Review of Senna (2010) by John M — 05 Mar 2014

The other Rush. This takes a look at the career of Ayrton Senna, a three-time champion Formula 1 racer who is regarded as being one of the greatest racers who has ever lived. I have very little experience with Formula 1 racing, but I have seen the 2013 film Rush, which was so well made that I decided to check this out as well.

Unlike Rush, this is a documentary, and it is much less directed than it is edited together; this is comprised entirely of archive footage, and I have to say, any time this features an over-the-shoulder in-car camera shot, it is as exhilarating as can be.

Compared to Formula 1, NASCAR is babytown frolics, and everything about this sport is as dangerous can be. You don't need to follow the sport to get into the story, as the adrenaline that is featured here comes directly from the competition and the testosterone-fueled dynamic behind it all.

Ayrton Senna is an interesting person to learn about, as he is humble in his success, but has as much drive and ambition as anybody I've ever known. There is always an element of danger any time he's behind the wheel; these crashes can be absolutely lethal, as these cars are capable of reaching speeds of over 200 mph.

This documentary moves really fast (no pun intended), is always a fascinating character study of this Brazilian idol, and makes for a great companion piece to Rush.