The recently released “F1: Drive to Survive,” a sports film centered around Formula 1 racing, premiered simultaneously in China and the United States. As of this writing, the film has grossed $240 million worldwide. In China, it has not only achieved considerable box office success but also garnered a respectable 8.6 rating on Douban.
A scene from “F1: Drive to Survive”
What makes “F1: Drive to Survive” particularly noteworthy is its substantial $200 million production budget, especially considering it’s not an adaptation of a Marvel property or another established IP. This “A-list” film boasts a star-studded cast, including Brad Pitt and numerous F1 drivers, the directorial and production team behind “Top Gun: Maverick,” investment from Apple Original Films, and F1’s first Black driver and seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, as a producer. Filmed on actual F1 tracks, these elements collectively highlight the film’s commercial strategy and selling points.
The Constraints of a Blockbuster
However, these very attributes also act as constraints. Unlike traditional film studios, Apple Original Films, as a subsidiary of Apple Inc., exercises considerable caution in its selection of projects. When Apple launched Apple TV+ in 2019, it reportedly scrapped several projects in development to avoid controversial subject matter, opting instead for safe, middle-of-the-road series like “The Morning Show.” Similarly, Apple Original Films approaches film selection with extreme care, as any misstep could negatively impact the brand image of its associated electronic products. The F1 organization shares similar concerns.
Within this framework, “F1: Drive to Survive” avoids strong or radical dramatic conflicts in terms of values or human nature, and its character development and relationships remain relatively uncomplicated. To a certain extent, the film operates on the logic of a commercial advertisement, aiming to create a positive and strong brand impression while minimizing any potentially unpleasant elements. Furthermore, both Hollywood’s production system and its prevailing trends necessitate the inclusion of content that is inclusive of minorities and gender diversity. The film also faces commercial pressures. In essence, “F1: Drive to Survive” is a product of compromise, “dancing in chains” under the influence of these various forces. Specifically, it prioritizes audiovisual spectacle over narrative depth, emphasizing setting over character, and focusing on individual moments rather than overall coherence. It could be described as a “popcorn slice” constructed from individual race segments.
An Old-School Film with a “Frog and Scorpion” Model
Playwright Zou Jingzhi once famously said: “Third-rate screenwriters write stories, second-rate screenwriters write characters, and first-rate screenwriters write emotions.” While perhaps a bit simplistic, this statement underscores the importance of a good script progressing through these three layers. “F1: Drive to Survive” is criticized precisely for its weak character development, offering only a series of racing scenes, as if the racing were the main course and the two-and-a-half-hour runtime were merely a side dish.
Flat Characters and Missed Opportunities
The protagonist, Hayes, possesses qualities such as arrogance, unconventionality, exceptional racing talent, loyalty, teamwork, leadership, willingness to mentor younger drivers, sex appeal, and a carefree attitude, resembling a classic Hollywood “cowboy.” However, from his introduction to his departure, the character remains flat and unchanging, lacking any emotional growth or the kind of emotional sublimation that elevates a character. This “one-dimensional” character was common in classic Hollywood, akin to the “frog and scorpion” fable, where the scorpion stings the frog mid-river, even though it will drown as a result. When the frog asks why, the scorpion replies: “It’s my nature, I can’t help it.” The scorpion embodies the typical characteristics of many characters from classic Hollywood, adhering to a predetermined personality. Hayes is this kind of “consistent” classic “cowboy.”
In terms of relationships, Hayes serves as a mentor to the Black driver Joshua Pearce, who is his successor. Hayes’s girlfriend, Kate, is a relatively rare female technical director in F1. However, the characterizations of Pearce, Kate, and the female mechanic Judy feel more like Hollywood’s attempt at “correctness,” aiming to break stereotypes without delving into deeper character development.
Looking back at racing films throughout history, the likes of Steve McQueen in “Le Mans,” Matt Damon and Christian Bale in “Ford v Ferrari,” and Chris Hemsworth in “Rush” all benefited from the synergy between the actors and their roles. The fact that Hayes is somewhat believable is largely due to Brad Pitt’s star power, allowing him to “carry the show.” Pitt’s weathered face, athletic physique, and “camera presence” enable him to balance the gravitas of a mentor with the rebellious spirit of a “浪子 (wanderer).” The scenes of Pitt waking up, bathing, and working out, revealing his six-pack abs, convincingly demonstrate that Hayes still possesses the physical condition to return to racing after 30 years. In the film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Brad Pitt already delivered a more nuanced “character exercise” in a relationship with “Little Lee” that is somewhat similar to the dynamic in “F1: Drive to Survive.” He acts as a worldly buffer for the emotional “Little Lee” while also being financially supported by him, allowing him to live carefree. Hayes feels familiar to the audience and is easily handled by Pitt, whose $30 million salary marks a career high.
