'And We Go Green' Review: Formula E documentary offers an insightful lesson for fighting climate change
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has literally put the brakes on Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari cars much to the chagrin of racing enthusiasts. However, in a piece of news that gladdens the hearts of F1 lovers, eight races will take place starting July 5. Until then, it's a bit of a wait. Using this time to also come in and make an introduction worth remembering is Formula E. With 'And We Go Green', the relatively new entrant in the world of motorsport attempts to make its presence felt.
The format of storytelling is a rather interesting one. Choosing the documentary route means having enough room to establish a solid background about Formula E, and this one tries to go out of its way to make sure it is riveting, insightful, and entertaining at the same time. Personally, the Formula E concept was rather new and a piece of news at the same time. For someone used to watch Formula 1 predominantly, the idea of seeing sleek and lean track-shredding machines without the famous vrooming was something that piqued interest.
F1 cars are loud and the sound comes across as music to motorsport aficionados. In Formula E's case, the cars, which are electric swaps the vroom for a hum. The loudest we can come to hear is the sound of the tires as they navigate tight bends. 'And we go green' is the phrase used in Formula E to start the race when the light turns green. As far as popular phrases go, it is 'And it's lights out!' in F1, and an enthusiastic 'And We Go Green!' in this part of the story.
At some point, the thought that these electric hot wheels could replace the traditional gas-binging, noisy F1 cars does creep in. The E isn't just about electric cars, but also about the possibility of a Formula 1 race that does less damage to the environment. If anything, these races could be eco-friendly and entertaining. 'And We Go Green' was the result of acclaimed actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio's idea, which was turned into reality by 'The Cove' producer Fisher Stevens.
Stevens and co-director, Malcolm Venville dug deep, which led to the genesis of this over a 90-minute documentary that sheds valuable insight into Formula E. It also follows three race drivers — Sam Bird, the British underdog, Nelson Piquet Jr from Brazil, and Jean-Eric Vergne from France. These dudes are ripped and are stark contrasts to each other. They speak about the sport, their journey, and their biggest competitors on the track. The rules are simple. 12 races across the world and the driver with most points takes the championship title. But apart from these rules, what hooks the viewers is the sheer evolution of the sport. It started with two batteries each race eventually progresses to cutting-edge tech that can even be incorporated into regular cars. The documentary is filmed in picturesque locations — Rome, Paris, and Marrakesh — and there's enough past of the drivers to mentally build a profile.
If anything, 'And We Go Green' is a teacher. For all the drama, the intensity and the DiCaprio cameo it brings, it is a lesson to the world that going electric means doing their bit to save mother nature. Technology is evolving by the minute, why not make use of it to save the very thing that makes this world habitable?
'And We Go Green' is available for streaming on Hulu.