Hmmmmhh... I had high expectations about this film, genius young driver involved in the world's most expensive and glamorous sport whose life is cut tragically short by a race track accident... as a film this can't fail. Strangely I was wrong, for although glimpses of Senna's undoubted charisma does manage at times to seep through it is by and large submerged and almost lost in this documentary rather than being brought to the fore.
The film follows a fairly straight narrative starting with his early karting career before moving onto all of the excesses of F1. Archive footage only is shown throughout and this I would suggest is the first problem with the film in that although there is an obvious integrity in using only the footage from the time there is also an inevitable limitation on what can be said. Often it is the advantage of hindsight and the passage of time that brings clarity to why something is special, why particular races should standout, with the absence of contemporary interviews that benefit is lost.
The only real personal insight offered into Senna the driver is his conflict with Prost. The initial pairing and friendly rivalry of the two at McLaren to the bitter animosity that differing personality's and approaches bring, leading to the eventual cessation of communication and dislike between the two. Senna is portrayed as the "pure driver" not interested in the political machinations of the sport whilst Prost is the opposite, doing just enough and pleased to play the PR game that being at the top of any profession necessitates. It is from this conflict that one of the films more bizarre irony's seems to spring; Senna insists he is not political only wanting to drive yet the film seems more interested in Senna's political relationships with the F1 hierarchy and his place in it rather than his driving skill. For example the film fails to interview the people who Senna had to obviously work closely with in the pits to get his car performing to his goal of perfection. F1 is as much a team sport as it is an individual one and we are not told how he worked with the team and whether his approach was successful or not or even if it differed from other drivers. Yet we are shown various F1 drivers meetings and his annoyance at one i.e. walking out and his success at another in getting a vote from his fellow drivers to improve safety. Ironically the film is busily focusing on the very political matters which Senna disliked at the expense of his work and relationships within the driving team.
Although a lot of time is spent in following the Prost vs Senna relationship the Prost character is also frustratingly one dimensional. Although I am not an F1 expert or historian this man was also a multiple world champion and yet the film seems only to paint Prost as a political opportunist, driving within his limits, swapping teams when it suits. Whilst these statements may be true in themselves it is the films rigid line of Senna is "good" and "Prost" is bad that I feel does both men a disservice. Strangely at the films end Prost is seen as one of the pallbearers at Senna's funeral and noted on the credits as a trustee of the Senna charity. Presumably somewhere along the line there must have been some sort of reconciliation between the two rivals but again another one of the films weaknesses is that this is never explained. I don't know whether Prost has watched this film but I would imagine that he may have a very different story to tell and it is the failure to tell the story from all angles that is another of the films faults.
I am aware that this film was made with Senna family approval. Understandably for so loved a man the family do not want to have his character or reputation tarnished by a film. But this again is another difficulty for unless someone is portrayed in a more balanced light it is very difficult to relate or care about that person on any kind of a human level. Obviously I would not want to see a film denigrating the man but the introduction of a few more grey areas would have made it easier to connect and appreciate him.
Ultimately I found this film frustrating, the subject matter and footage are there to make an exciting an interesting portrait of an undeniably charismatic sports man. Unfortunately this isn't it, other more successful documentaries such as Man on a Wire, Grizzly Man and in the sports arena the excellent Tyson film offer different aspects of the protagonists character to flesh them out to enable the viewer to connect and empathise with both their good and bad qualities. Senna doesn't do this and as great a driver and inspiration he undoubtedly was he is ultimately let down by a film that fails to reach the perfectionist standards its lead so struggled to achieve.
The film follows a fairly straight narrative starting with his early karting career before moving onto all of the excesses of F1. Archive footage only is shown throughout and this I would suggest is the first problem with the film in that although there is an obvious integrity in using only the footage from the time there is also an inevitable limitation on what can be said. Often it is the advantage of hindsight and the passage of time that brings clarity to why something is special, why particular races should standout, with the absence of contemporary interviews that benefit is lost.
The only real personal insight offered into Senna the driver is his conflict with Prost. The initial pairing and friendly rivalry of the two at McLaren to the bitter animosity that differing personality's and approaches bring, leading to the eventual cessation of communication and dislike between the two. Senna is portrayed as the "pure driver" not interested in the political machinations of the sport whilst Prost is the opposite, doing just enough and pleased to play the PR game that being at the top of any profession necessitates. It is from this conflict that one of the films more bizarre irony's seems to spring; Senna insists he is not political only wanting to drive yet the film seems more interested in Senna's political relationships with the F1 hierarchy and his place in it rather than his driving skill. For example the film fails to interview the people who Senna had to obviously work closely with in the pits to get his car performing to his goal of perfection. F1 is as much a team sport as it is an individual one and we are not told how he worked with the team and whether his approach was successful or not or even if it differed from other drivers. Yet we are shown various F1 drivers meetings and his annoyance at one i.e. walking out and his success at another in getting a vote from his fellow drivers to improve safety. Ironically the film is busily focusing on the very political matters which Senna disliked at the expense of his work and relationships within the driving team.
Although a lot of time is spent in following the Prost vs Senna relationship the Prost character is also frustratingly one dimensional. Although I am not an F1 expert or historian this man was also a multiple world champion and yet the film seems only to paint Prost as a political opportunist, driving within his limits, swapping teams when it suits. Whilst these statements may be true in themselves it is the films rigid line of Senna is "good" and "Prost" is bad that I feel does both men a disservice. Strangely at the films end Prost is seen as one of the pallbearers at Senna's funeral and noted on the credits as a trustee of the Senna charity. Presumably somewhere along the line there must have been some sort of reconciliation between the two rivals but again another one of the films weaknesses is that this is never explained. I don't know whether Prost has watched this film but I would imagine that he may have a very different story to tell and it is the failure to tell the story from all angles that is another of the films faults.
I am aware that this film was made with Senna family approval. Understandably for so loved a man the family do not want to have his character or reputation tarnished by a film. But this again is another difficulty for unless someone is portrayed in a more balanced light it is very difficult to relate or care about that person on any kind of a human level. Obviously I would not want to see a film denigrating the man but the introduction of a few more grey areas would have made it easier to connect and appreciate him.
Ultimately I found this film frustrating, the subject matter and footage are there to make an exciting an interesting portrait of an undeniably charismatic sports man. Unfortunately this isn't it, other more successful documentaries such as Man on a Wire, Grizzly Man and in the sports arena the excellent Tyson film offer different aspects of the protagonists character to flesh them out to enable the viewer to connect and empathise with both their good and bad qualities. Senna doesn't do this and as great a driver and inspiration he undoubtedly was he is ultimately let down by a film that fails to reach the perfectionist standards its lead so struggled to achieve.