Schumacher: Movie Review

As of late, Netflix (much like us) has had a bit of a Formula 1 obsession. With the introduction of the Drive to Survive series, Netflix drew new fans to the sport but now they have delved into the storied history of Formula 1 and introduced their viewers to one of the sport’s all time greats, Michael Schumacher. In this in-depth look at Michael’s career and life, we see some of the highest highs and lowest lows of motorsport in the story of a legend.

The 2021 documentary, Schumacher, includes interviews with some of the people that knew Michael best from both his personal and public life including his wife, Corinna, and teammates Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and, very briefly, his son, Mick (who is currently driving for Haas in Formula 1) and daughter, Gina. The viewer is given the rare opportunity to see new, never before seen footage of Michael outside the world of racing during the years of some of his most prolific moments in motorsport. Directors Hanns-Bruno Kammertöns, Vanessa Nöcker and Michael Wech introduce Michael to the audience in his early years as an intelligent and already very professional young driver in a kart. We see his introduction into F1 in 1991 and how his career progressed throughout the nineties and noughties including the repercussions of his own actions in racing that got him in trouble though they are not dwelt on to create drama. Formula 1 is dramatic enough as it is, if you ask me.

The insight we gained into the Schumachers’ private life may have been minimal but it was more than we’ve ever really gotten before. In comparison to modern drivers, Michael’s private life was very much his own. In the previous eras of racing, drivers’ personal lives were of little interest to viewers; it was their driving that was the focal point of all the attention. Modern drivers are almost expected to keep the public up to date on their current activities and there is more emphasis on what is going on behind closed doors now. This movie gave us some insight but also respected Michael’s wish for privacy. This was what the Schumachers, as a family, were willing to share.

Some have slammed the film for disregarding or glossing over Michael’s skiing accident and the repercussions of it. However, that is a very personal matter and the Schumachers were, and still are, always a very private family. Something as life altering as Michael’s accident is not going to be the topic of casual conversation or something that anyone would willingly discuss with ease. This was a traumatic experience for anyone close to Michael and life changing in more ways than one. It is not up to anyone outside of Michael’s immediate family and friends to determine whether the film’s treatment of Michael’s life changing injury was too much or too little. Some have asked what the point of the film is if not to shed light on his current medical condition. Perhaps the point is to celebrate his glorious career. It is not our right to know a person’s medical status just because of their fame or celebrity status. If someone was to demand to know your medical status, you’d be concerned to say the least so, even though we received a glimpse into the Schumachers’ private life, that does not mean we are entitled to know about how the family or Michael are doing at this very moment. To the people who expected a huge revelation on how Michael is doing currently, I’ll remind you that this film is about the man who said that private life is private life.

Personally, I thought the film was a beautiful celebration of Michael’s career and moving to say the least. As a fan of Michael from a very young age, I thought it was nice to see where Michael started from and to be reminded of how monumental his successes really were. To summarise, I was an emotional wreck and nostalgic over the sound of V10 engines and Niamh learnt some facts about a history maker in Formula 1 like his dedication to the sport and his teams and his drive for perfection rather than success. Schumacher is now available to stream on Netflix.