F1: THE MOVIE is Fast, Flashy & Familiar

F1: THE MOVIE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 155 min

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

Historically speaking, motorsports haven’t often been given a fair shake in movies, at least in terms of plausibility. Not that there haven’t been some great ones. 1971’s Le Mans was a remarkably realistic depiction of the famous 24 hour race (and you can’t go wrong with Steve McQueen behind the wheel). Despite its soap opera trappings, 1966’s Grand Prix boasts immersive racing sequences that still hold up well today. In balancing action and off-track drama, 2019’s Ford v. Ferrari might be the best one ever made.

But most are to auto racing what Star Wars is to space travel. More often than not, they’re testosterone-driven cartoons anchored by destruction, special effects and rock music. And when not on the track, there’s a soul searching protagonist with something to prove. That ain’t necessarily a deal breaker, since most moviegoers are probably not particularly concerned over a racing movie’s authenticity. After all, Days of Thunder was more Top Gun than Grand Prix, but still a lot of fun.

So to call F1: The Movie this century’s Days of Thunder isn’t intended as total criticism. And comparatively speaking, the racing action in this one makes Tom Cruise’s laps around Daytona look like Talladega Nights. Not only do these sequences feel fast, that’s really Brad Pitt & Damson Idris behind the wheels of those cars and we’re vicariously in the cockpits with them. There’s a greater emphasis on pure speed than crashes & mayhem, and most of it looks like it was done with a minimum of special effects. In terms of pure sensation, the film is a hell of a ride.

Off the track, F1 takes a road well travelled. Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, an aging driver-for-hire who was once a promising Formula One driver until a horrific accident dashed those hopes. He’s approached by old friend/ex-teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) to join his struggling F1 team, APXGP, as a second driver. There’s a lot at stake. His other driver, Joshua Pearce, is a cocky young rookie who has yet to win a race, which puts Ruben at risk of losing his team to investors at the end of the season. Sonny reluctantly accepts the seat, which doesn’t sit too well with Joshua or the rest of the APXGP.

Brad spots a mirror.

There are the usual plot elements…Joshua doesn’t think he needs a mentor. Sonny’s too old, too reckless. Joshua’s concerned with his public image. Sonny’s older, wiser and ultimately the smartest guy in the room, whose “combat”  approach to racing turns out to be just what the team needs. There are setbacks, including conflicts with team members and the usual soul searching after a terrible crash (twice, actually), as well as a conniving board member pulling the strings in an effort to steal the team from Ruben. And of course, we have a romantic subplot between Sonny and APXGP’s car designer, Kate (Kerry Condon). 

Narratively, there aren’t a lot of surprises, and seldom are we all that convinced this is how the real Formula One world operates (despite countless cameos by famous drivers and team owners). But the characters are engaging and the performances are good, with Pitt being especially enjoyable in his role (though he ain’t really stretching himself here). 

Unsurprisingly, F1 is most entertaining during the racing scenes, which are here in abundance, and the action alone makes the movie worth seeing. Like most sports films - especially motorsports films - this one is best experienced in a theater, as some of its visual and sonic impact is inevitably diminished on the smaller screen. Still, it looks and sounds pretty damn good on Blu-ray.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Inside the F1: The Movie Table Read; The Anatomy of a Crash; Getting Up to Speed (The two stars learn how to drive); APXGP Innovations; Making It to Silverstone (Silverstone is one of the racetracks); APXGP Sets and Locations Around the World; Lewis Hamilton: Producer; APXGP and F1: How It was Filmed; Sound of Speed (Hans Zimmer’s score).