F1 Review

F1

Release Date: 26th June 2025 - Australia

Production Companies

Apple Studios (present)

Warner Bros. Pictures (present)

Monolith Pictures

Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Plan B Entertainment

Dawn Apollo Films

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Drama

Rating: M

Runtime: 156 minutes

Budget: $300,000,000

Box Office Gross: $633,742,436 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Sonny Hayes, often called

"the greatest that never

was", was Formula 1's 

most promising talent of

the 1990s until a near-

fatal accident on the track

threatened to end his

career. Now a freelance

racer-for-hire, he is

approached thirty years

later by his former

teammate, Ruben

Cervantes, who owns

a struggling Formula 1

team on the brink of

collapse. Ruben convinces

Sonny to return to Formula

1 for one final attempt

to save the team and

become the best in the

world. He'll drive alongside

Joshua Pearce, the team's

rookie sensation, who is

determined to set his own

pace. However, as the

engines roar, Sonny's

past dreams come back

to haunt him. He realises

that in Formula 1, your

teammate is your fiercest

competitor, and you

cannot travel the road to

redemption alone.

Cast

Brad Pitt - Sonny Hayes

Damson Idris - Joshua Pearce

Javier Bardem - Ruben Cervantes

Kerry Condon - Kate McKenna

Tobias Menzies - Peter Banning

Kim Bodnia - Kaspar Smolinski

Sarah Niles - Bernadette Pearce

Will Merrick - Nickleby

Joseph Balderrama - Rico Fazio

Abdul Salis - Dodge Dowda

Callie Cooke - Jodie

Samson Kayo - Cash

Simon Kunz - Don Cavendish

Liz Kingsman - Lisbeth Bampton

Simone Ashley - Herself (Cameo)

Ramona Von Pusch - Liesl

Smolinski

Barney Smith - Kaspar's Son

Poppy Smith - Kaspar's

Daughter

Luciano Bacheta - Luca Cortez

Rosie Dwyer - Pippa Leguin

Martin Brundle - Himself

David Croft - Himself

Leigh Diffey - Daytona Race Broadcaster

Shea Whigham - Chip Hart

Patrick Long - Himself (Cameo)

Will Redmond - Young Engineer

Michael Aaron Milligan - Strategy Director

Kyle Rankin - Cale Kelso

Rachel Walters - Molly,

Sonny's Assistant

Steven Sean Garland - BMW

Driver

Avis-Marie Barnes - Diner

Waitress

Will Buxton - Himself

Rachel Brookes - Herself

Natalie Pinkham - Herself

Maria Thoma - Presenter

Tom Clarkson - Las Vegas Press Conference Presenter

Martin Savage - Las Vegas FIA Race Director

Zoe Oedekerk - Las Vegas

Fun Loving Clubber

Tiësto - Himself

Elena Rivers - Supper Club Hostess

Nancy Carroll - Abu Dhabi

Corporate Executive #1

Ankur Bahl - Abu Dhabi

Corporate Executive #2

Mohammed Alkhoori - Abu Dhabi Trophy Presenter

Salwa Al Hadhrami - Abu

Dhabi Podium Dignitary

Sal Lopez - Baja Old Timer

Darius De La Cruz - Baja

Mechanic's Son

Gabriel Rivas - Baja

Teenage Grandson

Alexander Albion - Himself (Cameo)

Fernando Alonso - Himself

(Cameo)

Oliver Bearman - Himself (Cameo)

Valterri Bottas - Himself (Cameo)

Franco Colapinto - Himself

(Cameo)

Nyck de Vries - Himself

(Cameo)

Jack Doohan - Himself (Cameo)

Pierre Gasly - Himself (Cameo)

Zhou Guanyu - Himself (Cameo)

Lewis Hamilton - Himself (Cameo)

Nico Hülkenberg - Himself (Cameo)

Liam Lawson - Himself

(Cameo)

Charles Leclerc - Himself

(Cameo)

Kevin Magnussen - Himself

(Cameo)

Lando Norris - Himself (Cameo)

Esteban Ocon - Himself (Cameo)

Sergio Pérez - Himself (Cameo)

Oscar Piastri - Himself (Cameo)

Daniel Ricciardo - Himself (Cameo)

George Russell - Himself (Cameo)

Carlos Sainz Jr. - Himself (Cameo)

Logan Sargeant - Himself

(Cameo)

Lance Stroll - Himself (Cameo)

Yuki Tsunoda - Himself (Cameo)

Max Verstappen - Himself (Cameo)

