Senna

Senna

2010
Documentary, Biography
1h 46m
A documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34. (imdb)
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Senna

2010
Documentary, Biography
1h 46m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 74.48% from 1519 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1518)
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Compact view
Rated 04 Apr 2011
75
90th
As a documentary this is a pretty straightforward account of recollections. As for the content and Senna it is nothing less than inspiring.
Rated 09 Dec 2012
85
81st
Can't say I care about F1 racing, but this still captured my interest. The looming spectre of his fatal crash does hang over the film, but his career seems to be tailor made for a movie. The steady progress to victory, the struggles and setbacks to be overcome, the joys of success and frustrations of defeat. It's a fascinating subject and the film takes full advantage of it. It helps that so much raw footage is available, making the portrait more intimate and visceral.
Rated 05 Jul 2011
90
94th
I wasn't even 10 years old when Ayrton Senna died but I still vividly remember hearing the news on the radio that fatal day in May 1994. There was something out of this world with him - both while alive and in the later years as the legend of today. This documentary fully captures Senna's talent, spirit and - more than anything else - drive. The drive towards perfection, towards victory and towards true sportsmanship that few can equal in today's way too politicized and polished world of sports.
Rated 15 Jun 2011
90
96th
The man, the driver, the legend! Ayrton Senna is one of the lost treasures todays sports misses, which he unintentionally comments on from his grave. Cause today its nothing but politics and having a good image. Senna and many other athletes from back in the good old days werent like that. They spoke their minds and just wanted to be the best. Now its all about the team, your sponsor and other kinds of rubbish. F... that! If youre good at something why not reach for the stars.
Rated 13 Aug 2011
70
46th
Powerful and fascinating...but ultimately this is just an average fan film and not really anything resembling a documentary.
Rated 13 Nov 2010
50
33rd
I couldn't watch Senna racing while he was alive, I was too young to remember anything, but through this spectacular archive footage, which my generation has been seeing over all these past years, I learned to love F-1 and to understand what is this passion that mobilizes so many sportsmen. And I'm quite sure Senna is one of the best.
Rated 08 Nov 2011
65
64th
Senna is among the most interesting and important characters in sports history. A documentary about him should be amazing. But instead of bringing an interesting style or some new information, it feels like reading a Wikipedia page of his Career instead of watching a documentary. The audience for this must be faithful fans and people that don't know Senna.
Rated 21 May 2011
75
77th
I am not a Formula 1 fan myself and I only knew Senna by name and that he was a very important figure in F1 and he died while racing. So it has been a very enlightening experience for me to get to know what kind of a man he was, what he did, what his motivations were and how he had become a legend.
Rated 06 Mar 2016
80
73rd
A tidy documentary, backed by a steady stream of file footage and home video you get to follow pretty much every twist and turn in Senna's racing career until its well known and tragic conclusion. There are also racing pundits offering their voices. The only uneven thing is when the doco doesn't just show and tell, but also draws conclusions. Prost was painted a clear villain at times, but their history was hardly black and white. So it feels like good work is undone by oversimplification.
Rated 26 Jun 2011
88
93rd
Maybe the emotion of it all clouds my judgement but I thought this film was superb. How it dealt with the subject matter, in particular the Imola weekend, was truly special. I may end up ranking this film higher but first viewing brought the memories back to an astonishing degree. Also, as a minor personal note, I would have liked to have seen some footage of his win at Donnington in the rain - the film covers his brilliance in the wet but it's one of the things I remember of Senna.
Rated 30 May 2013
75
68th
Gives a great insight to one of my absolute childhood heroes, that I right now feel like I didn't know at all until I saw this film. I had to look away in the end. Couldn't stand it. Very touching.
Rated 01 Feb 2013
38
8th
Very slow drab documentary
Rated 11 Jul 2014
1
20th
*spoilers* mildly interesting guy dies during screechy, fast-billboard procession.
Rated 06 Sep 2011
75
44th
For me, a great documentary can transcend its subject, and become not just a great sports doc, or music doc, or political doc, but a great film, period. I had no interest in F1 racing before watching Senna, and, sadly, it did nothing to change my mind. It might be a great time for fans of the sport, but for me, it was only average.
