Ali (2001) User Reviews

This could and should have been much better...

[buiger · 6/10 · 16 September 2007]

Average movie. What was best in this film (and that was really good) was the Sound, The Soundtrack and the Camera. All of these where at least worthy of a nomination, if not more.

On the contrary, the screenplay was totally lacking (I think the Director knew this, hence the very frequent and prolonged musical interludes...) and the dialogs empty, somehow incomplete. In spite of another great performance by Will Smith, the characterization is also sketchy to say the least, we never really get to understand the main characters, their motivations, the reasons for their actions, and therefore can never really identify. All in all, the movie feels superficial, there is no real 'depth' to it. Younger audiences who are not familiar with the actual occurrences 30 years ago will be totally at a loss watching this film. I must say that even I was lost at times (and I actually lived during the period).

Rather Boring Bio of Muhammad Ali

[evanston_dad · 6/10 · 26 July 2010]

Michael Mann is a very hit-and-miss director for me. His movies either blow me out of the water ("The Insider," "Heat"), or they leave me cold ("Miami Vice," "Public Enemies"). Unfortunately, "Ali" belongs to the latter category.

Mann's filmmaking is always very assured, so when his movies miss, I'm never exactly sure why. There's just something boring about "Ali." It tells Muhammad Ali's story, and it does so with what could be mistaken for passion, but it just felt rote and lifeless to me, and far too long.

Will Smith and Jon Voight were honored with Academy Award nominations for playing Ali and Howard Cosell, respectively, but clearly I'm not the only one to be underwhelmed by the film, as it bombed with audiences and couldn't even crack 7.0 here at IMDb.

Grade: B-

Not a complete dud but could have been better

[vithiet · 6/10 · 24 September 2020]

I don't think it deserved to bomb the way it did when it came out but it sure is a bit disappointing... I guess I always felt it would be, which is why I postponed watching for what, 19 years? Extremely good performance from Will Smith and basically the entire cast. However the pacing a little all over the place and rather dull script didn't help; how did they manage to make the life of one of the most entertaining athletes of the 20th century feel so boring?

solid but flawed

[bluetunehead · 30 June 2003]

Ali is a film that both succeeds and fails at the same time. Will Smith's performance was very solid, yet I never was able to shake the feeling that on screen it was Will Smith playing Muhammad Ali and not simply Muhammad Ali. Perhaps that is through no fault of his. He truly does a great impression of the fighter. The script is again decent, centering on several facets of the star's life that go beyond the sports pages. However, overall the whole project has a rather distant feel. The viewer rarely is truly captivated by what is occurring. Michael Mann's characteristic documentary-esque filming style works well in parts, but services to alienate the viewer in others. Yes, it feels as though you are almost watching a documentary in many cases, as if the viewer is a bystander to the circumstances at hand, but this is a work of drama, not a documentary. I wish someone had told Mann to stop shaking the camera and shifting to view Ali between the standard stock of blurred reporters for a few seconds and do a more typically dramatic shot. With Heat and The Insider, Mann managed to pull off this style successfully. In Ali he does not. In many cases conversations begin to rise but then only dissipate before anything really gripping has been said. Simply put, this film could have used a few more motivational speeches along the lines of a Rocky film. Perhaps it wouldn't have been as accurate, but it would have serviced a more dramatic story, at least one where the viewer really felt involved. Ali goes through two wives in the film and in neither case do they even serve to get very angry with him. Voices begin to rise and then either the woman or Ali leaves the room. The scene ends without any heavy emotion other than stern faces being shown. He's divorced a few minutes later. The fight scenes also have a lack of emotion. The film style is interesting and visually stimulating, but it could have used a few `it's over Rock!' lines here and there to punctuate things.

Mann's standard use of music again fails in many cases here. Whereas in "historical" films like Forrest Gump period music is used to punctuate a dramatic score, in Ali it is almost the sole backing track of the film. There is scarcely any musical score involved. When it is used, it often seems like it was just pieced together from leftovers to provide ambience. In a few key dramatic scenes, the pop ditties being played (although sometimes fitting lyrically) really end up being a distraction. The death of Malcolm X is a prime example. Ali's close friend has just been killed and you're just waiting for a rising orchestral number (however cliche and standard it may be, that's what you're looking for), but instead you get a period song that, at this point in the film, is beginning to sound like half a dozen others before it. In several cases Mann's musical style does work (Ali's jog through the streets of Zaire being an example, the closing number another) but the technique fails overall.

I've mostly criticized this film, which should not be the only viewpoint, because cinematically it is a fine work. There doesn't need to be another Ali film made, as this will service his legacy nicely. It has flaws, but I point out these flaws taking for granted just how good much of it is. The banter between Ali and Howard Cosell (Jon Voight, who completely disappears into this role) is classic, and work by Jaime Foxx and Mario Van Peebles (as Malcolm X) is solid as well. Michael Mann knows how to handle a film and I would rather watch a sub-par outing from him than most of what Hollywood produces any day. He's just done better. Some script work and a better musical score could have pushed this good film to greatness.

