Strap in as F1 steers audiences into the electrifying heart of motorsport. This highly anticipated film aims to capture the high-octane thrills, intricate strategies, and nail-biting drama of Formula 1. But while the story goes full throttle on the track, it takes a pit stop when it comes to character development.

Joseph Kosinski truly put his name on the filmmaking map with the cinematic heights of Top Gun: Maverick (2022), which smashed every expectation with its high-flying stars, camerawork and story. Back with the same team, Kosinski has taken on another challenge, which also runs at breakneck speeds. Formula 1's fanbase only grows larger every year, so much so that the world is finally ready for a shiny blockbuster film made for the current fans and the soon-to-be.

Kosinski directs and co-writes, alongside Ehren Kruger, this high-octane flick, which puts Brad Pitt in the driver's seat. Sonny Hayes (Pitt), a former Formula 1 driver, is convinced to come out of retirement to mentor and team up with younger driver Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) to prevent the team APX-GP from being sold. On the surface, it is a traditional underdog story, and the plot itself never strays far from the usual formula audiences expect. Kosinski seemingly focuses all his efforts on the race—the finish line always in his sights—with lesser regard for what's happening off the track. However, there is a good balance of humour and vulnerability on show.

Sonny is a suave and charismatic character, but a large part of his story is about the traumatic crash that ended his racing career, and yet he doesn't seem to be bearing the brunt of much trauma. His hardened exterior creates a lacking emotional journey. His performance is bolstered by that of Kerry Condon, who portrays his love interest and the team's technical director, shouldering much of the emotion otherwise lacking from the protagonist. The standout here, however, is Idris, who takes on the cheeky but determined role of a younger driver starting a career with raw talent.

Creatives are under no illusion that the draw here is the visuals. Claudio Miranda, who has some of the greats under his belt, including Life of Pi (2012) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), was the cinematographer on this project. The illustration of the speed and its effects on the driver is something that is notoriously difficult to capture on film in an exciting way. Miranda puts viewers in the driver's seat with the use of small IMAX cameras in a similar way to the planes in Top Gun: Maverick, which was part of what made that so immersive as a film. With these cameras, audiences are put right into the action, as cars veer around tight corners and tear down the track. Composer Hans Zimmer delivers an electric score that only adds to the visceral images on-screen, working in tandem with the roar of the engines and the sizzling of the tyres burning on the racetrack to create a soundscape that injects the film with a pounding pulse.

Legend of the sport Lewis Hamilton was brought on as a producer, and his influence is clear. It could be that he was the film's secret ingredient, as what happens in the story may be dramatic, but it is careful to never stray too far from reality. As many will remember, much of F1 was filmed during a real season of the motorsport, which gives it that immersive quality that would have been difficult to replicate elsewhere or at a different time.

The slick cinematography shimmers with promise, sliding into pole position with Top Gun: Maverick from a visual perspective. But like a car running on fumes in the final lap, the film's overly familiar narrative and somewhat underdeveloped characters keep it from truly crossing the finish line as a cinematic champion. F1 is undeniably an exhilarating spectacle, but it ultimately prioritises the visual thrill of the race over the emotional depth of its drivers.

F1 is in cinemas now.