I've always been a car gal, so I knew the gist of the Ferrari vs. Ford story way before this film was made. When it first came out, I thought maybe I'd like to see it, but I can't STAND modern special effects, and modern films as a whole. So when I noticed it was going to be on TV recently, I DVR'd it. I could type quite a lot, but will try to keep this as short as possible.

Firstly, I have owned 4 Ford vehicles so far, and they are my favorite current American brand. BUT, my favorite racing cars are vintage Ferraris. So I was conflicted before I even hit PLAY.

I'll get my brutally honest negative opinions done first. The film is WAY too long. Most of the family scenes should have been edited out, as they only slow the plot down. Just because modern audiences expect women to be in a movie, doesn't mean they should be in every one. This is the story of Ford, Ferrari, racing, and the 1960s. Sorry, but women didn't play a pivotal role in the actual events.

It felt like I was watching a video game instead of race scenes. Granted, the effects are of high quality BUT they just feel fake. Go watch "Le Mans" or "Grand Prix", and you will FEEL the difference between CGI and the real thing.

Why didn't they even show the other two GT40s (black & gold) during the Le Mans race? I already knew about the 1-2-3 photo finish, and it seems to me the other cars should have at least been shown during the race. Otherwise those cars and drivers aren't of any importance at all.

Half of the actors were mis-cast, either not looking anything like the real men (a buff Iacocca??), or just plain over-actors.

The soundtrack could have been SO much better, too.

Stuff I DID like were details like the little lights which illuminated the cars' racing numbers at night. Engine sounds seemed accurate. I like how they showed the progression of the prototype cars, from the first GT to the MkII and onward. It was good to see Shelby driving an AC based Cobra, not a big fat-fender kit car like I'd expect Hollywood to give him. I did see what looked like a bad replica Ferrari 250GT California in one shot.

Matt Damon is SO not Carroll Shelby, but his acting was good nonetheless. The actor who played the lead mechanic sounded just like Dennis Weaver!

So basically everything put in the film for car buffs, I generally liked, though CGI will never win me over. Everything in there for female viewers (of which I am one) I thought was a total waste of film. A better soundtrack, some better veteran actors, and some more inspired direction would have made me happier with the film.

BUT who am I, after all?