7/10

Surprisingly Quiet, Slow, even Dull

[jazzest · 6/10 · 7 September 2003]

Surprisingly quiet, slow, even dull biopic for such an aggressive, passionate, and charismatic athlete/historic figure. Probably Michael Mann intended to demystify Muhammad Ali; still I would appreciate if it were more fast-paced, more visually vivid, and more emotionally intense.

While well-crafted cinematography seems over calculated at times, improvisational editing in the boxing game scenes properly recreates the jazzy atmosphere of the historic moments. Will Smith could have done better job on the boxing realization, according to my boxer pal.

Great subject but, strangely, unengaging movie

[grantss · 6/10 · 4 February 2016]

Great subject but, strangely, unengaging movie.

The story of Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, boxers who has ever lived. Shows from his first title bout (as Cassius Clay) until the conclusion of the "Rumble in the Jungle" versus George Foreman. Covers his conversion to Islam, his relationships, his being drafted into the Army and his refusal to go, his subsequent legal issues and a myriad of other details.

Interesting, from an historical perspective, but feels flat and unengaging as a human drama. On paper it should work - the movie is directed by Michael Mann, of Heat, Collateral, Public Enemies, The Last of the Mohicans and Miami Vice fame. However, he is more an action-drama / thriller director and it shows, to a degree, in this movie. Characters aren't developed very well but the action scenes (in this case, the fight scenes) are great.

Part of the problem is that Mann tries to cram as many events from Ali's life into the movie as possible. Even though the movie is fairly long at 2 1/2 hours, many of the lesser events are given a passing mention, with no real context. You often feel no connection to the event and they just feel like flashes across the screen.

A better way to tackle the subject would have been to concentrate on the big themes and events of Ali's life, and leave out all the miscellaneous life. This, or make a mini-series rather than a movie. The man did and achieved so much, 2 1/2 hours is hardly enough time to encapsulate his life.

On the plus side, as mentioned before the fight scenes are great. Well staged, well shot and very tense.

Will Smith got a Best Leading Actor Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Ali, but I am not sure he deserved it. Physically he is not imposing enough to be Ali. Furthermore, while he does a great job at capturing Ali's bravado and trash-talking, his verbal tone just doesn't seem right in normal speech. It's as if every line of dialogue is a speech, rather than just normal dialogue, and this can be quite irritating at times.

Good supporting cast though. Jon Voight is almost unrecognizable as legendary sports presenter, and Ali's verbal sparring partner, Howard Cosell. He does a great job and got a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his efforts.

Good work too from Jamie Foxx. The hidden gem is Mykelti Williamson who gives a great, over-the-top, often-hilarious performance as boxing promoter Don King.

Overall, considering the subject, this movie is disappointing but there is enough there to keep you interested.

Reasonable performance

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 22 May 2014]

It's a biopic of the great boxer Muhammad Ali (Will Smith). It starts in 1964 when still as Cassius Clay defeats Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship. Malcolm X (Mario Van Peebles) befriends the young fighter. He is outspoken, converts to Islam joining the Nation of Islam, and becomes the world wide icon. Jon Voight makes a nice turn as Howard Cosell.

Muhammad Ali is such a big personality. Possibly nobody could ever do him justice. Certainly nobody could ever live up to the legend. Will Smith is probably the only one who could make the attempt. The fact that he didn't embarrass himself is a big win. It is a surprise that director Michael Mann made this movie. It doesn't have the kinetic energy of his other movies. It's such a dour performance. Will is playing it with simmering anger every second of the movie. He's great with Ali's voice, but it doesn't have any joy in it. Will is good hitting that same note over and over again. I just wish he hit other notes in his performance. 'When We Were Kings' is a superior movie for comparison. This is a good biopic not not much more.

Mission: Impossible?

[enoonmai · 6/10 · 25 October 2004]

Although this film was too long, it missed out the beginning and end of the Ali story. The omission of Clay being refused service in a diner upon his return from the Olympics and the 'Thrilla in Manila' leave huge holes in the make-up of the man and icon that is Muhammad Ali.

The fight scenes are superbly choreographed using real boxers and this is part of another problem with the film – is it a documentary or a movie?. As a boxing fan, I had difficulty believing that his opponents were who they were supposed to be - Joe Frazier was James Toney with an afro wig and never had me believing that he was Joe Frazier.

Overall, this film dealt well with Ali's womanising and relationship with 'Bundini' Brown and Howard Cosell but was superficial and left me unfulfilled. Maybe this was mission impossible but the movie set out ambitious targets and missed most of them. You are better off getting a video of Ali's fights, watching 'When We Were Kings' and reading his biography by Thomas Hauser.

Well, the movie was not as good but still Will Smith delivers

[charlessmith702210 · 6/10 · 9 January 2007]

I can remember that scene when Cassius fought Liston for 6 rounds, and then, stunning both the crowd and boxing experts who believed the Cassius would lose the heavyweight championship fight, by overwhelming Liston in the seventh, causing Liston to drop his mouth-guard and quit fighting. I realized something unusual in Cassius....he used his trash-talking and poetry to reveal himself as the people's boxer. That was some technical knock-out that Liston put on himself, and Liston, later on in the flick, wanted a rematch with Cassius.