Rated 13 Jan 2012
68
45th
There are three important aspects to any documentary: the story itself, the way it is delivered on screen, and the education aspect of the film. The story itself is truly incredible and even if you dont like F1, or do not know the ending, it is poignant, dramatic sad and compelling. The documentary style is well done, and some of the racing shots are truly breath taking, but the nagging problem is that I didnt feel I knew more about Senna the man by the end, which was a little dissappointing.
Rated 04 May 2011
60
62nd
Poor tribute to an extraordinary driver.
Rated 30 Nov 2012
70
61st
Though the film immerses us in the details of Senna's life and the world of Formula One for 104 thrilling minutes, we leave still wondering both who Senna was and how Formula One racing works.
Rated 19 May 2013
70
69th
"His style? Speed!" Nice structure, great archival footage, great behind the scenes footage from the drivers meeting. I don't know why, but it didn't really feel anything - and the film constantly wants you to do that.
Rated 17 Jun 2011
85
88th
It was great to remember this great pilot and great man. Without doubt, he does miss, a lot. The nice thing about this documentary are the scenes of the family files and the FIA, has some really cool scenes.
Rated 11 Mar 2017
75
88th
I would question how much the film holds up as a documentary, but I would also question whether it's of any importance in this case. The story told by the film is beautiful, electrifying, dramatic and deeply affectionate in what is a superb and heartfelt execution of this ode to Senna's life. Furthermore, since a film can make a person unfamiliar with anything F1-related fall in love with Senna and ache after the film is over, then it must be a great piece of the visual medium called film.
Rated 17 Mar 2012
86
95th
Another great documentary about a subject I didn't care about going in. I'm sure the depiction of Senna and the de facto antagonist isn't even handed, but that doesn't stop it from being a compelling documentary. Told almost exclusively through archival footage, you really get the feel for the time and place of the story. It also focused exclusively on Senna's career, leaving out details of his personal life, which worked well for the picture.
Rated 28 Aug 2012
90
96th
Very emotional. Senna was one of a kind.
Rated 23 Mar 2013
90
94th
A truly great piece of documentary film making. There's a good balance between insight into Senna the man and the racing driver. There's an even-handed treatment of his rivalry with Prost. But most spectacular of all is the drama and emotion of the final act of the Imola weekend. Absolutely superb, I even shed a tear or two.
Rated 16 Apr 2012
78
64th
part Senna, part Prost, part a glimpse into a heated decade in the F1 world. elongated helicopter shot spoke measures.
Rated 08 Mar 2014
82
66th
It took a little bit for me to get into it, but shortly after I was engrossed. It was nice to have a clean look at his career without any sensationalist telling of his personal life. The music choices were spot on as well, seamlessly adding to the film and never distracting or detracting.
Rated 13 Feb 2012
81
80th
A quite engrossing doc which feels shorter than its 102 minutes. Senna comes across as down-to-earth, charismatic, and later tormented, and his career seems worthy of a feature film. There is no shortage of found footage, and it largely speaks for itself - never does it feel like Kapadia is stretching to convey something beyond what he has the footage for. I don't much care about Formula 1 events or whether the drivers live or die, but this was certainly one of the better docs I've seen.
Rated 08 Feb 2012
79
70th
I know nothing about Formula One, but I think that makes the film more riveting. The twists and turns are completely unexpected, and the in-car cameras put you right in the heat of the action.
Rated 22 Dec 2016
86
88th
Very touching, emotional and exciting. A F1 documentary isn't something I'd usually watch but it was gripping and tear-jerking.
Rated 13 Oct 2011
80
84th
The documentary itself is actually a very average piece of filmmaking. The subject matter though is anything but average! Some of the footage itself, particuarly to an F1 fan like me, is extraordinary, even if its not been used in the best way by the director. Even though I was only 9, I can remember vividly watching the '94 Imola Grand Prix and seeing Senna crash. This movie brought back those emotions very powerfully. The man was a total legend, no doubt. An essential watch for F1 fans.
Rated 04 Nov 2012
82
90th
Great. I knew very little about Senna before watching. He's definetly one of the persons you wish you could have known. Tragic and touching
Rated 20 May 2019
70
42nd
May 10, 2019 / *Enjoyable
Rated 09 Apr 2011
100
99th
Amazing Driving, Dancing on the Track, Death of a H ero.
Rated 07 Apr 2011
65
59th
As a documentary it has some flaws. It's style that focuses on nothing else but Senna (no showing anyone who's talking, always using archive footage etc.) is somewhat interesting and Senna's story is just something else.. Beautiful. But as I said, as a documentary, it struggles a bit.
Rated 06 Oct 2013
90
90th
Myess. I was a fan of Alain Prost as a kid, so this was at times hard to watch. Brilliant documentary, though.
Rated 10 Dec 2011
50
43rd
There is something about the desire to exceed limits and elevate oneself beyond them that is always fascinating, and, conversely, the same can be said about catching glimpses of the usually-hidden internal political machinations that mostly tend to curb that desire. But even though this documentary energetically strives to satisfy these twin fascinations, in the end it too closely resembles a fairly conventional piece of sporting hagiography.
Rated 17 Dec 2011
64
39th
There's some interesting footage and it's pretty well made all things considered. But ultimately, I didn't really know much more about Senna then when I started watching it.
Rated 03 Sep 2013
84
92nd
* Directing, Aura : 7.5 * Ease of Viewing : 8.5 * Naked Eye : 9
Rated 26 May 2017
88
81st
An artist of racing in the rain. I'm not much of a racing fan, in fact I used to make fun of it a lot. I'll never be a Nascar fan but I do have a newfound appreciation for Formula One racers. Ayrton Senna was incredible on a track. This documentary about his racing career was full of victory and drama. Senna was handsome and really talented. He represented his country of Brazil really well. I loved the rivalry he had with that mean ol' Frenchman Prost. An inspiring and sad story...
Rated 13 Sep 2011
84
91st
I'm really subjective on this one because I adore Ayrton Senna; all I can really say is that I absolutely loved this and that while movies rarely get to me, I actually cried at the end of this.
Rated 01 Aug 2011
95
98th
Utterly compelling and emotive.
Rated 22 Oct 2011
30
78th
"Senna is a stirring snapshot of a charismatic, immensely talented man driven to be the best, even if the risks of chasing such success were fatal." - Nick Schager
Rated 28 Oct 2011
80
60th
The most interested I've been about car racing of any kind. Senna is to Brazil as Terry Fox is to Canada. A poignant human look at Formula One racing.
Rated 07 Oct 2011
9
85th
Really good documentary, and I don't have any interest in racing!
Rated 04 May 2013
80
78th
Gives me a larger respect for racing, which on the whole I don't really care about. I always considered Formula 1 the least stupid of all the racing leagues though. This only reinforced that.
Rated 05 Jul 2011
75
84th
So compellingly assembled that archive material plays like fiction, where, if the players could read all the signs, tragedy would be avoided.
Rated 21 Sep 2017
88
93rd
A moving biography and a stunning exercise in cinematic immersion. More like an impressionistic audiovisual scrapbook than a conventional sports documentary, SENNA captivates with an energy and a pure passion matching those of its subject.
Rated 13 Feb 2012
79
61st
The first half plays like a satisfying and usual "dream come true" story, but the second half feels more like a court case montage on how events lead up to how they became until the tragedy struck. Very effective and professional use of editing on so little.
Rated 27 Aug 2012
91
98th
Incredibly tragic story.
Rated 17 Nov 2010
85
63rd
The most interesting was to know more about Ayrton Senna as man, with his sister's testimony on the background explaining about his feelings. I just missed Ayrton's extraordinary performance in Donington Park.
Rated 14 Aug 2011
83
79th
A touching and wonderfully constructed documentary about a racing legend. The editing is quite amateurish at times though.
Rated 02 Jan 2016
92
45th
A great documentary. Very exciting if you think speed is a thrill.
Rated 10 Jun 2011
8
92nd
Enjoyable and insightful. I enjoyed the way the documentry only explored Senna's relationship with racing and didn't look at all at his personal relationships.
Rated 28 Jan 2012
75
66th
It's an achievement when a documentary can keep my attention and make me care about something I normally couldn't care less about (or don't have any knowledge of). Senna is that film as far as formula one (or open wheel) racing goes. Don't go in expecting a biography of a racing legend though, because you won't get it. It's all about Senna the racer, and the politics of racing. Powerful at points, but really could've been much more with the subject matter they had to work with.
Rated 28 Jun 2012
8
86th
Fully captures the magic and charm of racing's most interesting character. It possesses a somewhat child-like observation of Senna and his journey, allowing us to feel what I believe the director feels for Senna.
Rated 08 Jul 2012
91
97th
Beautiful, very well done, and incredibly tragic. The footage from a wide variety of scenarios blend together seamlessly to portray just who Senna was. The score is wonderful, it strengthens the already strong emotions of the documentary
Rated 12 Dec 2011
82
97th
83
Rated 15 Nov 2014
73
59th
An exceptional way to do a cinematic sports-documentary, or any other film for that matter.
Rated 26 Oct 2011
93
95th
It's a comprehensive, well-put-together documentary about a man with a legendary reputation and a story to to match.
Rated 17 Oct 2012
100
87th
very intense film!
Rated 03 May 2012
95
95th
Slightly over-romanticizes an incredible sportsman, but the output is the most heart-wrenching piece of film I've ever watched. As a lifelong Formula 1 lover who was 'just' too young to remember this man's talent, it feels almost fictional.
Rated 02 Apr 2012
80
84th
Poignant documentary that plays out with a sense of grim fatalism - you can't help but hear each of Senna's words weighed down with what you know is coming at the end of the film. You hear his fears, his concerns about safety, his attempts to rationalise the danger, but you know it can only end one way, and you wonder if he knew that too. The editing is great, with the director wisely allowing the pictures to do most of the talking.
Rated 24 Mar 2013
42
27th
Movie drags on. This is only about Senna the F1 driver, not about Senna the man. I wish they'd gone more in depth.
Rated 15 Mar 2014
91
95th
I dont believe in god, but if he had existed Im sure he would've been taking driving lessons from Ayrton Senna.
Rated 04 Apr 2012
90
87th
One of my favorite documentaries, inspiring and sad.
Rated 29 Jan 2014
3
92nd
Riveting documentary about the legend Ayrton Senna. The footage speaks for itself, while Senna being the star he was.
Rated 26 Feb 2012
80
81st
To finish a race (3 more laps) with only the sixth gear, in heavy rain, and still win... NICE !!!
Rated 10 Apr 2019
95
72nd
A documentary well worth watching. Senna was a legend. His story was interesting and everything was very well put together. With almost all old footage and a few interviews voiced over brings you right into everything.
Rated 04 Apr 2020
80
86th
3.4.20quarantinedayz.
Rated 22 Jun 2020
70
77th
Been on my list to watch for a while, decided to finally watch after seeing Ford v Ferrari. Don't know anything of the history or intricacies of F1 but this film works without that knowledge.
Rated 20 Mar 2021
85
87th
The real deal. A heart-wrenching, well-told, fairly unknown story with an amazing amount of revealing footage, music, drama, cockpit action, and emotion for an excellent tribute.
Rated 12 May 2021
83
80th
Herói.
Rated 01 Nov 2021
78
74th
Don't know anything about F1 but still liked it !
Rated 31 Mar 2022
69
34th
Reasonably enjoyable sports doco uses the “archival” documentary approach to create a visceral, immediate quality, and largely sidestepping the problems of overly lionising its subject. Unfortunately Senna remains an unknowable enigma and gives the film a slightly hollow feeling when all is said and done – the more emotional insight a “traditional” documentary could have offered might have worked better. Still an effective, if not particularly memorable, portrait of the character and his world.
Rated 28 Aug 2022
85
93rd
What a beautifully crafted documentary. It has been put together meticulously with footage that seems to belong in this documentary. Giving the viewers a small glimpse into the person that Senna was and that the passion that drove him, how much he wanted to be out of the politics of F1 racing, we are waiting for the inevitable tragedy and seeing the signs of ill fortune in the air even before Senna takes to the track one last time.
Rated 19 Nov 2023
65
29th
The good reviews must be simply because it's about Senna, as a film, it was a mediocre effort carried along by an extraordinary man. So much more could have been done, lots of interesting things was left out, including some fascinating details about what Senna did after Ratzenbergers fatality, and generally just more insight into the man.
Rated 01 Dec 2023
70
39th
not a fan of racing but it was ok

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