F1: The Movie ★★★★

Released: 25 June 2025

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Javier Bardem

It is no exaggeration to say that when Top Gun: Maverick soared into cinemas and blew everyone away in 2022, it was a much-needed boost for both the film industry and the cinematic experience. The dedication of director Joseph Kosinski and his star, the incomparable Tom Cruise, to film over 800 hours of footage to make the audience feel the roar and power of those jets, alongside making us feel like we were up there with them every step of the way, was evident for all to see. So, after conquering the skies and the box office, where could Kosinski turn to next? Well, the answer is back down on terra firma, swap jets for the deafening roar of Formula 1 cars and trade one Hollywood A-lister for another, while ensuring that you lose none of the intensity and spectacle.

Sonny Hayes (Pitt) was once a promising emerging talent destined to make his name in Formula One. However, a tragic accident three decades earlier halted his career in its tracks. While the accident didn’t deter him from getting behind the wheel of a car, it led to a gambling addiction, and Sonny now makes a living taking racing jobs wherever he can find them. When his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Bardem), now the owner of F1 team APXGP, approaches Sonny with an offer to compete in the final few races of the F1 season, it presents him with a chance at redemption. It is a huge roll of the dice for Ruben as his ownership of the team is at stake, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Sonny must find the spark that he once had for the sport, while also butting heads with the team’s other driver, the up-and-coming Joshua Pearce (Idris).

Having taken to the skies to deliver utterly enthralling aerial combat sequences, Kosinski was evidently not done feeling the need for speed, effortlessly making the switch from a jet plane to a high-intensity horsepower car that can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour (mph) in 2.1 to 2.7 seconds and can reach speeds exceeding 200 mph. Re-teaming with Top Gun cinematographer Claudio Miranda, the racing scenes are pulsating and electrifying. Deploying cameras on these seriously impressive vehicles makes the audience feel like they are the ones behind the wheel, where a split-second decision can make the difference between victory and defeat. The immersive cinematography is complemented by yet again exemplary sound work to capture the vociferous roar of those engines, and both deserve to be seen and heard on the biggest screen you can find. What’s more, the filmmakers went above and beyond in their attempt at authenticity by filming at genuine F1 races, allowing cameo appearances from professional F1 drivers as well as prominent F1 media figures.

Sonny is as charming as one would expect, given that Pitt is one of the most recognisable actors in the world. However, beneath that undeniable charm (and good looks) lies a layer of complexity and vulnerability, stemming from how his hopes and dreams of F1 stardom were cruelly cut short and how his personal life unravelled after a devastating crash. Going toe-to-toe with someone like Pitt is a daunting task, but Idris’s Joshua exudes charisma and confidence in his abilities as an F1 driver. Pearce is determined to prove he can be the best and does not take kindly to Sonny’s presence. However, he also realises that if the team fails, his own position within the team would be in serious jeopardy. This leads to Joshua making some brash and impulsive decisions both on and off the racetrack that could be a hammer blow to APXGP’s chances of saving their season.

It wouldn’t be a sports film if these two competitive personalities did not clash, but Sonny sees that there is undeniable talent in his teammate, and so they will find a way to put aside their rivalry for the sake of the team’s survival. Key to them putting aside their differences is the team’s no-nonsense technical director Kate McKenna (a brilliant Kerry Condon) and Bardem’s Ruben, the latter of whom has a lot of time for Sonny given the friendship they had in their youth. Though given that Ruben’s ownership of this team is on the line, that patience is very much put to the test like the tyres on an F1 car.

As undeniably impressive and immersive as the filmmaking is, which will hook in fans of F1 and non-fans alike, Ehren Kruger’s screenplay does rely on some well-worn sports film tropes that unlike the unpredictability of a F1 race, you will see coming from a mile off and will more than likely be able to guess how the film will play out by the time it reaches the final lap. Furthermore, having worked on another F1 film in the past (namely 2013’s criminally underrated Rush), Hans Zimmer’s score does bear some similarities. It might not land a place at the very top of the podium, but F1: The Movie revs up the excitement, gets the adrenaline pumping, and hits the chequered flag in mighty fine style.