What was scary was how they set up the assassination of Ali's friend, Malcolm X, after trying to speak at the pulpit. From the first rifle shot that took out half of the lectern to the additional shots that were probably done for good measure, I could see why the 1960s were perhaps the most fearful time for African-Americans in the USA.

And I was speculating why did the Selective Service made a classification change in Cassius Clay, from being disqualified after taking the Armed Forces Test to being inducted to the U.S. Armed Forces. Probably the Selective Service wanted him in the U.S. Army because of his hand-to-hand fighting skills as a boxer, but this might be an inside job by both the CIA and the FBI, who wanted Cassius out of the country to keep other Blacks in the USA from being an idol to him because of his involvement in the Nation of Islam. Or, perhaps the U.S. Government may have thought of Ali as an Pan-Africanism activist who wants to go abroad to avoid the turbulent 1960s in the USA.

And so, Cassius starts his fight with the Selective Service, refusing to be inducted when required to, gets arrested and goes to trial for refusing to be inducted. He then becomes a full-blown antiwar activist and he realizes that things are going down for being an activist...his boxing license was taken away, he could not fight in Mexico, and eventually, he was found guilty. His lawyers starts the appeal process of his maximum 5-year federal prison sentence, but they themselves are fighting like Ali. The appellate court rejected the sentence appeal and they had to go to the Supreme Court. It is either that, or Cassius gets 5 years in jail. And even worse, one of the lawyers hears the gunshot heard around the USA---that gunshot that killed one of the most important civil rights leaders in the USA--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Well, it was a twist when Howard Cossell said to Ali that the Supreme Court accepted the appeal, keeping Ali out of jail and overturning his conviction.

Now, all of Ali's eyes were on Jo Frazier. He wanted a rematch but Jo got knocked out by George Foreman, dethroning Jo Frazier's heavyweight crown. Now Ali had to think about George Foreman instead of Jo Frazier.

The boxing fight in Kinshasa, Zaire was rather boring, even in the scene involving the "Bumaye Ali!" chant before the big fight, but it was George Foreman's fearful presence that kept it too boring.

The Biggest Modern Day Character Challenge I can imagine...

[wise49 · 10/10 · 18 February 2007]

Some people never liked Ali. He is one of those characters who is so strong, most people are forced to either love him despite his weaknesses or hate him. He was one figure in American history who never really needed anybody.

He was a conscientious objector against the Viet Nam war, yet he is honored by presidents of the nation he refused to capitulate with in crimes against humanity. His story is that vital to America.

When Ali was still a teenager, he tried his best to prove his personal excellence in a society prejudiced against black people. He won the boxing gold medal at the Rome Olympics in 1960, yet he came home to Louisville and still wasn't "good enough" buy a sandwich at a white restaurant, because he was black.

He then decided if the gold medal wasn't good enough for America, then it wasn't good enough for him. At this point in his life, when he had nothing else; he took the gold medal and threw it in the river.

He observed the wrestler, Gorgeous George, and admired the way he used the negative energy generated by those who disapproved of him as fuel to become the top attraction and make fools of all those who were against him. He wanted to make people boo him. He proclaimed himself as more beautiful than any creature on the planet. He told the world he was the greatest who ever lived. The more they booed him, the more energy it gave him.

He didn't have a mentor or a manager. He assembled a group of Louisville investors to bankroll him, all by himself. He knew exactly what he wanted from the world, reached out and took it. He made a crown out of it. Nobody gave him anything, and nobody can ever take that away.

He discarded the name of a great white civil rights leader during the civil war and reasoned that if he was really free to be what HE was, then he should take a name that he thought was a natural black person's name. It didn't make sense for others who came before him to fight and win the rights to do whatever they wanted, if they were then going to do nothing but turn around and say "Thank You". He decided in order to validate the fight for freedom, his role was to be free.

Muhammad Ali is played by the maybe the only person in the universe who would dare to even attempt it and he succeeds marvelously; not just in a marginal way, but in a big, big way.

This film isn't just swagger, or an imitation of Ali. This is a deep, sensitive, poignant, and romantic story about one of the greatest public figures of the twentieth century. This man truly is a poet and he's lived the life of a poet. To a great extent, Muhammad Ali made his life a manifesto of truth about the American experience. Of all the stories of the twentieth century in America, this was one of the most important ones to tell.

This film has characters galore: from Jamie Foxx as Bundini Brown, who keeps chanting "float like a butterfly, sting like a beeee!" when everyone in the world thought Ali was going to die at the hands of Sonny Liston; Jada PinkettSmith as Ali's devoutly religious and adoring first wife; MichaelMichele playing Veronica Porche, a beautiful jet set model with whomAli had an affair, to a strong performance by Mario Van Peebles as Ali's conscience; Malcolm X, who forces Ali to think against himself and his adoring Black Muslim following in the interests of right and wrong.

