F1: High Octane, Fast Paced, Ambition (Spoiler Free)

 

(Source: Regal Cinemas)

I still have not seen Top Gun Maverick, but this film who was also directed by the mind behind it Joseph Kosinski made me want to check it out, also he directed Tron Legacy which I saw in theaters back in the day and that film is amazing. But today is not about planes, or a digital world, it is about F1 racing. When I first saw the glowing praise this movie was getting I had to check it out for myself, and so I did, here are my thoughts.

F1 follows Brad Pitt plays Sonny Hayes who does all kinds of races, gets called back into the world of formula one racing, he has to team up with  a new up and comer named Joshua Pearce played by Damson Idris , and work with an old friend, work with a new team and try to take this losing team to the top of the leaderboards before it is too late. There is drama, different view points on life, backstories, and of course tons of racing.

This movie is really good, I had a great time watching it from start to finish. The acting in this film is spectacular from every actor, in every role big and small. The writing is phenomenal also, there are great themes about pride, ambition, dreams and why we do what we do, these themes impacting how we live our lives but also how we treat others. The movie has great pacing, and keeps the story moving, as we watch the cast learn and grow in real time. Another thing I love about about this movie is not one character holds all the answers, we see that this narrative is truly and team effort and people can be wrong and we can all grow. 

The character story lines in this film are super engaging, and great to follow. Relatable themes about motivation and drive, why we do what we do that are portrayed so well through the acting and writing that gripped me whenever the story dove deeper on a character. I liked plenty of the cast, each character could have a comedic and dramatic moments that did not feel out place but rather felt like real people, who had real dreams but also real issues to work through. The movie is even very inspiring at points, sticking with some of the themes and inspiring me to ask why I do what I do, and remembering to love what I do. The themes on motivation are done in such a great way that never feel like they are being beat over the head of the audience, while also showing the characters naturally progress through their stories, not just jumping into character growth. This movie even has a subtle story line about social media, perception, and differences in generations that is down very well. 

This movie is shot so incredibly well, every time there is a race I was on the edge of my seat. The camerawork for scenes both high octane and the more dramatic scenes. The camera work is so dynamic that every scene looks good, which matches the fantastic writing. The music in this movie is also amazing, to the point where I want to listen to the soundtrack from this movie which I rarely do. Everything in this movie fits together and works in tandem to create something, like a well running car, a well running car that is also driven well. The movie looks great, but the writing, music, and acting, all build into a movie that I would watch again, one I was not expecting to like this much.

Now it's time to talk about the racing, and it is AWESOME. Every race is like a full blown action sequence, but they all stand out on their own. Each one has their own unique goal and strategy from the characters but also their own tones. From test drives to cup races, each one is filmed so well that I was on the edge of my seat every single time one started. Each race is packed with adrenaline and emotion, displaying the tension and how each racer feels with near perfect visuals. The racing in this movie was made for the big screen, and I am sure it will look great at home, but being in a movie theater really made this movie pop and reminded me what movies made for the big screen look like.

Everything in this film fantastic, I would be shocked if this movie did not get some love during awards season, and I loved Tron Legacy, but now I want to see Top Gun Maverick. The only qualm I have is the movie feels a little too long, but aside from that this film is great, and the fact that they one thing multiple times which is racing, but makes the racing fresh every single time, is an incredible feat. Watching something happen multiple times but keeping me engaged every single time with different emotions and locations, while keeping the stakes and character moments ever present makes this movie one of my favorites of this year. There is some language in this movie, as well as the long running time so I would say this is not a picture for the whole family, but for those old enough, this is one that shouldn't be missed on the big screen, it was an amazing watch from beginning to end, that left me feeling satisfied by the time the credits rolled, reminding me of how fun it is to see movies on the big screen.