Directed by: Asif Kapadia
Starring: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis
Distributed by: Arc Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running time: 106 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
I am not a big sports fan and have never watched any Formula One racing. The closest I have probably gotten has been watching Pixar’s “Cars” or maybe doing a ride-a-long at The Richard Petty Driving Experience. So for me this was a bit for a learning experience also about Ayrton Senna, his career and the sport. The documentary includes some really cool racing footage, especially first person camera. I felt that it real a little long and I am not sure how there is a 3+ hour version of this film that was released internationally.
This documentary follows the career of Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna. Ayrton won not only one F1 world championship but three times in his career. He was died during one of his F1 races in 1994 at young age 34. Senna is known as one of our time’s best race drivers. It is crazy that he was taken so early. The film showcases his career and will continue to pass on his legacy through the year.
The special features are a little slim but definitely are worth a watch. There are extended interviews with Senna and his peers. I really enjoyed watching the Senna Family Home Videos. There is also a commentary track with the director Asif Kapadia, writer Manish Pandey and producer James Gay-Rees. I am never a fan of commentary tracks over a documentary but it provided some interesting additional insight into Senna’s career.