This film has irony, choreography, conflict, humor, drama; and accurately portrays the highest highs of any public figure I've seen in my lifetime, as well as some of the most bitter defeats.

This is about male psychology. This is about female psychology. This is about a religious movement in America. This is about a culture in America and many cultures in America and their struggles to live together and treat each other right and fairly, while trying to do the right thing as concerns their own conscience.

The most glaring weaknesses of any sports film ever made are in the sport scenes themselves. This is the strongest point of this film and also makes it the greatest sports film ever made.

I've been a boxing fan since I was eleven. I was a part of crowds who gathered around Muhammad Ali before he became champion. I know what he looks like face to face. I've watched his boxing films dozens of times, and I'll tell you that the scenes in this movie are perfect reenactments of what actually happened in the ring. This couldn't have been done in less than dozens of takes per scene. They throw punches exactly like the fighters in the real fights. They're in the same part of the ring when they throw those punches. They react to the punches the same way. They even get knocked down in the correct parts of the ring in exactly the same way as the fighters who were in the original fight.

I'm not going to comment on whether it should have won an Oscar for best picture, best actor, best supporting actor, best direction, best photography, best choreography, or other features in the film. Maybe it's better that it didn't win those awards in that year because this film is bigger than any year.

This is the sports film that all others will be judged by from here on out by anyone with any sense of realism and art in movies.

This is one for the ages.

He may have been the greatest, but the movie wasn't

[tastyhotdogs · 7/10 · 29 October 2005]

Finally got around to seeing this after a 4 year wait (hey, it's been a busy millennium).

The movie is obviously about Muhammad Ali, following two stages of his boxing career. I'm not sure how and why they picked the stages they did, but for me it was just way too disjointed. I'm not saying the movie was bad, but I feel it would have been a lot better with a stronger structure. The movie basically features his first title fight win, a couple of other fights and the infamous "Rumble in the Jungle". It focuses heavily on his relationships, his religion and his fight against the draft. He's no doubt a fascinating character study, but the movie just seemed to miss the boat a bit.

The cast is solid with Will Smith as Ali, putting in a decent performance, Jamie Foxx and Jon Voight. Michael Mann's directing is outstanding, highlighted by some excellent fight scenes. Worth seeing, but if you're a big Ali fan you may be a bit disappointed.

Excellent Adaptation of Ali's fights

[imp_tp · 10/10 · 26 December 2001]

The fights are not rocky-type or "entertaining" but REAL. Inside the boxing ring, things are different. I was glad to see close to perfect adaptation of Ali's fights (I watched documentary on Ali's career). Michael Mann gets credit for painting all the different aspects of Ali's life superbly. Well, 'Ali' is based on a real legend and not a super-hero and so it is hell of a job to portray such a personality on big screen and make it so entertaining to watch.

The only downside of the movie was to focus a little longer on effect of Africa on him. But the "Loud mouth" CHAMPs witty and "punchy" remarks in his real life along, with his big blows inside the ring, will keep you glued for more.

Overall, Will Smith's hard-work, Mann's adaptation and Mohammad Ali's legendary life makes 'Ali' a must watch for movie goers.

"Ali" misses essence of Ali

[zwrite2 · 6/10 · 14 March 2008]

It's difficult to comprehend how "Ali" can be too long and incomplete, can feature an excellent portrayal of the world's most charismatic person and be boring, and have many riveting scenes, but fail as a drama.

Yet, "Ali" is incomplete, boring, and a failed movie. The reason is that the movie misses a large part of the essence of Muhammad Ali.

"Ali is often unfocused and unclear, bouncing from topic to topic and spending too much time on things like Ali's womanizing and an incredible 46 minutes in Zaire while ignoring large parts of his boxing career and inaccurately portraying some of his and The Nation of Islam's history.

The movie should have focused on four areas where Ali was distinctive – his fight against the U.S. military, his religion, his personality, and his boxing ability. The movie includes a lot of material on all four of these subjects, but has a severe point-of-view problem.

You can't understand the essence and impact of Ali without scenes which show how America viewed him. He was arguably the most HATED person in the USA for a few years in the 1960s and, perhaps, beyond and is now one of the most admired and popular people in the world. The transition was a result of Ali being extremely courageous, brash and charismatic.

Yet, you'd never know from watching this movie that Ali was hated by the general public. Here is how I would have presented Ali and his distinctiveness:

HIS FIGHT AGAINST THE MILITARY: I would have started the movie with Ali standing up to the U.S. government in 1966 when it drafted him into the Army and ended it with a scene showing how popular he became, perhaps the 1996 torch lighting ceremony at the Atlanta Olympics.

Thus, I'd emphasize the powerful evading-the-draft scenes in "Ali," add scenes that showed how Americans viewed him during the Vietnam War, and include flashbacks with Ali winning the Olympics and world title, experiencing the evils of segregation, and gravitating toward Islam.

Returning to live action, I'd show how Ali sacrificed the three-plus best years of his boxing career because of his strong principles. Interspersing Ali's legal battles with evidence that Americans avidly supported the Vietnam War in 1966, but opposed it by 1971, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Ali, could convey how perceptions of "The Greatest" changed.