Zak Brown - Himself (Cameo)

Christian Horner - Himself (Cameo)

Guenther Steiner - Himself (Cameo)

Lawrence Stroll - Himself (Cameo)

Frédéric Vasseur - Himself (Cameo)

James Vowles - Himself (Cameo)

Toto Wolff - Himself (Cameo)

Stefano Domenicali - Himself (Cameo)

Roscoe - Himself

Crew

Story/Producer/Director - Joseph Kosinski

Story/Writer - Ehren Kruger

Casting Directors - Lucy Bevan and

Emily Brockmann

Executive Producer/First Assistant Director -

Toby Hefferman

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Daniel Lupi

Executive Producers - Tim Bampton,

Stefano Domenicalli, Ian Holmes

and Toto Wolff

Producers - Dede Gardner, Lewis Hamilton,

Jeremy Kleiner, Chad Oman and Brad Pitt

Co-Producers - John K. Campbell,

Emily Cheung, Melissa Reid and Penni Thow

Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager - Ben Piltz

Consultant - Will Buxton

F1 Consultants - Bernie Collins and Ruth Buscombe

Daytona Racing Consultant & Stunt Driver - Patrick Long

Production Designers - Ben Munro and

Mark Tildesley

Concept Artist - Charlie Cobb

Art Directors - Oliver Benson, Edd Cross

Hugh McClelland and Ketan Waikar

Art Director: U.S. Units - Daytona, Pismo &

Las Vegas - Timothy Moen

Car & Livery Design - Daniel Simon

Set Decorators - Reynan Castro Del Rosario,

Andrew McCarthy and Véronique Melery

Property Master: Pismo & Las Vegas Units -

Chris Call

Costume Designer - Julian Day

Hair & Makeup Designer - Denise Kum

Director of Photography - Claudio Miranda

A Camera Assistant - Dan Ming

Supervising Location Manager - Charlie Hayes

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator - Adam Kirley

Action Vehicles Supervisor - Graham Kelly

Supervising Stunt Coordinator - Gary Powell

Lead Sequence Choreographer - Luciano Bacheta

Additional Sequence Choreographer - Craig Dolby

Aerial Coordinator/Helicopter Pilot: U.S. Units -

Daytona, Pismo & Las Vegas - Kevin LaRosa II

Special Effects Supervisor - Keith Dawson

Special Effects Supervisor: U.S. Units - Daytona,

Pismo & Las Vegas - Elia P. Popov

Visual Effects On-Set Supervisor - Edward Price

Visual Effects Supervisor - Ryan Tudhope

Visual Effects Supervisors: Framestore -

Nicolas Chevallier and Robert Harrington

Supervisor: BLIND Ltd - Andrew Booth

Editors - Stephen Mirrione and Patrick J. Smith

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer - Al Nelson

Supervising Sound Editor - Gwendolyn Yates Whittle

Re-Recording Mixers - Juan Peralta and

Gary A. Rizzo

Production Sound Mixer - Gareth John

Original Score/Score Producer/Synth Programming -

Hans Zimmer

Additional Score/Score Producer - Steve Mazzarro

Music Mixer - Alan Meyerson

Review

Hollywood risks losing its audience because it has relied too heavily on remakes, reboots, cash-grab sequels, and failed franchise attempts, all of which threaten to undermine its standing. Thankfully, that's about to change with the blockbuster release of F1, which embraces the classic storytelling conventions Hollywood has forgotten. As you know, Formula One is the world's most popular motorsport. It has experienced a resurgence during the pandemic, thanks to the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive. However, I was never a fan of this huge racing event, as I only watched the Bathurst 12 Hour and Supercar races at Mount Panorama.

Riding the success of Top Gun: Maverick, Joseph Kosinski returns to deliver another thrilling spectacle in F1. Kosinski expressed interest in directing a racing film after the 1966 Le Mans project, which was to feature Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, fell through due to budget constraints. That movie later became Ford v Ferrari, directed by James Mangold and starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. He also expressed interest in adapting Gran Turismo, but it fell through and later became Neill Blomkamp's 2023 adaptation. His regular collaborators from the previous film, including writer Ehren Kruger and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, return to help with this latest outing, reassembling the dream team. But one question remains. Will this movie offer a cinematic experience similar to Kosinski's 2022 offering? The answer is yes.

