Review of Senna (2010) by David S — 14 Dec 2011

Senna is a magnificent documentary of the racing legend. It chronicles Senna's life from a teenager to his death at the Italian Grand Prix at Imola. The film is made with film from his family movies, Formula One archives, and television footage. One of the great additions to this film is the lack of a narrator. The individuals speaking are experts in the field, TV commentators, and individuals that are participants in Formula One, such as drivers, doctors, officials, and team principles.

The intimacy is a great strength that this movie has. The home videos show him interacting with his family and talking about this country. It also shows him having fun with other sports, particularly water sports. The intimate parts of the film are not restricted to just home movies. There is footage of Ayrton in the paddock which shows his reaction to the sport itself and the death of a fellow driver.

The politics of the sport are just as important as the racing skill. This is particularly shown well in the rival of Ayrton and Alan Prost. Ayrton had arguably the most skill of all the drivers; however, he didn't understand the politics as Prost did. Some would say that this was the cause that led to his losing a championship to Prost.

The excitement of Formula One is brilliantly captured by the director. Culled from many hours of racing footage the film lets you experience the race from Ayrton's perspective. This brings great excitement to the film in a way that Hollywood could never capture. It shows you the great skill that it takes to be a Formula One driver. You find a great appreciation for the driver's skill and courage.

I knew little of Ayrton Senna before I watched this film. Having seen it I feel as if I had been following his career from the beginning. There is an astounding feeling that the film draws you in and gives you enough information and heart that is difficult to capture on film. The director accomplished this magnificently. Watching this movie lets you not only know about the sport from the driver's perspective, but also lets you get to know one of the greatest drivers in Formula One. This movie is more about the person of Ayrton Senna than the race car driver.