HIS RELIGION: I'd be more explicit and accurate about how Ali joining The Nation of Islam contributed to Americans' hatred of him.

The movie needed to explain the religion and Ali's theology more clearly (Ali saying "I'll be who I want to be, not what you want me to be" doesn't cut it) and show how Americans regarded Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad, and the religion itself as racist and dangerous. I'd also cut out the government spook nonsense and accurately explain the Malcolm-Elijah tiff (Malcolm was expelled for condoning JFK's assassination) or drop the subject.

HIS PERSONALITY: The movie did a good job of showing Ali's personality, but not how it offended millions of people. I'm too young to recall the war debate, but I remember how my father despised Ali in the 1970s because he regularly bragged about himself and denigrated others.

Americans despise the selfish, arrogant athletes of 2008, but Ali's personality was far more selfish and arrogant than Barry Bonds' and others. "Ali" should have illustrated how Americans were turned off by Ali's personality by emphasizing his conflict with Joe Frazier. Millions sided with the hard-working, soft-spoken Christian. He still hates Ali, who called him a gorilla.

HIS BOXING ABILITY: Ali was unique. He transformed the image of a profession dominated by inarticulate brutes who attacked and attacked because he had incredible defensive abilities, evasiveness, footwork, dancing, and athleticism as well as very fast hands.

The movie shows little of his dancing – and certainly gives no evidence that this was distinctive. "Ali" needed to include perspectives of boxing analysts who could explain to viewers how truly great he was. It also should have had a five- to 10-minute "Raging Bull"-style summary of his dozens of victories that weren't even mentioned.

Interestingly, the boxing scenes were absolutely fabulous although they didn't convey the essence of Ali. They were extremely realistic unlike the rock 'em/sock 'em robot scenes of "Rocky" and other movies which show Boxer A smashing Boxer B 20 times in a row before somehow Boxer B comes back as if he hadn't been hit at all. I was so impressed by the "Ali" boxing scenes that I was tempted to go back to my review of "Rocky" and deduct a point.

Where to cut? Well, Ali's womanizing was NOT distinctive. A huge percentage of famous people womanize. Ali was too interesting to dredge up his relationships, and they detract from the more interesting elements of his life. Yes, he said he was religious. Grow up America. Religious people cheat too – and always have.

As for the 46 minutes on Zaire, if the Ali-Foreman battle was that interesting, it should be a separate movie. Wait a second. It was – "When We Were Kings." Forty-six minutes here is pointless repetition. Also: I don't care about Bundini Brown's personal problems. He should have been used to illustrate how he helped Ali become a quasi-poet.

As I said in my first graph, the movie has many positive elements. Will Smith, for example, has Ali's cadences and attitude down pat and deserved an Oscar nomination. He doesn't quite convey his charisma, but no one can.

I give "Ali" a 6.

ZWrite

Solid performances, but there was definitely missed potential here

[jimbo-53-186511 · 5/10 · 18 January 2015]

The first thing that I am prepared to acknowledge is Will Smith's performance in this film; he was impressive and seemed to really get into the character of Ali. Although his acting was excellent in this film, I don't believe that he should have been Oscar nominated. Likewise, Foxx and several of the supporting characters were also excellent. The film was also well-shot and generally well-made and from a technical aspect it was a fairly polished product. Unfortunately, that's where the praise for this film ends....

For me there was far too much time spent on dull aspects of Ali's life such as Ali's various relationships - this aspect of his life got way too much focus and it did, at times, make the film feel like an over-long combination of melodrama and soap opera. At the same time, other potentially more interesting or important areas seemed to either have been ignored or glossed over - there's very little focus on Ali's training, no real mention of his family. Considering the film is over 2 and a half hours long I expected there to be a reasonable amount of boxing and/or training, but we're probably treated to about 30 minutes of boxing (if that) and then 2 hours of melodrama and soap opera. I'm sure a lot of what I describe as 'melodrama' and 'soap opera' type events did occur in Ali's life, but these elements don't make for an entertaining film and should have been kept to a minimum.

All of the above isn't helped by the fact that the screenplay felt like it was put together in a haphazard way - the writers would shift from one aspect of Ali's life to another in quick succession barely giving you chance to digest what you've just seen.

Although from a technical perspective this film was generally well put together and polished I did feel that the camera work during the boxing matches was pretty poor and as a result I didn't feel quite as involved in the action as I did when I've watched other boxing films. This came as a really big disappointment when you consider how poor many other elements of the film were.

Aside from the great performances, there really isn't much else going for this film. My feeling are that it was an over-long soap opera with a bit of boxing thrown in here and there. If you want to see a good boxing biopic then I would recommend Cinderella Man. Muhammad Ali may be the Greatest, but this film certainly isn't.

