Review of Senna (2010) by Joseph T — 29 Nov 2011

For me, this is one of those perfect documentaries that finds real life characters and situations that are completely worthy of the best hollywood storytelling. Ayrton Senna comes across as a truly heroic figure - the image of him lifting his cup with badly injured shoulders in a powerful salute to his Brazilian fans is so iconic it seems unreal - and there are a cast of greater and lesser villains, aiders and abetters, and even a persistent dimension of divinity, due to Senna's intense religiosity. The fact that F1 racing is such a heavily filmed event - with cameras in the cars, at the meetings, and basically just everywhere - also means that you get a real feeling of intimacy and acquaintance with the goings on.

Inspiring, infuriating, and heartbreaking in equal doses.