My First 4D Movie Experience: F1 the Movie in Vigo, Spain
Today I visited Vigo and decided to take advantage of the opportunity by watching an auto racing movie that two American friends, Jay and Matt, had recommended to me: F1: The Movie. Or rather, since it was being shown in Spanish without subtitles, F1: La Película. The movie wasn’t being screened in my hometown of Pontevedra, but it was playing in the larger city of Vigo, just a 15-minute train ride away (plus a couple of kilometers of walking). I went solo because Andrea wasn’t interested in watching a motor racing film. Too bad—she missed out on what turned out to be something of a novel experience!
When I bought my ticket online for F1 at OCINE Premium Gran Vía in Vigo, I didn’t even notice the characters “4D” by the listing. I’d never experienced 4D before and honestly didn’t know what it meant. Turns out, it’s a full-body, sensory-enhanced format where the seats move and vibrate during action scenes, fans blow air to simulate speed, and laser lights flash in sync with the drama onscreen. It’s like watching a movie inside a theme park ride—and it (mostly) works.
During the race scenes, the theater transformed into part of the spectacle. My seat jolted with every acceleration and crash, wind blasted across my face, and synchronized lights pulsed like a nightclub. It was so immersive that at times I almost forgot I was in a cinema—more ride than screening. For the first time in ages, the theater itself felt like the main event, not just the delivery system.
As for F1: La Película itself? It was… quite good. Not my very favorite auto racing film, but very watchable. I’m not a Brad Pitt fan, and the film is entirely fictional—so if you’re hoping for something like Rush or Ford v Ferrari (two of the best motorsports films of all time!), this isn’t it. Those were grounded in real events and real rivalries. This one felt more like a stylized video game with a lot of Mercedes-Benz product placement and black cars that all looked the same.
Still, there were some bright spots. Javier Bardem was a welcome presence—he looked almost exactly like he did in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), which is wild considering that was 17 years ago. And credit where it’s due: Brad Pitt, at 62, convincingly played a 56-year-old. He looked good.
But the story? Too much internal drama within one team, not enough about the actual competition. The Ferrari race car got a few seconds of screen time, and the McLarens and Porsches were blink-and-you-miss-them. The human competitors were basically wallpaper. And the pit crew scenes felt more like NASA mission control than motorsport—everyone glued to monitors like they were landing a rover on Mars.
Even if the movie didn’t blow me away, the 4D format made it worth the trip. It’s the kind of thing that reminds you why theaters still matter. Streaming at home can’t replicate the sensation of your seat lurching as a car drifts into a corner, or the rush of wind as it rockets down a straightaway.
And the price? I thought it was reasonable—at least for an American in Spain. At OCINE Premium Gran Vía in Vigo, the 4D ticket cost 15.20€ (about $17.81 at the current exchange rate). Compare that to Colorado, where 4D (usually branded as 4DX) is mostly limited to Denver and runs upwards of $26. In Pontevedra, a 2D movie is just 7.20€ (~$8.50), and 3D is 9.70€ (~$11.40), so 4D is about double the 2D price—but honestly, it felt worth it.
If you’re curious about 4D and happen to be near a theater that offers it, I’d say go for it—particularly for action-heavy films like this one. Even if the plot doesn’t grip you, the seat might. And in a world where streaming is king, it’s refreshing to find a reason to sit in a dark room with strangers and feel the wind in your hair.
Just don’t expect Rush or Ford v Ferrari. Expect a ride.