Good title, but the movie lacked the punch

[msoriano67 · 18 December 2001]

"Ali", a movie about Muhammed Ali, regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time had all the potential for being a great movie. Ali has always been bigger than life...loved by the people...loved by the media for his blatant arrogance...loved by many women...his life alone would have supplied any movie with enough material to make it a 'good' movie at the very least. The problem with "Ali" is that the story jumped from one portion of his life to another, the transition wasn't smooth...it was more erratic than anything else. Will Smith's portrayal of the "living legend" was good, but definitely not "Oscar" material, like some critics would suggest. There were a few times where he seemed uneasy, almost nervous, and there were scenes where the other "supporting" characters would take over the scene (Don King for example). Jon Voight's portrayal of the venerable Howard Cossell was surprisingly good and right on the money. Other cast members like Jamie Foxx who played Drew 'Brundini' Brown (one of Ali's trainers) was equally impressive, he surely made the most of his supporting role and displayed his versatility since he's always been cast in a comedy. The movie overall lacked cohesiveness, I did like Michael Mann's camera work...the constant movement of the camera in most scenes depicted the turmoil, confusion..and it mirrored the political upheaval of the 60's. It would have been nice if the movie started with his gold medal win in the 1960 Olympic games...which would have set the tone for the whole movie. And for all the 'Rocky' fans out there, the boxing scenes were a little played out...it almost looked boring....since most of us are used to the 'Rocky' style of movie boxing. Overall, Smith played Ali well...but his lack of versatility and the erratic transition of the story was the movie's downfall.

50-50

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 6/10 · 31 May 2013]

To me, there are two separate things to review here: the film-story and the acting.

In terms of the film-story, I really disliked it. You might ask how can that be since it's a bio-pic, and a fairly accurate one, at that. The problem for me was the way the film was fashioned, rather than a cohesive story line, it seemed more like a series of vignettes loosely tied together, with the viewer left to draw some conclusions. I really disliked it, and if it were not for the strength of the performances, I would have turned the over-long movie off rather quickly.

But, the performance are terrific. The strongest, in my view, is actually that of Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X; perhaps the best performance of his career, though it ends (with Malcolm X's death) fairly early in the movie. But there is no denying that Will Smith's portrayal of Mohammad Ali is stunning; perhaps the best of his career. The look is "okay", but the voice mannerisms are startlingly accurate.

There are issues with Jon Voight as Howard Cosell. I think his performance is quite good, but the makeup is almost laughable.

The other supporting actors do their jobs well, though none stand out. I include in that comment Jamie Foxx...nothing notable there; his best role as Ray Charles a while off.

Of course, a legitimate question is whether this is simply a movie that glorifies Ali. I don't think so. It portrays him as an interesting mix of a man who is, perhaps, a bit intellectual, but not well-educated. Who had less than a healthy respect for women (particularly his wives). But, ironically, also a man who understands dignity.

The film ends with the win over George Foreman, so it's an incomplete biography.

Not something I'd want to watch a third time.

A narrative failure, and of the saddening kind...

[ElMaruecan82 · 6/10 · 5 June 2017]

It doesn't take a fan to know that the aura of Muhammad Ali transcended the limits of the ring, the limits of his country… the limits of his era.

Ali wasn't just a boxer, he was an entertainer, a poet, a man who literally contextualized his time with actions such as joining the Nation of Islam, befriending Malcolm X, refusing to fight in Vietnam because no Vietcong ever threw a N-word at him, he traded his glory for courage, earning even more glory over the long haul. The historical magnitude of a legend like Ali is so powerful that a biopic was indeed overdue, and in 2001, when it was announced that the story of Ali was to be released, that the greatest boxer of all-time would be played by Will Smith, the most flamboyant and charismatic of the then-young actors, and directed by Michael Mann, known for his complex, methodic but ultimately rewarding directing, "Ali" was expected to be a knockout. Alas, it wasn't.

The film disappointed the fans who expected new insights about their hero and the non-fans who thought they would learn one thing or two about the legend: how and why did he convert to Islam? Was his 'arrogance' genuine or was it just an act? How much hardship and humiliations did he undergo as a kid to be so proud and eloquent about his achieved greatness? How did Ali deal with the loss of the title and the years of ban on a personal level? Or simply, how about his private life, what kind of a husband or a father he was? The film provides shades of answers but Ali is still a mystery at the end. We don't know more about him and we might even question the things we took for granted. And the weaknesses aren't just on the content but the form, too. How can a film that deals with a larger-than-life and enthusiastic personality, played by a magnetic actor, and directed by a competent director be so frustratingly flat... and even, dull.

I read that it was the Academy Award nomination for "The Insider" that earned Michael Mann the project. Comparing the editing of "The Insider" and "Ali", I still scratch my head, Mann had a simpler story to tell in the sense that the focus was one man, but as if he's used to deal with multi-character driven stories, "Heat" being another remarkable example, Mann seems only able to indulge to many long silent scenes punctuated by elements of context, generally music, as if he was sure that the audience will always be receptive to the shots of Ali running with a puzzled expression, Ali looking sad and thoughtful. These fillers are so numerous that even the joyful moments, supposed to be the high points of his life, don't elicit the enthusiastic responses they aim for. When Ali defeats Sonny Liston and shouts that he "shook out the world", I didn't feel the goose bumps from the original footage, I was just glad that needlessly detailed game ended.

