It’s a rarity for a documentary to be as gripping and emotive as your standard Oscar-potential movie, but the Senna DVD pulls it off brilliantly. Taking the high paced turbo charged action of Formula 1 in the late 80s and early 90s and the sparkling driving career of Ayrton Senna it swirls them both around in an evocative mix of memory and clarity. Senna is easily one of the most dramatic DVD releases in recent years, and for a documentary that’s no easy feat.
Ayrton Senna took the Grand Prix racing world by storm on the back of his “pure racing” prowess on the karting circuit, which is where the documentary picks up on his mesmeric career. His first year in F1, signing to less than perfect Toleman, was marked by a wonder race in the pounding rain at Monaco. Skipping through the ranks with fearless confidence, he would eventually make it up to second place, closing the gap on Champion Alain Prost only to have the race ended by officials before the dripping dust was able to settle for sure. By this point in the film, Senna has you gripped and there’s no turning back.
The DVD gathers in pace as Ayrton’s career and legend grows, so there’s no point in the film that you wish you’d opted for a blockbuster in exchange for the documentary about a dude that drove cars. It feels all the more dramatic as you know the inevitable outcome of the story, as Senna died in 1994 leading the San Marino Grand Prix, so every high you relive that little bit more joyfully and every set-back or seemingly unfair F1 ruling is like a knife in the back.
One of the best features of the film is that it looks at the people around Ayrton Senna too, including his teammates and the race doctor, Professor Sid Watkins, who would eventually pronounce his death.
The Senna DVD is also packed with features for serious race fans that want more information about the career of the drivers that drove during Ayrton’s career. Though the film has a pretty devastating ending, you can’t help but be swept up in the inspiration of one of the world’s greatest ever drivers.
Senna DVD review: 4.8/5
