'F1: The Movie'-Formulaic 1
Color me a grouch. This site is called You'll Probably Agree, but you'll probably not agree with me on this one. Where many see F1: The Movie as a never-ending thrill ride on the runway, I saw an overplayed screenplay that lacked depth, prioritizing action over substance. Yes, this movie is about car racing. And yes, it delivers on its action. But does it need two and a half hours of it?
If you prefer style over substance, then this film is for you. The minimal character development that exists is baffling, given the film's extraordinary length. The movie is a mix between Top Gun Maverick (which makes sense, given it's the same director) and Rocky. It carries the same type of comeback setting as those movies. Where it falls short is in its exploration of its characters. Even Maverick, despite its big budget, had a little more nuance than this film.
F1 is off to a great start initially. The racing scene in the opening is fantastic. Joseph Kosinski is a master craftsman behind the camera. Early signs of his visual flair can be found in his career, notably in Tron Legacy, which features impressive CGI, albeit with a terribly de-aged Jeff Bridges. Since Tron Legacy, Kasinski has pushed himself to incorporate more practical effects when making Top Gun: Maverick by using real jets instead of CGI. Although I'm certain there was some CGI for the more death-defying shots.
F1: The Movie does for cars what Maverick did for jets. The races feature real drivers performing real stunts, while Krasinski lets the camera roll, refraining from frantically cutting in on the action like other racing movies do. The crashes in the movie are palpable, making their impact truly felt. It's too bad the script is more generic and bland than raw and impactful.
The film's protagonist, Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), is a former racing champion who threw his life away to gambling addiction, causing him to lose all his money and live in his van. One day, Sonny runs into an old friend, Ruben (Javier Bardem). Ruben is forming an F1 team and wants Sonny to be his racer. On the track, Ruben meets Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), an arrogant young racer who's not interested in making friends. We also meet Kate (Kerry Condon), a vehicle technician who winds up becoming the love interest because who can resist Brad Pitt?
Each character has a backstory that's barely brushed upon, which is fine since this is Sonny's story. Unfortunately, Sonny's arc is so overlooked that it hinders the narrative. The movie is more focused on racing than on people. Sonny's past mistakes would have made for a fascinating plot. Especially when, as a character, he seems like nothing fazes him. Sonny's past doesn't seem to haunt him when, in reality, it probably would. Brad Pitt continues to deliver the typical alpha male performance, exuding the ideal image of a man yet lacking the depth of a genuine person. Sonny has flaws. He plays by the beat of his own drum, ignoring his teammates' orders, which results in multiple crashes. But as you can guess, his arrogance turns out to be a winning trait in the end.
The supporting cast is also not particularly interesting, despite featuring some marvelous actors. Ruben is a millionaire who reflects what Sonny could have been. Kate is a woman who had to prove herself in her profession to advance in a male-dominated world. And Joshua is more invested in likes than being a driver. These are interesting character choices that are never explored in a movie that has plenty of time to give them more depth. Also, there are hardly any stakes.
Despite racing being a sport that involves a serious risk of death, everyone seems to come out unscathed. In one particular scene, a character is involved in a horrific accident. Yet he wakes up in the hospital like it was nothing. Then, it happens again to another character. Are these people superheroes or car racers? The film reaches the typical ending for an inspirational sports film, which will likely have audiences cheering. But not me.
You can argue a film like this isn't about the story. That's not a good excuse. Every movie is about the story. When the story is weak, the movie is weak. Some films can get by with wall-to-wall action. As long as the setting is dynamic enough, the film can still deliver an entertaining time. After seeing many films about car racing, aesthetically, this one is the most impressive. From the long cuts to the ear-shattering sound design, F1: The Movie delivers. But at two and a half hours, the constant racing felt like more of a drag than a rush.
