F1: The Movie (4K UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Rating: PG-13
Film: 4.5/5

Plot
F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski, stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a veteran Formula One driver dropped off the racing circuit after a fiery crash two decades earlier. Recruited by his old rival, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), to revive the struggling APXGP squad, Sonny mentors hotshot rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) while gunning for one last shot at glory. As high-speed rivalries ignite on the circuit—from Monaco's twists to Silverstone's straights—the team battles corporate intrigue, personal demons, and the brutal physics of racing, all while forging an unlikely bond that could redefine the sport.

My Thoughts
Joseph Kosinski's F1 (2025) is the best film I’ve seen this year—a pulse-pounding triumph that's exciting, funny, and engaging throughout its 155-minute runtime, and I'm not even a racing fan. It hooks you from the opening scene with razor-sharp wit engaging drama, blending Top Gun: Maverick-style spectacle with heartfelt underdog vibes mixed with the racing action of Days of Thunder—no surprise since Jerry Bruckheimer produced the film. Regardless, the cinematography is excellent, capturing the raw beauty and terror of F1. The racing sequences keep you on the edge of your seat, with innovative camera rigs embedded in the cars delivering visceral immersion that feels like you're strapped into the cockpit alongside Pitt and Idris.

Granted, the antics displayed by Pitt's character—reckless radio rants, mid-race mind games, and borderline sabotage—would get him suspended or kicked out of Formula 1 in a heartbeat, but they were a blast to watch, injecting energy and dark humor that breaks the tension of the race sequences. Pitt owns the screen as the grizzled Sonny, his charisma masking a vulnerability that pairs perfectly with Idris' fiery rookie intensity, while Kerry Condon's no-nonsense engineer adds sharp banter and depth. Special effects seamlessly merge practical cars with subtle CGI enhancements, and F1 superfans will geek out over authentic nods like real-world track recreations and Lewis Hamilton's producer cameos. This isn't just a sports movie—it's a full-throttle joyride that I can see myself watching repeatedly in the years to come.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray release roars to life with a native 2160p HEVC transfer 2.40:1 aspect ratio, complete with Dolby Vision HDR. Some may complain that the film shuns the IMAX scenes and neglects the use of variable aspect ratio, but don’t count me in this crowd. The video quality is stellar, showcasing pinpoint detail in rain-beaded helmets, tire smoke plumes, and sun-glinted chrome. Colors explode in the F1 palette, from Monaco's azure seas to Abu Dhabi's golden sands, with phenomenal depth that turns track flyovers into spectacles. Grain is finely textured for a cinematic rush, and black levels are crush-free, though minor HDR blooming creeps in during extreme highlights like flare-offs. Is it perfect? No, but it’s mighty impressive.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack scores strong, delivering track-shaking immersion that puts you in the pits. Dialogue snaps with clarity over Hans Zimmer's propulsive score, height channels feature some crowd roars, and surrounds whip engine roars and gravel sprays with precision. The LFE rumbles convincingly on impacts and downshifts, but it could have had a bit more kick for those gut-punch accelerations, and overhead speaker use feels limited in non-race scenes. Still, it's a near reference mix that should be a crowd pleaser.

Video 9.5/10
Audio 9.5/10  (Dolby Atmos)

Special Features:

• Inside the F1 The Movie Table Read (5:05)
• The Anatomy of a Crash
• Getting Up to Speed
• APXGP Innovations
• Making It to Silverstone
• Lewis Hamilton: Producer
• APXGP Sets and Locations Around the World
• APXGP and F1: How it was Filmed
• Sound of Speed
• Digital Code

Conclusion
The UHD of F1: The Movie is a fantastic release, with near-perfect audio and video that races across your screen. The film is a crowd please and is thus far my favorite film of the year with non-stop adrenaline filled excitement, laughs, and edge-of-your seat racing that hooked both my wife and I from the first scene. Pitt’s rule-breaking antics are far-fetched, but wildly entertaining and do yourself a favor and pick up the UHD—you won’t regret it. Highly recommended!


Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(I utilized Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling

PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[Paul Heroy]

I don't know if this was the "best" movie I've seen in the past year but it might have been the most enjoyable. I actually liked it even more than TG:M. The way they were able to viscerally capture and translate the F1 racing experience to the screen was great. Were there several unrealistic elements both from a technical and character standpoint? Well of course - it's a movie. 

