “Whole Lotta Love” during the opening, and more pop-centric tracks from ROSÉ, Don Toliver, and Doja Cat, fits the film more than I thought.
A lot of the focus will be on the action and technical aspects rather than Ehren Kruger’s screenplay. Honestly, it’s not all that bad, and it’s actually one of his better scripts as a solo writer. But you know what to anticipate for a run-of-the-mill sports drama that will more than likely not be in the conversation for Best Original Screenplay. However, while the story is certainly clichéd at times, those familiar tropes don’t detract from the overall intensity of the final race’s outcome, which keeps your attention on the screen for a well-paced two and a half hours.
Since Apple Studios released this in collaboration with Warner Bros. to distribute it with a $200 million budget, it has to be one of their films that needs to be seen in theaters. Let’s not forget that some of their recent films haven’t performed well at the box office due to their enormous budgets. Hell, the last collaboration between Apple and Pitt was Wolfs, which they decided to scrap its theatrical release and put on streaming. But leave it to Kosinski to continue directing crowd-pleasing action movies that leave you on the edge of your seat, and more importantly, it’s nothing short of an original film intended to make you see it again.
Overall, F1 is one of the most exhilarating and entertaining racing movies I’ve seen in a long time. While it doesn’t break new ground, Kosinski truly knows how to keep the adrenaline flowing through his flawless race sequences and a never-better Brad Pitt. I haven’t seen a ton of great movies this year so far, but this is one I’m eager to check out again.
DC's Take 