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F1: The Movie (2025) – 7/10 – A thrilling but flawed ride
Overall
F1: The Movie is a motorsport drama about a fictional former F1 star driver who comes out of retirement after three decades away. Director Joseph Kosinski is most recognized for Top Gun: Maverick, but the quality wasn’t the same here. The amateurish story, character development, and over-dramatization impaired what could have been an excellent movie. Four Oscar nominations are on the line for later this year, which surprised me. Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, and Film Editing are well-deserved, but I don’t agree with Best Picture.
Would I recommend this?
No, you are welcome to skip this unless you’re an F1 fan. It’s heavily cliched from the first scene to the last, making it cringeworthy and difficult to endure. This was second-tier to the brilliant Ford v. Ferrari (2019) and Rush (2013), which featured intricate stories and poignant characters. I can’t believe Apple Film Studios earned more than $650 million from this. My rating is 7/10.
Plot (spoiler-free)
Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was a gifted star Formula One racer in the 90s until a major accident sidelined him. He returned thirty years later after his former teammate, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), asked him if he wanted a shot at the F1 world title. Bardem’s team was struggling and needed a veteran driver to team with the egoistic rookie, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). The two have vastly distinct personalities and must work together against stiff competition. Time and money are on the line.
Interesting Tidbits
Most of the track incidents mirrored actual ones from various decades and drivers. Ten real Formula One teams joined the filming after negotiations with the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). Lewis Hamilton, one of the greatest Formula One racers, helped produce this movie. They tried to maintain the racing realism. Production occurred in 2023 and 2024 during Grand Prix weekends, including the British Grand Prix where they set up their own garage between the Mercedes and Ferrari garages. They emulated these real garages and engineers to capture the live atmosphere.
Hollywood studios were involved in a bidding war for this script that had Brad Pitt confirmed until Apple Studio won the bid. This film topped the box office on release weekend and since has generated over $650 million total globally. Apple designed the lightweight car-mounted cameras used and only 10cmx10cm. Idris and Pitt, the focal actors, did their own driving throughout in Formula 2 cars made just for this movie (and Formula 3 cars to prepare before filming). Pitt garnered over 6,000 miles of driving in his car during the production. The corporate sponsorships and deals with brands generated $40 million. They filmed over 800 hours of total footage, and editing took almost two years. The Formula One champion, Max Verstappen, skipped the private screening and world premiere of F1 because he preferred authenticity over dramatization.
Technicals
F1: The Movie has much going for it, but significant shortcomings. The best aspects were the performances, direction, editing, score, cinematography, camerawork, and pacing. Many shots were impressive, especially at the speeds they were driving. It reminded me of Top Gun: Maverick and the excellent shots in that. The authentic sounds, savant Hans Zimmer’s score, and high-speed racing kept you on the edge of your seat. The atmospheric races fill you with tension and blood-pumping thrills, even though they are unrealistic. Pitt’s remarkable charisma and Idris’ flamboyant personality demand that you keep watching. Visual effects, tight editing, and sensational cars dominate the scenes. If we stopped here, this would yield a legendary film. Sadly, I can’t stop here in the name of impartiality. The rest of this review will tear this film apart.
The clichés are predictable and overly dramatized until they become ridiculous. Although I don’t expect realism, I still expect a modicum of plausibility. This mocks the time, training, dedication, and hard work athletes put into their respective sports to the point of humiliation. Verstappen made the correct call not showing up for the world premiere. Next, let’s focus on the abysmal script. The superficial narrative is shallow and without substance. There is no character development outside of the hero, Brad Pitt, because, of course, only the hero matters (sarcasm). The dialogue is unnatural and uninspiring. I experienced little empathy for the characters. They throw in a romantic arc that doesn’t fit. The buildup lacks sufficient depth. The film leaves you feeling nothing by the end. Finally, what were the childish tactics they used? I don’t watch motorsports, but I’ve watched racing shows like Top Gear, documentaries on motorsports, and racing clips for over twenty years. Hamilton was involved, so I’m baffled to see this.
*Obtained trivia facts from IMDb’s trivia page and plot/basic history/name information from Wiki
