Senna

For this ESPN-produced biography of three-time Formula One racing champion Ayrton Senna, director Asif Kapadia mostly selected wisely from the available archival footage and audio interview tape to present a hit-and-miss survey of the racer's life, from his childhood enthusiasm for go-carts to his death in a crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Senna is described as a Brazilian child of privilege in a society marked by extreme disparity between the ultra-rich and the brutally poor (viewers frequently see members of Senna's family but never really learn about the source of their wealth). The documentary also touches on the politics of Formula One racing in terms of Senna's rivalry with racer Alain Prost, including actions taken by the organization—headed by Jean-Marie Balestre—that seemed calculated to assist the French driver against his challenger (the suggestion of corruption is repeatedly put forward, but never fully investigated). Also missing here is any serious consideration of Ayrton's very public religiosity. Still, while Senna could have dealt more substantially with these various facets of its subject's life, the film covers Senna's racing career well and should appeal to car-racing enthusiasts. Recommended, overall. (F. Swietek)