Review: F1: The Movie Works But Not For The Reasons You Think

There are endless takes from critics and cinephiles across the world - people with a much deeper understanding of cinema than I claim to have - about what makes a film "good". "If I have a criterion for choosing the greatest films, it’s an emotional one. These are films that moved me deeply in one way or another," wrote Roger Ebert. "There are no rules in filmmaking. Only sins. And the cardinal sin is dullness," believed Frank Capra. In an interview with Michel Ciment, Stanley Kubrick stated that as far as he was concerned, "the most memorable scenes in the best films are those which are built predominantly of images and music."

But for me, it's simple: a good film is one that piques my interest. One that draws me in and makes me want to go out and learn more - not just about the story, but about the world it came from.

When The Queen’s Gambit dropped, most of us already knew chess was a brilliant, intellectual game. What the series did was make us feel that brilliance. It reignited our fascination with the sport and gave it soul. Made it fun. That’s the magic of good storytelling - it makes you care. Often unexpectedly.

F1: The Movie does exactly that.

Sure, it has all the ingredients for a blockbuster: Brad Pitt in the lead role with a brilliant supporting cast comprising Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, Damson Idris and Kim Bodnia. It had Joseph Kosinski on board as the director - the man who gave us Tron: Legacy, Oblivion and Top Gun: Maverick. Apple created a custom onboard camera for the movie, powered by an A-series chip. Made in partnership with Formula 1 and its 10 teams, the crew enjoyed unprecedented access to the races to the point that Kosinski remarked: “We’re the eleventh team.”

But for someone who's not grown up excited about pits and podiums, who never understood the hype around Silverstone or a Grand Prix, and who never really cared how a minor tweak in a car's design could shave off a tenth of a second - I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

F1: The Movie, as formulaic and unrealistic, as it may be, also works because it is not just about an ageing "never-was" being given a last shot at being the best driver in the world - it is about the why behind him ignoring doctor's orders and coming back to the sport in the first place. One of the film’s strongest threads is Pitt's character being repeatedly asked why he’s still doing this - why he races. And his answer holds the soul of the film. It’s not about fame, money, or trophies.

At one point, when speaking to Kondon's Kate McKenna, he talks about chasing the moment when his heartbeat slows, he is aware of everything around him, the world pauses and he starts flying. You don’t have to be an F1 driver - or Brad Pitt - to understand what he means. It could be anything: cooking, running, teaching, writing, making films. That rare, beautiful moment when everything aligns, when every cell in your body and every neuron in your brain comes together so perfectly that it all makes sense. The universe feels like it’s been building toward that one second - and even if it lasts just a moment, it makes everything worth it.

That’s what the Apple Original film is really about. Chasing that moment. Doing something you love even when no one believes in you, even when all the odds are stacked against you, even when the math says it can’t be done. It’s about having that one flicker of belief so strong that you force the Universe to intervene and grant you the miracle that Bardem's character chases. It's ultimately not about standing on the podium or being the best in the world. It’s about being alive.