Three Layers of Reality: Hyperreal, Real, and Unreal
While “F1: Drive to Survive” appears to have blockbuster potential, recent similarly budgeted Apple Original Films, such as Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon,” have underperformed at the box office, demonstrating that renowned directors, famous actors, and large budgets do not guarantee success. “F1: Drive to Survive” sheds the burden of “auteur cinema” and represents a successful collaboration between streaming and F1. The film can be broken down into three layers of reception: hyperreal racing scenes, cinematic recreation of real racing events, and a loss of realism.
Hyperreal Spectacle
The hyperreal racing scenes in “F1: Drive to Survive” are made for the big screen, appealing to both hardcore F1 fans and newcomers. They resemble the high-specification visual experiments of Ang Lee in “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” and “Gemini Man.” Details often overlooked in real life are magnified, highlighted, and intensified on the IMAX screen. The film uses panoramic shots, tracking shots, and “face-to-face” shots inside the car, with freely rotating camera positions on the front of the car, shaky cameras that convey a sense of breathing, subjective perspectives of the drivers, roadside perspectives, audience perspectives, vertical shots, and close-ups of chases and scrapes, comprehensively presenting the speed and passion of racing. In particular, Hayes’s ideal “flying” state during his sprint is presented in silence, with the camera showing the character’s subjective perspective, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the experience. The film aims to provide viewers with an immersive experience in 2D, and the real-world filming provides a clearer sense of material sensuality compared to racing games. For example, during filming, Hamilton instructed the team to restore the sound details as much as possible, differentiating the sounds of different corners and adding more reverb to the straights. In short, “F1: Drive to Survive” provides more, stronger, and more subtle perceptions of the racing audiovisual experience that viewers can capture on their own, and makes what viewers cannot perceive clear and perceptible.
Real Events and F1 Culture
Some of the film’s plot points are based on real events, some of which Hamilton experienced firsthand, and some of which he witnessed. These serve as Easter eggs for viewers familiar with F1. For example, the scene where Hayes and Pearce have a falling out is likely based on the “Alonso blocking incident.” At the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix, Alonso deliberately slowed down in a key corner during qualifying, preventing Hamilton from overtaking him. This action caused internal disputes and penalties within the team. Alonso was penalized by being moved back five places on the starting grid, which affected his race. The incident not only affected the race results but also seriously affected the relationship between the two drivers. Cameo appearances by Alonso, Zhou Guanyu, and other drivers add to the film’s realism.
It is worth mentioning that the commercial placements in “F1: Drive to Survive” are seamlessly integrated into the film. Corporate brand placement is a long-standing part of F1 culture, and when viewers see brand logos on the cars and drivers’ clothing in the film, they are not distracted but rather feel that it adds to the film’s realism, as the placement itself is part of the film. In addition, compared to the critically acclaimed “Rush,” “F1: Drive to Survive” offers a richer presentation of F1 racing rules, teamwork, and race formats. The specific difficulties of each race, such as weather, track, and opponents, are varied and well-presented, making it easier for viewers to understand the sport.
The Unreal: A Hollow Core
The film’s unreality lies in the absence of a value-driven focus due to the shrinking of the core drama. Specifically, because of the lack of clear dramatic conflict, the characters lack dramatic reactions that they need to face directly, and the audience cannot follow the characters to think, reflect, and make value choices in the corresponding dramatic situations. As a result, the film loses the possibility of dialogue with reality and life. Comparing it to “Rush,” the rivalry between the two racing heroes is underpinned by two very different views on sports and even life. In the loneliness of reaching the top, the two are rivals, but also confidants. “Ford v Ferrari” reflects on racing institutions, and “Real Steel,” another competitive sports film, considers the relationship between humans and machines, and individuals and capital. All of these are missing in “F1: Drive to Survive.”
In conclusion, “F1: Drive to Survive” is still a successful attempt by a streaming giant. Apple has reversed its previous box office losses in the film industry through cultural and sports collaboration, further boosting Apple’s brand image. More importantly, it will also help drive subscription growth for F1 races on Apple TV+ and drive post-movie consumption of related sports merchandise. With Marvel and other IP adaptations gradually failing, Apple’s new track is initially successful. “F1: Drive to Survive” is more like a “movie DJ,” and when the music starts, the dancers all join in the fun. This inspires us that, in addition to creative ability, the ability to integrate culture, tourism, culture, and sports, and the resource integration ability of the operators will become increasingly important in the future.