F1: The Movie info:
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writer: Ehren Kruger and Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, and Kerry Condon
Hello and welcome to another week here at 1guysmindlessmoviereviews.com. Summer time and movie time go together like baseball and hot dogs… or peas and carrots if you’re Tom Hanks (Gump). The summer blockbuster season is in full swing now as we are in the midst of multiple big-time movie releases. This week was no different, as “F1: The Movie” was officially in theaters.
This is a big one, and I’m excited to talk about it, so let’s speed right into it. But, per usual, let me get the spoiler warning out of the way. If you have yet to see “F1: The Movie” and don’t want to know what happens yet, then please go over to my reviews page here to see what other reviews I have in store for you. For everyone else, let’s get this race started and find out what I thought about it.
At this point, director Joseph Kosinski is pretty well known with movies like “Top Gun: Maverick”, “Oblivion”, and “Tron: Legacy” under his belt. He takes another big swing here and gets another hit, in my humble opinion. I will get into more details later, but this movie was way better than it should be. I’ve never been a big fan of auto racing, especially the F1 series, other than just seeing highlights on TV and hearing about some of the big names of the sport. This film makes me want to find out more about it.
From the moment Sonny Hayes (Pitt) gets behind the wheel of a racecar in the opening minutes of “F1: The Movie”, you’re hooked. You want to know more about how he got there, what motivates him, and you just want to see him keep driving. As a former F1 up-and-comer whose career was cut short due to a horrific accident, Hayes now just goes wherever he’s needed.
It just so happens that he’s needed back behind the wheel of a Formula One race car. When his old buddy Ruben Cervantes (Bardem) makes him a very compelling offer to join his team and help mentor the rookie driver he has driving for him. Initially, not excited by the offer, either the love of his friend or the love of driving forces him to sign up.
I hate to admit it, but a lot of this movie is very predictable. However, it still manages to slide you to the edge of your seat, and the two and a half hours go by faster than the cars on the track. Both Pitt and Idris (who is playing the role of Joshua Pearce) are a great on-screen duo, and their rivalry as teammates is fascinating to watch unfold. Condon as Pitt’s love interest, Kate, is also very good, and Tobias Menzies as Peter Banning gives us someone we can root against.
As “F1: The Movie” races by, you can almost guess what’s going to happen right before it happens, yet you are still shocked when Joshua has a nasty wreck and burns his hands. You are still disheartened when Sonny and Joshua get into a fight. You aren’t a bit surprised when Kate and Sonny get together. It’s because they made this film so good that even the predictable parts are still very well thought out. Also, don’t even get me started on Hans Zimmer and his amazing soundtrack that punctuates every scene.
Easily the most enjoyable part is when Joshua finally realizes that Sonny is trying to do and he is able to work together for the good of Ruben and the team. If you thought the duo was good as antagonists, you should see them here. All of the shots that were taken throughout the various races in the film do a great job of putting you in the driver’s seat of an F1 racecar. The shots of the pit crew give you another great perspective of what really happens in an F1 race. I can’t express how beautiful these scenes were.
All of this mixed with a very emotional final race as an injured Sonny and newly reformed Joshua work their magic one more time as Sonny finally gets to win an F1 race and save Ruben’s ass all at the same time. Again, it’s hard for my mindless brain to put it in exact words how well that whole final sequence looked on the big screen.
Overall, I loved this movie way more than I thought I would and way more than I probably should, but I don’t care. “F1: The Movie” is a great summer blockbuster, with a great cast, a great story, and it’s beautifully shot, scored, and directed at the same time. Kosinski and Pitt outdid themselves, and I’m not afraid to admit that I’m giving this a 9 out of 10!
But now it’s your turn. Have you had the chance to go see it yet? If you have, what are your thoughts? Did you enjoy it as much as I did, or are you wrong? Just kidding of course, but I would love to hear what you think of “F1: The Movie”. Let me know in the comments below.
That’s it for this week. Hopefully, I’m back next time with a Jurassic-sized review as we keep the summer movies rolling. See you then!
