There are few things I would rather do than watch 20 multi-millionaires hurtle around oddly-shaped tracks in glamorous locales, battling it out in a marvel of instinct, engineering and strategy.
It’s a passion that I have sacrificed my sleep schedule, money and, quite frankly, my sanity for, so when it was announced that Lewis Hamilton (arguably the greatest driver of all time and certainly the most decorated) was producing a Formula One (F1) movie, it was inevitable that I would watch it.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski (of “Top Gun: Maverick” fame), starring Brad Pitt (“Fight Club” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”) and running just over two and a half hours, “F1” was a whirlwind, both good and bad.
First, the pros.
2024 Season Cameos (+)
“F1,” much like NBA’s “Hustle,” is set in the real world – this case being the 2024 Formula One season. The cast and crew filmed at actual races, with real drivers, team principals and presenters playing themselves in the background or in minor roles.
For Formula One fans, this was an absolute delight. The 2024 season was eventful to say the least, and seeing key figures preserved in time – some no longer in the sport at all – was both nostalgic and fun.
Moreover, the realism helped the movie itself, upping the stakes and adding built-in personality to the film.
Soundtrack (+)
In a movie featuring race cars, sound is important, and “F1” balanced it perfectly.
With a score crafted by Hans Zimmer (“Interstellar” and “Dune”) and a soundtrack featuring everything from rap to country-rock to pop, it’s no wonder that the music in “F1” shines.
I would trust Hans Zimmer (musically) with my life, and, shocking no one, he did not disappoint here. Beautifully integrated, the music melded to each scene, direct without being too on the nose.
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Gorgeous.
Visuals (+)
If there’s one thing Kosinski knows how to serve, it’s visuals.
The editing? Perfection. The on-board angles? Perfection. The capturing of the over-the-top production that is Formula One? You guessed it: perfection.
This movie was very similar to the “Top Gun” franchise in the sense that you felt like you were there, and if Kosinski couldn’t make that happen, he made you wish you were there.
“F1” is a movie that, at least during the race scenes, will make you hold your breath a little.
But even with these pros, there were flagrant red flags (pun intended).
Realism (-)
With all the effort put into place to make us believe that APX GP, “F1’s” fictional team, was real, there was little to no effort being put into realism when it came to playing the sport itself.
“F1” essentially took one of the most significant cheating scandals in Formula One’s history, Crashgate, and made it the blueprint.
For those who don’t follow Formula One, it’s like making a movie about the NFL, but the made-up team’s main strategy is deflating the balls before every game.
Other things, like how a cash-strapped team is essentially rebuilding a car after every race (with upgrade packages) despite cost-caps are foregone in favor of the magic of Hollywood.
I was expecting this, given what actual drivers commented on after they saw the movie, but it was still a little ridiculous.
Stagnation (-)
In “F1”, Brad Pitt plays a “lovable asshole” named Sonny Hayes. Sonny is a cool customer; he does what he wants, doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks about him and is obviously the best at everything he does.
He’s also boring as all get out.
Sonny Hayes is self-insert fan fiction, the same way that Tom Cruise’s Maverick is. He doesn’t change at all during the movie, and why would he? He was perfect to begin with.
“F1’s” second lead, Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, was a much more compelling and dynamic character. Though not perfect, you saw him grow and struggle through the course of the film, ultimately making him 10x more likable. Frankly, I would have loved for this movie to have ended with Idris’ character getting what he deserved, instead of being doomed by the narrative.
Romantic Plotline (-)
I was really excited to see a female technical director in this movie, especially after the real Formula One just welcomed Laura Mueller, its first female race engineer.
Imagine my disappointment when her plotline mostly consisted of her agreeing blindly with Hayes’ idiotic – and illegal – requests, bantering with Hayes and finally sleeping with him at the height of their romantic arc.
This movie did not need a romantic plotline, so why are we reducing one of the three women with lines in the entire movie to a romantic device? Especially when women in motorsport already receive accusations of only caring for the sport because they find drivers hot?
There was a lot of promise in Kerry Condon’s character, but the inclusion felt cheap – like “F1” was hiding behind #girlboss without making any attempt to address the real issues of women in motorsport.
***
Overall, this movie was not bad. It’s a summer-y, action-packed blockbuster, incredibly similar to the “Top Gun” franchise. If you’re looking for an introduction to the world of Formula One, something easy to digest before you go off the deep end, then this movie is for you.
But if you’re looking for a faithful depiction of Formula One, with well-developed plots, characters and heart, then you will not like the “F1” movie.
For me, I’m somewhere in the middle. While I always appreciated sharing the sport I adore with potential fans, I found “F1” to be more Hollywood than anything else, with significant cons that strangle what could have been a great movie. But I really did love the cameos.
5/10
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