While the season of Summer Blockbusters may have passed, the new film everyone is talking about, F1 (The Movie), is arguably the biggest movie of 2025 so far.
For those who haven’t heard, F1 (Formula One) is the open-wheel, hypercar racing phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. F1 is widely considered one of the fastest-growing sports around, having spiked in viewership by almost 1 million viewers since 2018 alone. And though its inaugural season dates back to 1950, our current generation’s technology has undoubtedly played a role in its spike in popularity. While Apple’s 2025 box office smash hit has earned well over double its original budget, it actually isn’t the first Formula 1 Movie to hit the silver screen. Films like Grand Prix (1966) and Rush (2013) set the standards for good racing films. So, it comes without question that diehard and new fans alike have been racing to see if the motion picture lives up to the hype.
Now that the lecture is out of the way, is it worth watching? Overall, yes. However…proceed with caution. This movie may divide movie watchers by what type of F1 fan you are, new or veteran.
To start, this movie is great because of its breathtaking cinematography. The way that cinematographer Claudio Miranda executed this is the stuff of legends. Finding ways to film high-quality scenes by sticking the world’s best cameras on a rocketship of a car.. The camera work in this film really shows off the beauty of all of the various locations on Formula 1’s racing tour across the globe, such as Mexico City, Monza, and Abu Dhabi.
Another way this film is amazing is its dedication to presenting the sport as accurately as possible. From including real drivers and team bosses to bringing a real Formula-style car with an official team sponsor, everything comes together in terms of accuracy. This is exactly what some die-hard fans will be looking for.
Unfortunately, this is where the movie could go sour to some viewers. The director attempted to make a movie that both die-hard fans and new watchers could enjoy, which is a respectable goal to hold. The plot manages this well, with its story holding up to the summer action blockbuster standard.
But the writing and acting are terrible. Everything about the sport is dumbed down to the point where the film feels like a kids’ movie. I understand that their goal is to appeal to a wide audience of hardcore fans and new watchers alike, but it’s unbearable at times, and an aging Brad Pitt who is trying to over-dramatize every single detail doesn’t help. There are a lot of corny moments in this movie, sadly.
Overall, the F1 movie is an outstanding achievement in terms of cinematography and action movie mania, but it is missing the aspect of good dialogue. It leaves the movie-goer thinking how much more enjoyable the movie would be without the oversell of the objective.
Viewers who are new to F1 will love this the most out of anyone. This is a perfect, dumbed-down introduction to the most popular racing group in the world.
