Most critics agree on what works: the racing. Nearly every review, favourable or not, praises the on-track sequences, the cameras mounted in the cars and Joseph Kosinski’s handling of speed, and several single out Brad Pitt’s ease in the lead and Damson Idris opposite him. The Guardian adds Kerry Condon as the strongest support. The reservations cluster just as tightly. Off the track the story is called formulaic almost everywhere, a rerun of Top Gun: Maverick in Radio Times’s view, and many reviews note how openly the film doubles as an advert for Formula One. The spread is moderate rather than wide: most land somewhere between warm and indulgent, with a handful going further. The Times calls it the corniest sports film yet and Digital Spy finds it an empty spectacle with an unlikeable lead. Variety is the rare dissenter on the racing itself, finding the sequences fragmentary and at times confusing.
E
Empire
17 June 2025 · Sophie Butcher
85*
The critic praises the immersive racing sequences achieved with groundbreaking cameras and real F1 access, highlighting Kosinski's direction and the authentic depiction of the sport, while noting the plot outside races is somewhat formulaic. Verdict is highly positive, recommending it on the biggest screen.
The critic praises the film's thrilling race sequences and how it embeds the fictional story in real F1 events, highlighting the performances of Brad Pitt and Damson Idris and the authentic feel of the racing drama.
The review calls it a triumph as an elaborate advert for F1, praising the realism, stunt driving, and balanced rivalry, but notes the swaggering hero trope is tired; overall positive verdict on its spectacle and entertainment value.
The critic describes it as rousing, sleek entertainment with thrilling action scenes and a charming lead, though not quite reaching the heights of Top Gun: Maverick. It succeeds through brilliant execution despite being a branded brand-extension exercise.
The critic finds the film an outrageously cheesy but entertaining macho melodrama with spectacular racing sequences and panache from director Kosinski. Pitt's limited range is bolstered by strong support, especially Kerry Condon, making the result surreal and spectacular for a non-fan.
The review sees the film primarily as a showcase for Brad Pitt's star persona as an old-school cool driver, praising the racing sequences but noting it doesn't fully open up emotionally and is limited by its commercial nature.
The review calls it a turbocharged midlife crisis movie full of clichés and heavy product placement, corny yet exciting in parts. It praises the technical prowess of the race scenes and camera work while critiquing the corporate branding and predictable sports-movie tropes.
The critic views the film as a cynical branding exercise for Formula 1 aimed at new audiences rather than fans, criticizing its formulaic story, reliance on Pitt's star power, and use of commentary as a crutch while noting the technical achievements in filming.
The critic praises Brad Pitt’s charisma in a roaringly good tale of clashing racers and egos, with full-throttle confidence from Kosinski. The state-of-the-art race scenes and split-screen nods deliver sheer confidence despite the fantastical premise.
The pleasures of F1 are engineered to bypass the brain; it is muscular, thrilling, and zippy despite a toy-dump-truck’s worth of plot, built from the same chassis as Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick with an A-list reckless elder, upstart protégé, and high-octane mission. A charismatic Brad Pitt is the engine behind the loud and silly racing movie.
The film is an expertly crafted but cold and machinelike crowd-pleaser about mentorship and stardom, with Pitt unable to match the emotional resonance of similar roles by Tom Cruise. The racing sequences provide sublime excitement thanks to the score, editing, and cinematography, making for a propulsive if undemanding ride.
Scintillating on the track with masterful setpieces but susceptible to every cliché of the sports film genre, relying on expert races to carry the derivative story.
The critic finds the film thrilling on the track but formulaic and thin on story off it, praising the masterful race sequences while noting the heavy branding and clichéd narrative.
The destination of this comeback narrative starring Brad Pitt may be predictable, but Joseph Kosinski’s direction ensures thrillingly tight turns en route in a snazzy piece of blockbuster engineering that is hugely enjoyable and astoundingly well made. The film’s pacing is at once patient and brisk, with hyperkinetic editing that makes the action cohere convincingly.
The easy and carefree F1 wants you to believe it is about winning and losing, talent and teamwork, and all the rough love and hard work that goes into Grand Prix glory, but it is really about the pleasures of the ultra-smooth performance machine that is Brad Pitt. Calculated yet almost touchingly sincere, the formulaic story deploys Pitt as a classic Hollywood star attraction in a professionally assembled spectacle that demands little beyond time and money.
The review deems it the corniest, dumbest sports movie yet, resembling a two-and-a-half-hour advert for F1 with hoary clichés. It acknowledges the fabulous look from Kosinski but criticizes the unashamed cross-promotion and central story.
Joseph Kosinski builds a high-powered movie out of Bruckheimer clichés, but that wouldn’t matter if the races were as dramatic as they are flashy; the film is an epic professional auto-race drama that looks and moves like a Formula One vehicle—dizzyingly fast and leaving second thoughts in the dust—yet relies on overly familiar formulas. Kosinski scores on atmosphere but stages the races in a fragmentary and at times confusing way.
The critic calls it one of the most impressive and exciting racing films ever made and an absolute blast of a summer blockbuster. They single out the technical achievement of the races themselves, with immersive first-person shots and the emphasis on how every team member contributes to victory.
The critic calls the film an entertaining, muscular thrill ride that delivers visceral racing action and strong performances from Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. It succeeds on its own merits as propulsive, audience-pleasing drama despite some familiar elements.
The critic finds F1 an amiable surrogate-family sports drama that never takes itself too seriously, with Brad Pitt fitting snugly into the maverick driver role. It singles out Pitt's star wattage and the emphasis on high-tech teamwork for praise while noting its nostalgic appeal alongside modern elements.
The critic views it as a crowd-pleasing blockbuster that works as a popcorn flick with thrilling racing sequences. The high-octane celebration of Formula One and Hans Zimmer's score are singled out for praise.
The critic finds the film a mixed bag that celebrates Brad Pitt's star power at the expense of depth, with a bloated runtime and poorly written female character. The exciting, well-shot racing sequences are the main point of praise.
The critic finds the film an empty spectacle that fails to engage despite impressive racing scenes. Focus on an unlikeable lead character and too many montages over actual driving are singled out for complaint.
Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
