Le Mans '66 Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

5. James Mangold's Thrilling Direction

Second only to the lead performances is the incredibly strong direction from James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Logan), who continues to solidify himself as one of the most reliable and visually precise genre filmmakers working today.

Mangold knocks the loaded dialogues out of the park, of course, but really comes into his own when helming the white-knuckle, gorgeously smooth racing set-pieces, of which there are many.

Mangold's silky coverage gets in close and tight with the duelling vehicles and makes us feel the intensity as they race for the finish line, in turn delivering some of the most visually dynamic and exciting car chase footage from any racing movie in years.