Senna

PG-13

Released Aug 12, 2011

1h 44m

Documentary

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List

93%

122 Reviews

Tomatometer

95%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Ayrton Senna becomes a three-time Formula One racing champion and Brazil's national hero before his untimely death at age 34.

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Critics Consensus

Even for filmgoers who aren't racing fans, Senna offers heart-pounding thrills -- and heartbreaking emotion.

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Christian S

Phenomenal! I love this movie. It set the bar high for documentary films, maybe too high. It is a work of art based on fact. So excellent!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

Sieme P

Amazing movie. Actually had me, impressed, emotional and just fully invested in someone that lived and his events that happened almost 30 years ago. Just an amazing expression of his life. A caring and sometimes misunderstood racing driver who, for me, is the actual Greatest Of All Time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/24/22

Full Review

Cheesie 6

Absolute must see, one of my favourite movies. Ayrton Senna is one of my sporting heroes and this movie 100% does him justice. A great movie even for people who aren't necessarily into sport

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/03/22

Full Review

charlie l

Fantastic documentary - the pursuit of excellence is wrought with danger.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

kevin c

Fascinating documentary on Ayerton Senna a Brazilian Formula one race car driver who made his way to the top of the circuit who's life ended in tragedy on the track. I am not a race fan yet I was riveted from start to finish. Lots of fantastic footage interspersed with interviews make this a must see for fans and non fans alike.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

William L

Formula 1 seems like the weirdest sport to watch as a fan. On the one hand, you've got marvels of engineering, delicate control, dramatic personalities, and feats of daring as drivers risk serious injury going around a diverse range of exotic track circuits. On the other, you've got a pedantic point system to judge by, and it's really the only sport where outcomes seem to be routinely determined by actual legal battles. The flickering, flawed first-person nature of early '90s F1 racing footage hardly takes away from the excitement of this documentary (for me, an introduction to the sport), and that tone is contrasted against a genuine character study of a complex figure that was a mix of compassion, talent, ego, and faith. As with any documentary based on events relatively close to the time of release, Senna doesn't seem to have satisfied all those that actually appear in the film (Alain Prost in particular has criticized the film for the simplification of his relationship with the titular character, and the lack of a reconciliation prior to Senna's death). But where this film lacks in larger context, it makes up for it in sincerity and passion touching on Senna himself as a passionate and daring individual with the ambition to match his skill. Excellent editing making use of a broad range of source footage thanks to the illustrious profile of its subject. While it wasn't a sport that I personally felt a lot of connection to, it didn't matter in the end; director Asif Kapadia delivers not only excitement but empathy and care in his portrait of one of the most beloved athletes to have suffered a fatal accident in competition. Next time, I'll have to find a version with less dodgy subtitles... (3.5/5)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/12/22

Full Review

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Asif Kapadia

Director

Alain Prost

Self

Sir Frank Williams

Self

Ron Dennis

Self

Viviane Senna

Self

Jackie Stewart

Self

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Senna: Trailer

2:29

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

Kapadia has crafted an intimate character study of the man that puts almost as much emphasis on his spirituality, his doubts and his relationship with his country as it does on his ability to drive a fast car.

May 3, 2024

Full Review

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

This is not just a good film - it's a great film: fascinating, exciting, nerve-wracking and profoundly moving.

Aug 31, 2018

Full Review

Christine Champ

Film.com

Captivating, chilling, and surprisingly sublime.

Rated: A-

Sep 9, 2011

Full Review

Michael J. Casey

Boulder Weekly

You don't have to know a lick about racing to become completely engrossed by 'Senna.'

Rated: 5/5

Aug 8, 2020

Full Review

Felicia Feaster

Charleston City Paper

As you might imagine, these first-person images of key races are some of the film's most pulse-quickening, awe-inspiring moments.

Jan 17, 2020

Full Review

Chris McCoy

Memphis Flyer

Kapadia's remarkably clear direction traces Senna's personal development from fresh-faced idealist fighting the Formula 1 bosses, to successful superstar to cynical competitor.

Jan 8, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Ayrton Senna becomes a three-time Formula One racing champion and Brazil's national hero before his untimely death at age 34.

Director: Asif Kapadia
Producer: Liza Chasin, Debra Hayward, Kevin Macdonald, Manish Pandey
Screenwriter: Manish Pandey
Distributor: PDA
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Working Title Films, StudioCanal
Rating: PG-13 (Some Strong Language|Disturbing Images)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 12, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.6M
Runtime: 1h 44m