The Movie Waffler Great 21st Century Racing Movies We’ll Always Remember | The Movie Waffler

Great 21st Century Racing Movies We’ll Always Remember

Great 21st Century Racing Movies We'll Always Remember


The very first car racing movie that was shown on the big screen was The Speed Kings in 1913. The movie, which features Fatty Arbuckle and Mable Normand, is centered around a racetrack and two rival drivers, competing for the love of the woman they want. The plot doesn’t sound that dissimilar to several of the Fast and Furious movies. Of course racing movies have come a long way since The Speed Kings, and a hundred years later, everything is bigger, better, faster, more, but the morals of a great racing movie will always endure - you’ve got to give everything to win, and even the losers grow in strength and tenacity.




Rush (2013)
The biographical movie, Rush, features Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda, the Austrian F1 driver, and Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt, his closest British rival. Race car experts Low Offset named Rush in their “Best Racing Movies of All Time” list for sheer authenticity. The real cars that were featured in the movie were a Ferrari 312T and a Ferrari 312T2, two McClaren M23s, two Lotus 77s and two Tyrells. It is the relationship between Lauda and Hunt that really brough Rush to life - there is an intense chemistry that makes the movie completely believable. The racing scenes are completely enthralling, especially considering that the 1970s was the most dangerous decade for motorsports.




Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Ford v Ferrari is a historical biopic about the fearless Ken Miles (Christian Bale) and Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), two motorsports experts, who are challenged by Henry Ford II to build a supercar that will beat Ferrari at the 24-hour Le Mans race. The movie captures the friendships and rivalries between the main characters perfectly, which creates even more tension when they are out on the racetrack. Ford v Ferrari captures the excitement and danger of Le Mans so well, you can almost smell the rubber when they pull in for a pitstop. It is an endurance battle that is certainly not for the faint-hearted.




Need For Speed (2014)
Not all racing takes place on a big track. Need For Speed features Tobey Marshall, played by Aaron Paul, a mechanic who illegally races his muscle car creations on the streets. The movie was originally based on the video game of the same name, but brings to life the thrill of the underground racing scene. The car scenes are intertwined with a complex storyline - Marshall is framed by a wealthy rival in a murder case. Upon his release from prison, Marshall then devises a revenge plan which involves building an elite Mustang to take part in an incredibly exciting cross-country race. The plot may be a little far-fetched, but like many of the best racing movies, you simply have to go along with the ride.



The best racing movies keep you on the edge of your seat. With great characters and some outstanding supercars, these are the movies that we will watch time and again.