The Perfect Formula
Joseph Kosinski’s ‘F1’, his first theatrical endeavor since the billion-dollar-earning ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, is reminiscent of the typical Jerry Bruckheimer produced blockbusters from the 90s such as Tony Scott’s stylish ‘Days of Thunder’ and Michael Bay’s ridiculously-thrilling ‘Armageddon’. Obviously, Brad Pitt isn’t going into space to nuke an asteroid in ‘F1’, but he proves that he’s still a movie star that can handle big-budget spectacles and put butts in seats – even in his 60s. It also doesn’t hurt when your movie has a banging Hans Zimmer score mainlined into the veins of the audience.
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Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is a middle-aged race car driver living in a van, traveling from city to city, and looking for an intense thrill on the track. He doesn’t care about the money or the trophies, just the racing. After winning the 24 Hours of Daytona race, Sonny is given a chance by an old friend and current Apex racing team owner, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), to drive a car in Formula One (the pinnacle of racing).
Sonny doesn’t accept the offer right away, and we learn that he almost died during his last race at this level in a catastrophic accident, one that would make anyone walk away from the sport. But not Sonny. He struts onto the training facility grounds the next day, meeting his cocky rookie teammate, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), and several members of the behind-the-scenes team like the gorgeous, genius of a tech director, Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), who is immediately intrigued by Sonny.
Joshua, nicknamed JP by Sonny much to his chagrin, is not so much intrigued by his presence but more or so pissed off. He wants to make a name for himself in a league where owners will throw you under the wheels of a car the second you prove you aren’t valuable to them anymore, and Sonny definitely won’t help him with this. Quickly butting heads as soon as they get on the track, both Sonny and Joshua learn what it’s like to work as a team, especially when the lives of regular people are counting on their success.
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‘F1’ is a blockbuster that we have all seen before. A young hot-shot must learn from the damaged, old-school mentor in order to succeed while outside forces work against them. Kosinski did the same thing with Tom Cruise and Miles Teller in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, and he does it again here. People love to see this kind of story play out and will return to these movies over and over again. As long as Hollywood exists, these movies will exist, and you can bet your life savings that every dad will be lined up at the concession stands before making their way to the seats in the theater to see these movies.
A Massive Production
The scale of ‘F1’ is quite incredible. Amidst a decade of blockbusters that rely on special effects and digital worlds, ‘F1’ feels different. And that’s because it is.
Shot on-location at various Formula One races in places like Hungary, Italy, Japan along with many others, the film literally takes you on a trip around the world, letting the audience experience what a typical F1 driver goes through in a season. It’d be criminal to not mention the final race on the Las Vegas Strip. It is beautifully shot, allowing us to take in the vibrant atmosphere of Sin City before and after the race. Fireworks become a character during one of the final sequences and look exceptional on the silver screen thanks to Oscar-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda.
‘F1’ is the second collaboration between composer Hans Zimmer and Kosinski, the first being ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Zimmer worked on the Ron Howard directed Formula One movie ‘Rush’ back in 2013, as well, and this score really stands out compared to some of his recent endeavors. Sure, the ‘Dune’ scores are great, but they aren’t as fresh as the one we hear in ‘F1’ especially in a theater. One instrument that stood out in particular was the electric guitar, and it really benefits some of the racing sequences as the drivers are speeding down the track neck and neck.
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The budget of ‘F1’ has been a hotly contested number, with reporter Matt Belloni stating that it is around $300 million, a number that both producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Kosinski denied. Ahead of the release, it was stated to be closer to $200 million, but some still believe that Belloni’s report was correct. In a prime summer release slot, ‘F1’ is sure to break even, especially when it features a star like Brad Pitt paired with the director of one of the most successful movies of the decade.
A Future Crossover?
While speaking with GQ Magazine, Kosinski stated that he hopes to create a crossover-sequel between ‘F1’ and ‘Days of Thunder’ starring both Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. ‘Top Gun 3’ is currently in development, with Kosinski returning to direct the Christopher Mcquarrie penned script, and of course, Tom Cruise returning as Maverick. Assuming Cruise would much rather produce and star in another ‘Top Gun’ beforehand, this hypothetical production would take years to get off the ground and running. Both Cruise and Pitt have spoken about the respect they have for one another as actors, going back all the way to their work on ‘Interview with the Vampire’ in 1994, and now, as certified movie stars and matured actors, a collaboration between them would be a must-see movie.
Brad Pitt is currently filming a David Ayer action film and is set to star in the sequel to ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, ‘The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth’, written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher, both of which are said to be released in 2026.
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Author
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Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
