Brad Pitt is an aging hotshot desperate for a comeback.
So is his character, Sonny Hayes, in the new IMAX-only racing drama F1.
Hayes is a race car driver (the type of car doesn’t matter) pulled back into Formula One by his old buddy Ruben (Javier Bardem). Ruben’s racing team is on its last legs, and if he can’t scrape out a single win this season, he’s bankrupt and loses his team.
Chafed by this aged newcomer is Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris), the team’s other driver. He’s younger, and cockier, even though he’s never won a race.
What happens when this odd couple of drivers come together? Well, if you’ve seen any movie ever you already know the answer. F1 isn’t about surprise, it’s about execution, and it delivers.
Director Joseph Kosinski brings his full bag of cinematic tricks from Top Gun: Maverick. He straps cameras all over the cars, on hoods, helmets, sideboards, and then throws us into the driver’s seat with immersive POV shots. The result is some visceral racing scenes, each of which has a different visual flair as each race is held in a different (and stunning) locale
It helps that F1 was designed for IMAX and stays in that towering frame the entire time. Unlike movies that dip into IMAX just for key moments (Final Destination: Bloodlines, Sinners, most Marvel flicks), F1 fills the giant screen from start to finish. It’s fully immersive, and the presentation matters. This clearly is a film made for the biggest screen you can find.
The soundscape is just as aggressive. Hans Zimmer turns in a throbbing, electronic score that often blurs the line between soundtrack and source music. It calls back to his Inception work but leans harder into rock. I’ll have this one on repeat for a few weeks at least.
The cast isn’t just along for the ride. Pitt’s natural charisma makes Sonny Hayes the kind of grizzled has-been you actually want to root for. Idris more than holds his own, though. With a face that’s a cross between Eddie Murphy and Marlon Waynes, Idris’ Pierce starts out as an arrogant brat, but there’s nuance behind the swagger. He plays the ego, the insecurity, and the ambition, all at once. It’s a star-making turn.
Javier Bardem is, as usual, magnetic. What starts as a potentially shady team owner ends up as a sad-sack optimist you can’t help but like. Kerry Condon also shines as the team’s no-nonsense technical director. Her chemistry with Pitt is sharp, and their slow-burn subplot adds an old-school charm. It’s nice to see a film allow for adult romance without irony or apology.
The film clocks in at two and a half hours, but it flew by. F1 is light on weight but heavy on cinematic thrill. It’s also, hands down, one of the best uses of IMAX I’ve seen in years.
Yes, it’s an Apple production. But please, for the love of Dolby Atmos, don’t watch this on your iPhone or even your Apple TV. F1 was built for theaters. It’s loud, fast, and big in every way that counts. See it while you can, especially before Superman kicks it off IMAX screens next week.
Strong Recommend