While the film mirrors the director's previous movie, it also reminds me of Days of Thunder, as both films live up to the description of "Top Gun on wheels." Interestingly, Bruckheimer and legendary composer Hans Zimmer worked on that film before F1. Unfortunately, F1's biggest issue is its plot, which relies on familiar beats from other inspirational sports movies, making it formulaic and predictable. However, its complex character moments, depth, and themes of resilience, redemption, the pursuit of greatness, and the power of teamwork make up for it. Lewis Hamilton's involvement as a producer is evident, and his guidance is pivotal in ensuring the racing scenes feel authentic. This commitment to accuracy extends to subtle details, such as gear changes during cornering.

Acting legend Brad Pitt headlines the cast, bringing magnetic charm and effortless charisma as veteran race driver Sonny Hayes. The two-time Oscar winner's passion for racing shines through in his character, whose enthusiasm is infectious. Like Tom Cruise before him, he is one of the last movie stars of his generation. At 61, he still keeps his rugged good looks. Damson Idris excels as the overconfident young driver, Joshua Pearce, adding depth with precise facial expressions and a confident air that matches Sonny's. The chemistry between him and Pitt is explosive, with a "veteran versus rookie" dynamic that evokes the intensity of a high-speed race.

Javier Bardem shines as struggling team owner and former Formula 1 driver Ruben Cervantes, a role that could have amounted to mere bravado. Kerry Condon steals the show as technical director Kate McKenna, the team's voice of reason. The Irish actress also shares romantic chemistry on-screen with Pitt. Formula One fans will recognise Hamilton and his peers, including Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris, in brief cameos during the off-track scenes.

The movie stands out for its consistently exhilarating racing scenes, which give racing fans an adrenaline rush and propel the narrative forward at top speed. Claudio Miranda's cinematography establishes the film's realistic visual style. While the cockpit camerawork in Top Gun: Maverick is impressive, F1 takes it further, delivering an immersive, high-impact viewing experience. Top-notch editing and sound design enhance the racing sequences, and the film's striking visuals do, too. Hans Zimmer, who incidentally scored Rush, another Formula One movie, delivers a killer, heart-pounding, electric score featuring songs by Queen, Led Zeppelin, Ed Sheeran, and others.

Arguably, F1 is a full-throttle sensation for audiences, capturing the visceral thrills of the motorsport, and is close to dethroning Ford v Ferrari as the best racing movie. It's an absolute reminder of why I love popcorn movies. Whether you're into cars or not, you must see this film.

Star rating: (9/10) Excellent Movie

Back to Home

In Memory of Julian McMahon (1968-2025)

Julian McMahon (1968-2025)

Australian actor Julian McMahon has died. He was 56. The actor rose to fame in the television series "Charmed," "Nip/Tuck," and "FBI: Most Wanted," but perhaps he is best known for his portrayal of the supervillain Doctor Doom in the original "Fantastic Four" duology.

McMahon was born in Sydney in 1968. He was the son of former Australian Prime Minister Sir William "Billy" McMahon. Despite coming from a political background, the actor always enjoyed being in the spotlight and has never followed his father's footsteps by entering politics or becoming a Liberal Party powerbroker. McMahon attended the University of Sydney to study law, but didn't graduate. But his natural good looks secured him modelling gigs. He worked as a model in fashion hotspots such as London, Paris, and Milan until his father passed away in 1988. Following this, he left Europe to return to Australia. In the late 1980s, McMahon first appeared on the short-lived Seven Network soap opera "The Power and the Passion," playing Kane Edmonds. It marked his foray into acting. His next role was Ben Lucini in "Home and Away," which he played from 1990 to 1991.

He embarked on his feature film career with a role in the 1992 comedy "Exchange Lifeguards" (renamed in the US as "Wet and Wild Summer!") opposite Elliot Gould. He progressed to US television, appearing in shows such as "Another World," "Profiler," and "Will & Grace." Wider recognition came when he played the half-human, half-demon assassin Cole Turner in the hit supernatural series "Charmed," appearing from 2000 to 2003, with a brief return in 2005. Later, he appeared in the racy medical drama "Nip/Tuck" as the arrogant plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy. From 2003 to 2010, the show lasted for six seasons and earned McMahon a Golden Globe nomination. In 2005 and 2007, he portrayed the Marvel supervillain Doctor Doom in the two films of the "Fantastic Four" franchise by 20th Century Fox.

The actor also appeared as special agent and team leader Jess LaCroix in the CBS crime drama "FBI: Most Wanted" for three seasons before exiting the show in 2022. His other film roles include "Chasing Sleep," "RED," "Faces in the Crowd," and "The Surfer."

