F1: The Movie Review – A High-Octane Experience

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Full-Throttle Immersion

Strap in, because F1: The Movie doesn’t ease you into the world of Formula One—it catapults you onto the track with your heart in your throat and your ears ringing. Director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) brings his engineering brain and stylistic bravado to the high-octane world of elite racing, crafting a cinematic beast that’s not just fast—it’s fierce.

Pitt in Pole Position

Brad Pitt leads the charge as Sonny Hayes, a veteran driver brought back into the fold to mentor a rising star on a struggling team. It’s part redemption arc, part underdog story, and part love letter to the speed, elegance, and unrelenting physics of F1 racing. And here’s the thing—it works. Not just for racing die-hards, but for those of us who couldn’t tell a chicane from a pit stop before walking in.

Kosinski isn’t trying to make homework out of horsepower. He makes this world approachable. You don’t need to know the difference between downforce and drag coefficient—because what you feel is enough. And boy, do you feel it

Technical Tour de Force

From a technical standpoint, F1: The Movie is an absolute stunner. Shot with the visceral immediacy that defined Maverick, the racing scenes are blisteringly immersive. There’s a tactility to the way tires kiss asphalt, how wind tears across helmets, how engines snarl like caged beasts. I saw it in IMAX, and I can safely say—it’s the loudest IMAX presentation I’ve ever experienced. Not in an obnoxious way, but in a pure pressure wave to the chest kind of way. The low-end bass is monstrous, shaking the theater like an earthquake caught in a gearbox. It’s car porn elevated to operatic levels.

Cast Chemistry That Clicks

Brad Pitt is perfectly cast. There’s a weathered cool to his portrayal of Hayes—part Steve McQueen, part aging gunslinger. His chemistry with the younger cast, including Damson Idris, gives the film a satisfying mentor-student energy without slipping into cliché. The dynamic stays light on exposition and heavy on respect, both on and off the track.

A Slight Downshift in the Final Act

The first two acts are nearly flawless. Kosinski guides us through the training, the tuning, the rivalries, and the ritual. It’s cinematic candy—precision editing, sleek cinematography, and enough engine growl to rattle your fillings. I was fully on board, cruising to a five-star finish.

Then the final act hits. Not bad by any means—just… a little too conventional. While it wraps everything up, it doesn’t quite stick the landing with the same high-speed finesse it showed earlier. Maybe that’s the irony: the journey to the finish line is so absorbing, so perfectly tuned, that the finish line itself feels more obligatory than exhilarating. The third act doesn’t crash, but it definitely downshifts.

The Verdict: Pure Cinematic Nitroglycerin

Still, what lingers is the sound, the style, and the sheer thrill of watching Formula One captured with this much reverence and firepower. You don’t walk out quoting dialogue—you walk out feeling faster. I sincerely hope this turns more people onto F1. It’s fun. It’s elegant. It’s chaotic in the best way. And if Kosinski’s movie gets even a handful of casual moviegoers to start checking in on the Monaco Grand Prix next season? That’s a win.
F1: The Movie is cinematic nitroglycerin. It roars, it races, and it respects its subject. Even with a slightly softer final lap, the race itself is more than worth it.

F1: The Movie is in Theaters June 27, 2025 (United States)

Details

• Rating Certificate: PG-13 (for strong language, and action.)
• Studios & Distributors: Apple Original Films | Warner Bros. | Monolith Pictures | Jerry Bruckheimer Films | Plan B Entertainment | Dawn Apollo Films
• Director: Joseph Kosinski
• Written By: Ehren Kruger (story by) | Joseph Kosinski (story by) | Ehren Kruger (screenplay by)
• Country: USA
• Language: English
• Run Time: 135 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 | 1.90:1 (IMAX)
• Street Date: 27 June 2025