Ayrton Senna was a dominant force among Formula One drivers for almost a decade in the 1980s and 90s, until he was killed in a crash at the San Marino Gran Prix in 1994. Born in Brazil in 1960, into a well-to-do family, he's the subject of an exciting documentary, "Senna," which uses brilliantly edited race footage to compile an exciting film.
Directed by Asif Kapatia, and edited by Gregas Sall and Chris King, we follow a driver who existed almost completely on the track. We are told that Senna was greatly admired by women, and that he was happy to reciprocate. We see him occasionally with women on the track or in a post-race celebration, but we don't learn anything about his private life.
However, for a fan of Formula One racing, and not necessarily a real devotee, this is a gripping motion picture. Senna was a daredevil who reveled in coming from behind, in taking huge risks in the final laps, and the track footage, from a variety of angles, including over his shoulder while competing, brings the action a great feeling of immediacy.
Kapatia is obviously a fan of Senna's, so the coverage of the heated rivalry between Senna and the French star, Jean-Marie Balestre leans in favor of the Brazilian during the off-track contentiousness. On the track, both were drivers of great skill. Both also took many risks in their competitive zeal, as is shown in the simple statistic that there has not been a fatal Formula One accident since Senna died, 17 years ago.
An exciting, superior motion picture, in which the "vroom-vroom" of the engines is echoed in a viewer's stomach.
Senna opens today at the Tivoli.
— Joe