In 2022, director Joseph Kosinski set the world on fire with Top Gun: Maverick, a long-in-development sequel that no one was really that excited about until they actually saw it, and it ended up being the movie that defined the summer movie season. Maverick played in theaters all summer long and made over a billion dollars. Even my father, who had not been to the movies in years, asked to go see it. It was the kind of thing that really, against all odds, brought audiences together. We’ve been waiting to see what Kosinski’s follow-up film would be, and he’s largely done it again. F1, set in the world of Formula One racing, was initially made for Apple’s streaming service, but is receiving a theatrical release via Warner Bros. this weekend. And I couldn’t possibly imagine waiting to watch this one on a streaming service. Despite its problems, this is kind of a perfect summer movie in the ways that matter. 

Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is a middle-aged race car driver who lives like a drifter, out of his van, and never stays in one place for too long. He’s approached by old friend and colleague Ruben (Javier Bardem), who owns a Formula One racing team that needs his help to stay afloat and avoid a corporate buyout. Once there, he butts heads with Joshua (Damson Idris), a younger player who becomes increasingly important to him, as well as the team’s technical director Kate (Kerry Condon), who might also become his new love interest. Does Sonny have what it takes to save the team and achieve redemption for himself?

The story of F1 is basic as can be, and so are the characters. There is not a single surprising moment in this entire movie, and yet I had a fantastic time watching it, and there are a few central reasons why. One is that Joseph Kosinski has seemingly perfected the formula for the big summer movie that you take your dad to. There is a lot here that will seem familiar to anyone who saw Top Gun: Maverick – the grizzled older man who knows everything and is always right, the up-and-coming younger guy who he slowly becomes a mentor figure to, a story about how the younger and older generations have a lot to learn from each other, and an emphasis on the importance of team work. It does feel like Kosinski largely playing the Maverick greatest hits, hoping that formula will somehow work again, and unfortunately for the cynic in me, it does.

Brad Pitt may be kind of an allegedly crappy person in real life, but he’s still absolutely a movie star. He lights up the screen with the kind of presence and charisma that so few can pull off these days. It feels like he hasn’t missed a beat, and even though this character is presented as the person who’s always right about everything, where only he could truly save the day, Pitt manages to make that less annoying than it should be. Damson Idris, who led the FX series Snowfall, but who I don’t think I’ve seen before, is very good here and manages to stand out rather than be encompassed by all the noise, and that’s a strong point in his favor. Kerry Condon is quite good here as well, even if her presence can be summarized as just being the love interest. Javier Bardem seems to be happy to simply be along for the ride here.

The second reason why F1 worked so well for me is because of the filmmaking here. If Joseph Kosinski can continue to deliver summer blockbusters this viscerally exciting, he’s got a very long career ahead of him. F1 is a two and a half hour long film that zips by and even though the characters and the plot are not terribly exciting, the presentation of everything is the real draw here. Oscar winner Stephen Mirrione is the editor here and Claudio Miranda (returning from Top Gun: Maverick) is the cinematographer, and the way our camera zooms and pans around in the driver’s seats during these racing scenes is totally thrilling and exciting. And Hans Zimmer is going full Hans Zimmer with this score. It’s breathtaking and deserves the loudest sound system you can find.

A few words about the premium format screen. If you’ve seen a movie lately in Dolby, IMAX, 4DX, D-Box or any number of other premium formats over the last several years, you’ll find that your enjoyment of the film can be enhanced by the premium format, or if it disappoints, it can make you leave feeling your money has been wasted. I saw F1 in a D-Box seat at a Cinemark movie theater. If you’re unfamiliar, D-Box is a seat that will shake, move and vibrate with the action of the movie. F1 is the kind of movie this format was made for. I totally believe my enjoyment of this film was enhanced because of how I chose to see it. Dolby Cinema would also be a good choice for this, and if you have a Regal 4DX cinema available to you, that’s probably your best bet. Either way, there are some films that are simply worth the experience of seeing the film on the biggest, grandest, loudest canvas you can find, and this is one of them. This will absolutely not play the same at home.

Overall, F1 isn’t breaking new ground narratively or cinematically, but it’s also a compelling argument for the summer movie in general. It’s loud, it’s enormous, it’s exciting, it’s an incredibly fun experience to have with a big crowd. If you’re a fan of Formula One racing, I can’t really speak to what it gets right or wrong about the sport, as I know almost nothing about it. I’m not a sports person in general, but I do love a good sports movie. Something about the story of an underdog who defies the odds has always resonated with me. So, there’s a lot I’ll forgive when a movie has me this locked in and excited to see what comes next. Joseph Kosinski might also be the master of the Take Your Dad Movie, and surprisingly enough, I don’t mean that as an insult! When you’re this good at something, you keep doing it and I’m very much looking forward to seeing Kosinski continue to fine-tune his formula. It’s the kind of thing we go to the movies for.