Movie Review: Senna (2010)

Everyone has loved this documentary, I knew I had to see it. I used to be into F1 when I was younger and Ayrton Senna was a big deal to me. Being a pariotic young Brit I wanted him to lose to our hero Nigel Mansell but I knew that to beat Senna was a big deal. When he died I was probably too young to pay any real attention as to the why's and how's, to me it was just a shocking second death in the same weekend in the same sport. Nevertheless the sport never felt the same to me and I drifted away from caring, watching this documentary showed me why things had to change.

Whilst it was not exactly unbiased in its coverage or comprehensive in its documenting of events for that matter, what we were presented with was a celebration of one man's natural talent and passion in pursuing that talent. We are taken on Ayrton's journey through the careful structuring of existing footage and audio interviews with key figures in his life. And in this way the film makers have crafted a wonderful and powerful documentary that touches on what it is to be human that is a must see for anyone human.

From the point of view of someone who lived through it, albeit from a distance and from the perspective of a very young boy, the film needed a touch more of the industry perspective; interviews with other drivers rather than just his family and friends for example and any documentary about Forumla 1 should really feature the most enthusiastic man I've ever heard tak about the subject, Mr Murray Walker.

Obviously on the face of it motor racing does not appeal to everyone, hence Leah staying home and writing an essay rather than accompanying me but this is so much more than that. We are introduced first and foremost to a wonderfully talented and extremely likable person who wore his heart on his sleave and his face gave away everything he felt. And his death is both terribly sad and touches you on a deeper level because of the thoughtful way they constructed the film.

Walking out of the screen I was physically and mentally drained from what I had just experienced. Knowing how his story ended was both a positive for the film makers in helping to build tension and a negative for me because that tension was almost unbearable as it approached the fateful moment.

And to the person in the cinema who laughed at every awful car crash, there is something very wrong with you.

Did you see this? Would a more unbiased viewpoint have increased your enjoyment? Any still meaning to see it? Your blahs are always appreciated.