“F1 The Movie”: A High-Speed Spectacle That Leaves Logic in the Dust

Brad Pitt returns to the driver's seat in a film that's all flash, no fuel.

There’s a moment in F1 The Movie where a character, bewildered by a series of baffling events during a climactic race, blurts out: “That makes no sense.” And that line, unintentionally or not, becomes the film’s unofficial tagline.

Directed by Top Gun: Maverick helmer Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt as a washed-up racer turned reluctant hero, F1 is both a dazzling adrenaline ride and a narrative enigma. With sleek cinematography, pulse-pounding races, and a star-studded cast including Damson Idris and Javier Bardem, this sports drama has all the makings of a hit. And yet, for all its horsepower, F1 sputters when it comes to plot coherence and emotional stakes.

Brad Pitt, Comeback King (Again)

Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a veteran driver who’s long past his prime, living in his van and chasing the next rush behind the wheel. When he's recruited to rejoin Formula 1 under the struggling Apex Grand Prix team, the film sets up what should be a compelling redemption arc. But while Pitt infuses Hayes with a mix of world-weariness and swagger, the character’s transformation feels more like a straight shot to ego-boosting success than a nuanced return from rock bottom.

His counterpart is the young and arrogant Joshua Pearce (a fantastic Damson Idris), a social-media-obsessed rising star who lacks focus but oozes bravado. Together, they form an uneasy alliance in a sport where milliseconds separate glory from disaster. Idris plays Pearce with charisma and just the right amount of smugness, and his chemistry with Pitt is the emotional glue of the film.

The Villains Are Missing in Action

Here’s the problem: F1 isn’t really interested in conflict. The rival drivers — of which there are many — are faceless, voiceless, and ultimately irrelevant. They exist only as fast-moving pixels on a global racetrack, never developed enough to feel like threats or characters in their own right. It’s like watching a racing video game where the only players with personality are the ones holding the controllers.

Even when a true antagonist does emerge, it’s far too late — and far too thin — to matter. As a result, the story struggles to build tension. Without a compelling opposition, victories feel inevitable rather than earned, and the stakes never quite reach the fever pitch the visuals seem to promise.

A Visual and Sonic Powerhouse

Still, F1 delivers where it counts for the senses. Kosinski brings the same kinetic energy that made Top Gun: Maverick soar. The races — shot with staggering clarity — are heart-pounding affairs, especially during one unforgettable silent sequence that captures the eerie, transcendent focus of an elite driver. You don’t just watch these scenes; you feel them in your bones.

Hans Zimmer’s electrifying score adds another layer of intensity. With booming synths, deep bass, and bursts of classic rock, the soundtrack becomes a character in itself, mirroring Hayes’ old-school cool and Pearce’s millennial flash. It’s music made for motion.

Too Much Sport, Not Enough Story

But for all its strengths, F1 is a movie that often gets in its own way. By obsessing over the labyrinthine rules of Formula 1 — without explaining them to non-fans — the film risks losing viewers who just came for the ride. Where Rush (2013) or Ford v Ferrari (2019) struck a balance between drama and sport, F1 leans too hard into the technical weeds, alienating those unfamiliar with the difference between DRS and undercutting.

And when Hayes starts exploiting those very rules to rack up wins, his triumphs feel less like underdog moments and more like clever loopholes. It’s a script that wants you to cheer, but often forgets to make you care.

Final Lap: Thrilling, But Pointless

F1 The Movie is a cinematic contradiction — loud but hollow, fast but meandering, star-powered yet emotionally flat. It’s not that it isn’t fun. It is. It’s just hard to shake the feeling that this film is less a love letter to racing and more a long-form ad for Formula 1’s brand.

If you’re already a die-hard F1 enthusiast, you might revel in the slick production and insider nods. If you’re new to the sport, however, expect to be entertained but bewildered. As one character says — and we’re inclined to agree — “That makes no sense.”