Film Review: F1

There’s something inherently exciting about racing films. Going back a few decades, you have films like Days of Thunder which shone a light on an often-overlooked sport on the big screen. Racing is an adrenaline pumping sport and the biggest racing event around the world, Formula One, has never really taken centre stage in a big blockbuster before. Well, until now at least. F1 is a film about the celebration behind the art of the racing, and it is wrapped up all nicely in a big summer blockbuster with Brad Pitt in the driving seat and the director of Top Gun: Maverick behind the cameras.

Racing rarely tells much of a narrative so the filmmakers have had to come up with an underdog story of their own to showcase the sport. The story in question revolves around Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a former driver for Formula One. He is recruited back into the fold by old friend Ruben, played by Javier Bardem. Ruben has his own team APXGP, a team which has failed to score any points so far in the season. It is Hayes job to help APXGP score some points and remain a viable team. Damson Idris plays Joshua Pearce, the other driver for the team and a young rookie who is out to prove himself.

The story itself is very by the books with not a lot of development. Pitt and Idris bring a lot of charisma and tension with their characters as their chemistry behind the wheel shines during several key moments within the film. Kerry Condon plays Kate, a technical director, and there is a romance that blossoms between her and Hayes which does feel a tad bit redundant. The emphasis on the film is not really with the story however, it is in the racing portions and the technical aspects and that is where the film really shines.

Filmmaker Kosinski is a master at blockbuster action. His previous films include Oblivion, Tron: Legacy and off course, Top Gun: Maverick. He is known for putting cameras inside vehicles and showcasing real emotions and reactions from actors when it comes to the stunts. The same has been done here with F1. There is a lot of car action where the camera is mounted onto the car and we see every detail of the cars and the tracks. This immersion gets your heart racing and the sound design helps to make you feel the racing as well as witnessing it.

Another highlight of the film is how it treats fans and new audiences the same. You don’t need to have much knowledge of Formula One to understand the film. It does a great job at explaining the necessary details while giving you a behind the curtains look at how a race comes together. From the pit stops, to car design, you start to realise it is a team sport and everyone has an important role to play. That sums up the film really well as that is the ethos and spirit of F1. It is highly engaging, thoroughly entertaining and the film speeds through just as quick just like one of the cars in the film.

★★★★☆

4/5

Final Verdict:

F1 is a love letter to the racing sport. The attention to detail is unparalleled and it feels like the magnum opus of racing films. Days of Thunder, Cars and Le Mans ’66 all did great job at showcasing racing but this film dives straight in and keeps you hooked from start to finish. Brad Pitt and Damson Idris are formidable drivers, but Bardem mainly stands around shouting and Kerry Condon is neglected as a love interest for most of the film. Saying that, the film doesn’t need a complex story, it just needs to sell the sport and be entertaining while doing so and it definitely achieves that!

Thanks for reading today’s blog!

Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions