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Movies & TV

18th Jan 2019

The most ‘captivating, chilling, and sublime’ documentary in recent years is now on Netflix

Paul Moore

Movies on TV

It’s superb.

In the sporting world, the greatest rivalries have the ability to transcend their sport.

Borg and McEnroe was the perfect example of this because their temperaments and styles couldn’t have been any more different. On one side of the court, you had Borg and his cool and emotionless demeanour. Facing him was McEnroe, a pitbull that fought for every ball and was famous for his courtside tantrums.

Their clashes weren’t just about sport, there was something more to them, a human aspect that gripped everyone watching.

There are endless examples like this in sport, but one documentary encapsulates this idea better than most, Asif Kapadia’s superb Bafta-winning film, Senna.

The documentary is not just about cars.

Senna explores the life and work of triple world champion Ayrton Senna, his physical and spiritual achievements on the track, his quest for perfection and the mythical status he has since attained.

Far more than a film for F1 fans, the documentary tells a remarkable story in a remarkable manner, eschewing many standard documentary techniques in favour of a more cinematic approach that makes full use of astounding footage, much of which is drawn from F1 archives and previously unseen footage.

Simply put, Senna was a maverick.

During his career on the track, the Brazilian driver was a risk taker who did things his own way. In the world of Formula 1, he was the closest thing to a rock star.

In the other lane was Alain Prost, a remarkably gifted French driver who became a four-time Formula One Drivers’ champion. On the track, the two men enjoyed some epic races, but away from the grid, their personalities couldn’t have been any more different.

Again, if you think that the documentary is just about sport, you’re wrong.

In their review of the film, the LA Times said: “Senna is a documentary with the pace of a thriller, a story of motors and machines that is beyond compelling because of the intensely human story it tells.”

Empire reserved similar praise when they said that it’s “ambitiously constructed, deeply compelling, thrilling and in no way only for those who like watching cars drive in circles”.

The Sydney Morning Herald really did describe it perfectly, saying: “This is documentary filmmaking quite unlike any other: a tale of triumph over adversity, of victory and tragedy, visually presented as riveting, explosive drama. Senna is essential viewing.”

As of today, 18 January, Senna is on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favour and do so as soon as possible.

 

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