This feeling is even more frustrating because Will Smith gave the performance of a lifetime, you can tell he pulled a 'Raging Bull' in his characterization and at the end, you could almost feel you had the young Ali on screen, the other actors did good, Jon Voight, unrecognizable behind his Howard Cosell mask would earn an Oscar-nomination along with Smith and Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X Jamie Foxx as Bundini Brown did justice to the story. But Foxx would later pair up with Mann for the most superior and better-prepared "Collateral", "Ali" seemed to have been made in a rush, with a lack of preparation that is baffling from Mann. I liked Ebert's comment that the film features many scenes that looks like ready to get a few cuts in an editing room. I don't know how long did the running across Zaire took place, but did they really expect us to be enjoying it, it was so long that even when the Fight of the Century started, I was exhausted already.

Will Smith immersed himself into his character; he gained weight, trained, and was ready to take real hits. I don't think Mann put himself in the same mindset, he should have seen "Raging Bull" to check how you can make a terrific and exciting boxing game that lasts less than five minutes, he should have watched (or watched again) the remarkable documentaries about Ali, including "When We Were Kings" to try to extract from them the substantial elements about African-American conscience. He should have watched "Malcolm X" to see what a good biopic is, that you can make a long film that doesn't feel long, or to realize that the 'Malcolm X' part didn't need to drag on because it would never equal Spike Lee's. The film focuses on 1964-1974, the most defining chapters of Ali's life, but we could have earlier glimpses of his past to understand him instead of a second retread of Malcolm X' final years.

Again, Mann is a terrific director but for some reason, he wasn't ready for "Ali", and my guess is that Spike Lee would have been a more interesting choice, he would probably have focused on the aura and persona of Ali in a more exciting and engaging way. That's what the fans expected, an intimate view on the champ, and this is why the film flopped, I could see the crowds in the theaters when the film was released but it didn't last, bad word of mouth, as simple as that. Foxx would later play in Ray Charles' biopic and if "Ali" was half the film "Ray" or "Malcolm X" or half any other Mann's film, it could have been something. A flop, that's what it is, and of the puzzling kind, at that.

A complete miss

[MyDarkStar · 7/10 · 17 November 2002]

This film just has so many things wrong with it starting from the very opening sequence. In that sequence we see Cassius Clay preparing for his upcoming title fight with Sonny Liston in Miami. While seeing him prepare, we see Liston destroying an opponent in the ring. We also see the hints of racial tension going on in southern USA, 1964. The entire sequence lasts approximately 8-10 minutes. It is long, drawn-out, and boring. It's the perfect opening sequence for this film.

That's because that's exactly how this movie feels : long, drawn-out, and boring.

How could someone make a film about Muhammad Ali's life & manage to make the film boring ?!?!? Here's some ways : have long (and unnecessarily drawn-out) scenes (ie : the dance scene where he meets his first wife), or simply have recreations of now-famous media scenes (the Cosell scenes ; the pre-fight scenes). I understand the need for these scenes, but I would rather watch the actual scenes than a recreations of them.

By concentrating on such aspects of Ali's life, Michael Mann totally bypasses what I feel could have been more interesting aspects of Ali's life. For instance, I would have liked to see more of the conversation between the newly-named Ali & his father, as they argue on the significance of the "Clay" name. That scene had the potential to be very revealing. I also would have liked to have seen more of Ali's first visit to Africa, when he went on his Muslim pilgrimage. Instead, the whole event is used as a way to say goodbye to Malcolm X in the film. To me, that whole part of the film could have been very significant. What did Ali see when he went on the pilgrimage ? How did it affect his life ? Did he recall any of Africa when he went back there to fight Foreman ? We'll never know from this film.

I would like to have seen more scenes such as him and Joe Frazier in the car together. That was one of my favorite scenes in the movie. It gave me a chance to see more of something that is impossible for me to ever see : an actual private conversation between Ali & Frazier.

But there are tons of other things that are left out of the film as well. For instance, after Ali loses to Frazier in the first fight, we don't really even get a chance to see how his first loss as a professional affects his life. This is Muhammad Ali ! How did it feel to him to lose for the first time in his life ? Eventhough Ali played it off in the media as if it didn't affect him, did it in reality ? We'll never know from this film.

The pacing of the film was just terrible. As I said, the opening sequence was long, drawn-out, and boring - and was the perfect opening sequence for this film. That's because it is a microcosm of the entire film.

You want bad pacing ? Try this : It actually took the entire first 55 minutes of this film for Cassius Clay to actually defeat Sonny Liston ! The opening sequence was all about him prepping for the fight, and it continued on to the weigh in of the fight, and the prefight comments etc. Then the fight itself was actually quite boring.

More bad pacing : The film goes into the mid-sixties in a daze. It doesn't really start to show anything until finally Ali has his now-famous interview with Cosell. In this scene Cosell tells him behind the scene how the government is worried of black militant groups. That is when I felt the film MIGHT start to become more interesting. I looked at my watch to see that nearly 2 HOURS had passed in the film !

