After an horrific crash in 1990, Sonny Hayes left the dangers of Formula 1 behind to find his thrills elsewhere. But when an old racing foe asks for his help to bring his flailing team back from the brink, will Sonny be able to put his near terminal past behind him?
Starring a plethora of fine actors but concentrating on the leads, we have the one and only Brad Pitt as the not even ‘has been’ but ‘never was’ Sonny Hayes, an ex-F1 driver. Damson Idris (BBC’s Snowfall) as the cocky young rookie, Joshua ‘Swan’ Pearce. There’s also Kerry Condon as team principal of APXG Kate McKenna, and last but not least Javier Bardem as team manager and ex foe, Ruben Cervantes.
Very much a ‘zero to hero’ story, the film concentrates primarily on Sonny and Joshua. Formula 1 company, APXGP have never won a single race and so require the help of Sonny, despite the fact he left many years earlier due to a near life threatening racing accident. This style of story is a familiar trope, the older character having left the scene yet required to return years later, through to the rookie who deep down requires the assistance despite the bravado. Now this all could be dull if made with a badly written script, however F1 does not fall into that category. Brad and Damson are poles apart in acting heritage, yet the chemistry despite not being amazing is enough to give this film the edge over lesser recent rivals.
A film 4 years in the making from script to screen, F1 takes us faster and deeper into what is potentially the most dangerous sport in the world. Inspired by Martin Donelly’s horrific Formula 1 crash in Jerez, Spain in 1990, and with some of the actual footage to sell the very real dangers, the action at times is breathtaking. Kosinski and crew had to adapt camera equipment from Top Gun: Maverick‘s impressive action scenes, a technological feat they also wanted to bring to F1. Filmed over many packed actual racing weekends during the F1 season of 2023 and 2024, there were timing restrictions so as not to impede the actual driver’s championship. The choreographed action works seamlessly to a point of not knowing what was real and what was scripted.
Why is this all necessary to know? With newer films and with greater, more realistic technology we are thankfully taken out of the horrific, badly made action green screens visuals of yesteryear and given a front row seat cinematically right into this world. Does this work, are we transported?… Hell, yes! What Joseph K. and Jerry B. have done once again is treat us to the high speed of multi-million dollar tech from the safety of the cinema seat, but still creating the twists and turns of immersive sound of every fast straight, entry and exit.
Of course, with films that are based around known reality, Warner Bros – in this case – required the knowledge from a seven times F1 World Champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton. F1: The Movie is to date the most expensive driving film ever made and it really does show on the screen. Mercedes AMG created a pseudo F1 car from an F2 chassis circa the 2023 season lengthening the body to make it look like the real deal. And yes the actors did drive at up to 180mph. F1 is not an acting tour de force – although the main stars do indeed shine on screen – it is with the action and direction however where we find our main enjoyment. The script, despite being semi predictable, takes us from 0 to 180mph and back again with a moment of sheer terror through the mid-movie action point. With audible gasps, F1 is very much a cinematic triumph with immersive and climactic sound.
Is F1: The Movie worthwhile spending an evening in the cinema for a run time including ads of 3 hours from 5000 hours of filmed footage? Most definitely. Witnessing the speed within the car and the immersive sound is something else. Lewis as co producer made sure the engine sounds and brake noises were that of not only each track but of each particular straight and corner. Sound designer Al Nelson who of course also worked on Top Gun: Maverick added the sounds in post production to create the most authentic experience on the screen. We have never before been so close to the action in the cinema until this fantastic film. The power of the A-list actor takes what could have almost been a fantastic documentary into a feast for the visual and audible senses. To make such a movie we need to concentrate several seasons into one to create all the action we expect from a summer box office hit.
However, one of my favourite scenes in amongst all the drama is Sonny and Kate on a balcony in Las Vegas talking funnily enough about the perfect lap and the feeling of flying, once again tying into Kosinski’s brilliant fighter jet movie. With F1‘s current and continuing box office success, there are talks already of sequels including further Top Gun and Days of Thunder adventures which will surely be a few years away; but keeping with the same casts, some new friends and of course foes will once again be something quite cinematically spectacular.
Author: Piers, Maidstone Store