McMahon was married three times. His first marriage was to Australian singer Dannii Minogue in 1994, and his second to actress Brooke Burns, with whom he has a daughter.

Back to Home

In Memory of Michael Madsen (1957-2025)

Michael Madsen (1957-2025)

The gravel-voiced character actor Michael Madsen, who often played sneering tough guys in Quentin Tarantino's films, including "Reservoir Dogs" and "Kill Bill," died. He was 67. Marsden has racked up dozens of screen roles over a more than 40-year acting career. However, he most often collaborated with Tarantino, who cast him as a deranged thief in "Reservoir Dogs" and a washed-up hitman in the two "Kill Bill" movies.

Born in Chicago on September 25, 1957, Michael is the son of a firefighter and a filmmaker. Virginia Madsen, an Oscar-nominated actress, was one of his siblings. His professional journey began at Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf Theatre, where he honed his craft under John Malkovich's mentorship. This experience led to minor film roles in "WarGames" and "The Natural." Madsen's subsequent breakthrough came with the low-budget crime thriller "Reservoir Dogs," a film that launched Tarantino's career and helped turn the Sundance Film Festival from a small-scale event into a major Hollywood hotspot. 

His performance as the psychotic, trigger-happy Mr Blonde secured Madsen an enduring place in film history. He famously played Budd, a former elite assassin who works as a low-rent bouncer and lives in a trailer, in "Kill Bill: Volume 1" and "2," which allowed him to showcase his dramatic talents.

Madsen collaborated with Tarantino on the violent western "The Hateful Eight" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."

Madsen also appeared in other films, such as "The Doors," "Thelma & Louise," the family film "Free Willy," "Donnie Brasco," the 2002 Bond movie "Die Another Day," "Sin City," and "Scary Movie 4." Additionally, Marsden has voiced characters in video games such as "Grand Theft Auto III," the "Dishonored" series, and "Crime Boss: Rockay City."

Back to Home

In Memory of Kenneth Colley (1937-2025)

Kenneth Colley (1937-2025)

The English film and television actor Kenneth Colley has died. He was 87. People mostly remember him for playing Admiral Piett, an Imperial officer commanding Darth Vader's flagship in the two "Star Wars" movies, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." The actor's agent confirmed that he had died peacefully in his home in Kent, UK, after falling ill with pneumonia following a bout of COVID-19.

At the start of his career, he had roles in episodes of "The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes," "Special Branch," "The Sweeney," and "Pennies from Heaven." Colley became part of the "Star Wars" saga in 1980, when he played one of Darth Vader's Imperial officers in "The Empire Strikes Back." In 1983, the actor would reprise his role in "Return of the Jedi." In later years, Colley returned to voice the character in the 2012 animated TV movie "Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out."

Additionally, Colley played Jesus in the 1979 Monty Python film "Life of Brian" and appeared in numerous productions by director Ken Russell. Colley also starred in other movies, including Clint Eastwood's "Firefox," "War and Remembrance," "Measure for Measure," "Return to Waterloo," "The Whistle Blower," "The Plot to Kill Hitler," and "The Rainbow." In 2007, he directed the horror movie "Greetings," featuring Kirsty Cox, Henry Dunn, and Ben Shockley.

May the force be with you, Kenneth.

Back to Home

In Memory of Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025)

Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025)

Lalo Schifrin, the composer behind the memorable theme for "Mission: Impossible" and film scores like "Cool Hand Luke," "Bullitt," and "Dirty Harry," died on June 26, 2025. He was 93.

An Argentinian by birth, Schifrin was among the first to blend jazz and rock to create music for film and television. Over the decades, he produced a wealth of music for numerous films, TV shows, and more than 40 TV movies and miniseries. However, his most notable contribution was perhaps the instantly recognisable theme tune to the television series "Mission: Impossible." In 1968, the soundtrack became a bestseller, and the theme peaked at #41 on the Billboard Pop Charts, earning two Grammy Awards. Years later, the song appeared in the "Mission: Impossible" film series starring Tom Cruise. Schifrin composed music scores for movies like "The Cincinnati Kid," "Cool Hand Luke," "Bullitt," "THX 1138," "Enter the Dragon," "The Four Musketeers," "Rollercoaster," "The Amityville Horror," "The Osterman Weekend," "Rush Hour" and its two sequels, "Tango" and "Bringing Down the House," and has been nominated for six Oscars. He also scored films starring Clint Eastwood, including the "Dirty Harry" series.

In 2018, he received an honorary Oscar, becoming only the third composer to do so.

Back to Home