Ladies and gentlemen, star your engines! Brace yourself for thrills and chills and maybe even a little spill (or two) with Senna, a dynamic new documentary from Sony Pictures Classics! You don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy this documentary on one of the top drivers in the world of motor sport. Though his life was cut short way too early, Senna examines the rise of a true superstar who would take the world of sports by storm.
British born director Asif Kapadia does an uncanny job editing archival footage to create an interesting and highly entertaining look at one of Brazil’s greatest athletes. Senna gives us an up close and personal look at the growth and determination of Ayrton Senna. Many candid interviews with Senna and his family shed ample light on his background. One of the most interesting aspects of this 106 minute biography is seeing the way a young boy took to go-karting and how, with the aid of his middle-upper class parents, he was able to develop those skills into becoming a top driver of Formula One race cars. Slight correction – he would become the sport’s poster boy for almost a decade.
Bad Blood Between Competing Drives Hits Home Here
During this movie, we learn all about the competitive drive that was part of Senna’s DNA and how a hope and belief in God shaped the young man. Where this movie is at its most perceptive relates to the man’s battles with this number one road race rival, Alain Prost. Bad blood developed between these two motoring giants, both on and off the race courses which span the globe.
That need for speed and what some would say a reckless abandon actually serviced Ayrton Senna well as he continued to rack up impressive wins on the Formula One circuit. Flash and fun were what Senna was all about, and that handsome demeanour and steadfast championing of Brazil helped make him a national icon.
Exciting Race Track Footage Puts you in the Driver's Seat
Shots taken of actual races in Japan and elsewhere that included cockpit cameras are thrilling to observe. Here the cinematography is simply outstanding as you feel the need for speed and won’t soon forget the charisma of a young man from Brazil whose drive and determination would make him a sports star of the highest caliber.
Fresh, fun and intimate, Senna the movie showcases a larger than life figure who would become an idol to many. Oh, and the politics of big business racing is well examined here as is the push to excel at speed with increasingly high tech cars. This need to excel may have contributed to the wear and tear not only on these fancy driving machines but also on the inner emotion of Senna whose presence, persistence and winning attitude simply can’t be denied.
Robert Waldman - Hi. I'm a film critic from Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, considered to be the number one city in the world and third largest film ...