Definite buy for me and looking forward to watching it again at home.

[bmoney]

Was def good. I felt the character development was kinda meh. But overall  fun watch. 

[David Vaughn]

I don't know if this was the "best" movie I've seen in the past year but it might have been the most enjoyable. I actually liked it even more than TG:M. The way they were able to viscerally capture and translate the F1 racing experience to the screen was great. Were there several unrealistic elements both from a technical and character standpoint? Well of course - it's a movie.

Definite buy for me and looking forward to watching it again at home.

Maybe I'm jaded, but it seems like most movies these days are just mediocre. I enjoyed Mission Impossible for the stunts and references to the earlier movies, but I wouldn't consider it a great movie. This one had so many enjoyable moments and never dragged through the entire process, a rarity for a 2.5 hour film. I still enjoy TG:M as well, but like you, I liked this one a bit more. We're going to have some friends over, who are actually F1 fans to watch it, and I'm curious to see their response to it. 

[David Vaughn]

Was def good. I felt the character development was kinda meh. But overall  fun watch.

I actually thought the character development wasn't bad given the genre of the film. They fleshed out what each of their motivations were as the film went along and didn't do it in a forceful way. I really loved Pitt's interactions with the female engineer--they provided a lot of LOL moments. 

[Paul Heroy]

I actually thought the character development wasn't bad given the genre of the film. They fleshed out what each of their motivations were as the film went along and didn't do it in a forceful way. I really loved Pitt's interactions with the female engineer--they provided a lot of LOL moments.

Agreed - Kerry Condon's engineer character was one of the things I highlighted in my comments about F1 from seeing it theatrically.

[SRW1000]

Thanks for the review, David.

I've got the 4K on our reserve list at the library.  And I'm right there with you on the IMAX variable aspect ratio thing.

Someday I'll need somebody to explain the benefit to me, 'cause I just don't get it.

[bmoney]

I actually thought the character development wasn't bad given the genre of the film. They fleshed out what each of their motivations were as the film went along and didn't do it in a forceful way. I really loved Pitt's interactions with the female engineer--they provided a lot of LOL moments.

I didn’t feel any connection or emotion towards any of the characters. I felt they were all rushed. I wasn’t pulling for anyone in the film 

[David Vaughn]

I didn’t feel any connection or emotion towards any of the characters. I felt they were all rushed. I wasn’t pulling for anyone in the film

Wow...maybe you were in a bad mood

I've discovered that my mood going into a movie impacts the way I feel about it. 

[bmoney]

Wow...maybe you were in a bad mood

I've discovered that my mood going into a movie impacts the way I feel about it.

i agree that does effect things.  but i was really looking forward to it.  just didnt hit the mark for me

[David Vaughn]

i agree that does effect things.  but i was really looking forward to it.  just didnt hit the mark for me

Too high of expectations

You have to go with the expectations I set for my wife. I tell her to assume I'll not do what she wants so when I actually do something that she wants she's extremely happy

[bmoney]

Too high of expectations

You have to go with the expectations I set for my wife. I tell her to assume I'll not do what she wants so when I actually do something that she wants she's extremely happy

Hahahaha. Love this 

[SRW1000]

We watched it this afternoon, and my wife and I both thought it was good.  Better than Gran Turismo but not as good as Ford v Ferrari.  I'm not a race fan at all, so I had mistakenly assumed this was a true story and not a work of fiction. 

They could have easily excised the romantic subplot that was underdeveloped and unnecessary.  I would have rather seen more interaction between Sonny and Ruben showing how their paths diverged and reconverged over time.

The race scenes were really well filmed and edited, adding both drama and excitement.

There was one scene that I thought might be missing something in the 2.4:1 aspect ratio, or it was too quick for my eye to catch.  It was after one of the first races where one of the crew members may have flipped off a competing team's leader, but it would have been just out of frame.  Or he may have just waived hello.  Not an important detail, but one that registered knowing that the film was cropped.

Still, well worth watching and it will be added to our collection someday.

[Ralph P.]

Greetings,

Totally agree Dave. Nice job!

Regards,

[David Vaughn]

Greetings,

Totally agree Dave. Nice job!

Regards,

Thanks Ralph.