F1: The Movie - Full Throttle Feels and Fast Cars

Ben Sorensen
Jun 26
2 min read

Let’s be honest: when you hear “F1 movie,” your brain might instinctively reach for earplugs and brace for two hours of high-octane engine sounds and blokes in branded overalls talking about tyre pressure. But “F1: The Movie” pulls a sneaky swerve and delivers something far more sophisticated, heartfelt, and yes—still absolutely drenched in speed.

Brilliantly written and surprisingly tender, this is less a film about racing, and more a film about why people race. It's a layered, character-driven drama disguised in carbon fibre and champagne spray. Underneath the aerodynamic helmets and brutal time trials are human beings grappling with insecurity, trauma, ego, and the endless pursuit of perfection. You’ll find camaraderie where you expect rivalry, and vulnerability in places you'd expect pure bravado.

The cast is tight and charismatic, bringing emotional depth without veering into melodrama. The dynamics between the main characters—drivers, engineers, and managers alike—feel grounded, complex, and refreshingly unpolished. No one is a caricature, and even the so-called villains have just enough grease under their nails and heartbreak in their pasts to feel painfully real.

For the F1-ignorant, the film is a soft-launch into the sport: exposition is smooth, never clunky, and racing scenes are filmed with such verve and clarity that even if you’ve never heard of a downforce coefficient, you’ll still be clutching your popcorn like it’s a steering wheel at Monza. For the diehards, oh my—the cameos! Like Easter eggs in overdrive, legendary drivers, historic cars, iconic tracks, and pitlane gossip all get lovingly woven into the fabric without screaming fan service.

Visually, the film is breathtaking. Director-of-speed (I assume that’s a real credit?) blends sleek cinematography with adrenaline-inducing race sequences that don’t feel overly CGI’d or nauseatingly shaky. The editing is sharp, the pacing zips, and the score throbs like a turbocharged engine.

“F1: The Movie” is not just a slick motorsport drama—it’s a meditation on ambition, pressure, and the toll of greatness. It hums with emotion and roars with energy. You’ll leave the cinema with a strange urge to apologise to your Uber driver for not appreciating their cornering skills more.

F1: The Movie is wildly engaging, emotionally resonant pit-stop of a film that races far beyond expectations. Even if your idea of Formula One involves a calculator, you’ll likely love this more than you thought you would.