A documentary about Brazilian Formula One motor racing triple world champion Ayrton Senna Da Silva, cited by many as the greatest driver of all time, who died tragically aged thirty-four in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola in 1994.
I'm a Formula One fan, and while there have been many truly outstanding drivers in this incredible sport it is no exaggeration to say that perhaps none have been as talented, fast, intense, intelligent and enigmatic as the great Ayrton Senna. This outstanding film gives an insightful window into his world, wisely choosing to use only authentic footage from his life and career combined with some voice-over work, but no talking heads or cutaways to distract us from the drama. With a symphonic score, it somehow plays more like a drama than a documentary, albeit one populated with real people and events, as we see Senna's struggle for recognition, his defining moments, his often bitter rivalry with the brilliant French driver Prost (whose style was the polar opposite), his frequent abuse by the authorities who didn't like him, and the terrible events at Imola, which also claimed the life of Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger. That Senna was an incredible racer is in no doubt, but he was also an extraordinary personality; he was a forthright ambassador for his country and helped enormously with its social problems, he was a deeply religious and philosophical man, and he seemed to be constantly chasing perfection in everything he did. Comparing anyone to Christ is fairly ridiculous, but Senna is one of the few where the analogy is legitimate - unlike almost all sporting heroes who strive for personal glory, it has always seemed to me Senna was carrying the weight and expectations of others; his fans, his country, his team, the money men. It's as if we were all saying, come on Senna, show us the magic, push it further and faster than anyone else dares. Which he did, and which never backed down from until he paid the ultimate price, to our irrevocable loss. His search was for a kind of spiritual truth in speed, and his accomplishments speak for themselves. He was simply an extraordinary man. A great film by Kapadia, the director of The Warrior, The Return and Far North, produced by Working Title and distributed by Universal Pictures.
I'm a Formula One fan, and while there have been many truly outstanding drivers in this incredible sport it is no exaggeration to say that perhaps none have been as talented, fast, intense, intelligent and enigmatic as the great Ayrton Senna. This outstanding film gives an insightful window into his world, wisely choosing to use only authentic footage from his life and career combined with some voice-over work, but no talking heads or cutaways to distract us from the drama. With a symphonic score, it somehow plays more like a drama than a documentary, albeit one populated with real people and events, as we see Senna's struggle for recognition, his defining moments, his often bitter rivalry with the brilliant French driver Prost (whose style was the polar opposite), his frequent abuse by the authorities who didn't like him, and the terrible events at Imola, which also claimed the life of Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger. That Senna was an incredible racer is in no doubt, but he was also an extraordinary personality; he was a forthright ambassador for his country and helped enormously with its social problems, he was a deeply religious and philosophical man, and he seemed to be constantly chasing perfection in everything he did. Comparing anyone to Christ is fairly ridiculous, but Senna is one of the few where the analogy is legitimate - unlike almost all sporting heroes who strive for personal glory, it has always seemed to me Senna was carrying the weight and expectations of others; his fans, his country, his team, the money men. It's as if we were all saying, come on Senna, show us the magic, push it further and faster than anyone else dares. Which he did, and which never backed down from until he paid the ultimate price, to our irrevocable loss. His search was for a kind of spiritual truth in speed, and his accomplishments speak for themselves. He was simply an extraordinary man. A great film by Kapadia, the director of The Warrior, The Return and Far North, produced by Working Title and distributed by Universal Pictures.