Brad Pitt Races Against Time and Legacy in Rip-Roaringly Joyous "F1"

"Formula One is a team sport. It always was." 

Director Joseph Kosinski pulled off a miracle when he brought 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick" to the big screen in 2022. A box office success of a sequel to a popular, often-mocked classic from 40 years prior was never something of a certainty. However, the "Oblivion" director, combined with pure star power, Hans Zimmer's indelible score, and an action-packed IP, carries a bit of weight for audiences.

The summer blockbuster, at least since its inception, has trended towards edge-of-your-seat action. A hallmark of the genre, thrilling and fast-paced sequences make for great popcorn entertainment. Kosinski's newest, "F1," creates new space for racing that only belongs in a blockbuster.

"F1" (though the studio would prefer I call it "F1: The Movie," which seems absurd) stars Brad Pitt as the tattoo-clad Sonny Hayes, a nomadic race car driver whose best days appear to be behind him. Crisscrossing the country in search of his next adventure, the film opens with Sonny competing in endurance racing at Daytona and collecting a small payday that will take him to his next fix. A gambling addict and a veteran in an industry unkind to its elders, Sonny lives out of a van on a quest for minor glory.

He is soon recruited by an old racing pal and current owner of the APXGP F1 team, Ruben (Javier Bardem), to race at the Formula One level again. It's a preposterous request that Sonny takes full advantage of to cement his legacy in a sport that has long moved on. He is immediately pitted against the rookie Joshua "Noah" Pearce, a hotshot bastard with an affinity for smiling for the media while taking down anyone who comes in his way.

Ruben's team is a laughing stock, and although Sonny's return to the sport is initially mocked due to his age, his knowledge and toughness might be what Ruben needs to actually win a race. In Sonny's corner is Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), the technical director of the crew (and one of only two females in the cast). Obviously, Sonny and Kate strike up a romance because what is a summer blockbuster without a clearly defined love interest for our male hero?

Think "Bull Durham" with the vet helping out the cocky rookie while romancing the only woman on set…and you'll get the picture.

"F1" might have a long runtime and ridiculous premises, like the idea of a 61-year-old racing legend Lewis Hamilton (a producer on the film), that it's easy to roll one's eyes at everything going on in between the competition. But with the combination of Kosinski, Pitt's charm and awe-inspiring bod, another magnificent Hans Zimmer score, and death-defying racing sequences that put the audience directly into the cars at breakneck speeds, the film elevates a genre and places it directly at the top. 

Is it a 2.5-hour commercial for Formula One, or is it a feature film with a lot of heart, muscle, and sequences that surpass the "Ben Hur" legacy? I'll leave that for the audience to decide.

The film sparkles with joyous performances and magnetism, making it difficult to stay mad at yourself for loving a silly box office grab. "F1" is what blockbusters, true summer blockbusters, used to be: Heart-pounding visuals, characters hungry for attention, and an adrenaline high once you leave the theater.

Though racing enthusiasts will undoubtedly flock to the theater to see their favorite Formula One drivers on a large IMAX screen (yes, many of them appear in the movie), the real reason to go is the main driver himself. Pitt demonstrates his movie star power at every hair-raising turn while leaving enough room for the non-household names to shine. Condon and Idris make it look easy as they go head-to-head with Pitt throughout the film. 

Sonny has very little fucks to give as he embraces his second act in the F1 sun. Sacrifices must be made while the team seeks even one win to establish its name. But taking the heart out of racing isn't an option, and Pitt and company make for a great team at the center of a summer blockbuster worth its weight in champagne glory.