Even MORE bad pacing : Ali gets his fight with Frazier. Ali loses the fight. But we as the audience never really get to see the true level of brutality of that fight. Between that and the "Thrilla In Manila" (which was completely dropped from the film) we never really get a chance to see the true damage that those two fighters endured and delivered in their fights against one another. Instead, we see glimpses of the fight, Ali's knockdown, and a few other aspects. But really it just goes straight to the next scene after that, which has Ali & his crew watching Foreman defeat Frazier. (Like I said, no concern is given on how Ali's first loss affected his psyche). After that, it is straight to Ali-Foreman. Full "Rumble In The Jungle" : Don King, Africa, Zaire etc etc.

This was actually probably the best part of the film. The film takes on a more "personal" look at Ali when he is prepping for the fight in Zaire. We get to see him connecting with the people. Again, I would have liked to see if he recalled anything from his previous visit to Africa - but that was not to be.

Even worst, the Foreman fight managed to look boring ! Still, while the fight itself looked boring, I will admit that Michael Mann did a brilliant job with showing the now-famous Foreman knockout punches by Ali. The angles he uses are different with each punch, and it is a very good perspective.

Other aspects of this film bothered me. For instance, was Ali REALLY on the phone with someone who was with MLK a second before he was assassinated ? That seems far-fetched to me.

The only thing keeping this film from being a complete waste of film is Will Smith's performance here. Smith does indeed do everything that one can hope from someone who is portraying Ali. However, when you get right down to it, I think there are simply some people who it is more exciting to watch in a documentary or biography, rather than a Hollywood film production.

So with that in mind, watch "When We Were Kings" for anything you would want to know about "The Rumble in the Jungle" or HBO's documentary on Ali-Frazier I. If you want a more interesting perspective on Ali's life in general, then watch ESPN's documentary on him - they didn't name him the Athlete of the Century for nothing.

Stings like a Bee.

[aciessi · 7/10 · 7 August 2020]

Muhammed Ali's life is big enough for six movies, let alone one. A giant life, that thankfully was brought alive again by Will Smith. He's just perfect here. Everything from the cadence of his voice to his glide across the ring. He was born to play him. Arguably, this is the performance of his career. Throughout, this is a thrill ride. Michael Mann does as good of a job as he was expected to do. The only qualm I have is how reliant his direction is on other existing sources. His interpretation of Ali's relationship with Malcom X leaves a lot to be desired. It copies Spike Lee's Malcom X, right down to the moment of his assassination, and the usage of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Going to Come". Mann also has a bit of trouble balancing Ali the activist with Ali the fighter within the narrative. It's not an easy feat, but Mann isn't exactly a novice director either.

Michael Mann captures an American sporting legend

[kary_david · 7/10 · 15 March 2002]

Michael Mann's 'Ali' hasn't won many plaudits however I thought it had plenty to offer. I found many strands and elements to the portrait, that was effectively brought out in the fine acting performance by Will Smith. What stood out above all was the absolute pride and brashness of Ali. Here was a man always on fire, brimming with confidence. Some of his opponents set themselves up for defeat when they baited him, calling him Cassius Clay, his ancestors' slave name, rather than his Islam ordained name, Muhammed Ali. Ali was never going to cop anyone being condescending to him. Ali was super slick on his feet and even more slick with his brain. He was lethal at press conferences, showing as little mercy in them as he did in the ring. Ali and famous sporting broadcaster Howard Cossell developed a friendship however Ali was unrelenting in the barbed invective he threw at him. Ali, certainly stung like a bee sometimes! I found it interesting the way Ali's relationship with women was portrayed. His hotheadedness and charisma meant that he never had any problem making relationships with women. Keeping relationships was something altogether different. His arrogance and innate conservatism, fuelled by his religious faith, destroyed many relationships. Other themes that came across was Ali's strong, religious stance, converting from the Christianity he was brought up in, to change to Islam, and his strong sense of racial pride, captured best in the Zaire scenes. By no means a perfect film but one worth seeing and it gives one a little more of an insight into a unique, brilliant character.

Meet the man behind the gloves and the poetry

[mstomaso · 9/10 · 18 July 2005]

Muhammad Ali is a heroic character with legendary wit, humanity, and boxing skill. Always a fighter and always a lover, Ali's life is a subtle and clever story of dignity, strength, and compassion. And Ali himself wrote that story. This film profoundly reminds me of an autobiography Ali wrote several years ago with the help of a friend. Never afraid to do what needed to be done to get where he wanted to go, Ali was never a stranger to controversy, flambuoyance, acid wit, and an outspoken promotion of truth - even when most of his own fans couldn't see it. This film captures the champ's many battles, not the least of which are the internal battles he wages with himself over politics, his ego, money and his own destructive patterns in relationships with women. But thankfully, it does so in a respectful way which does not compromise the man's heroism, nor does it spare the audience of the laughter, mischief and joy Ali became so well known for.

Michael Mann's film has relatively little boxing in it, and is in no way a chronicle of Ali's career. A better choice for that subject is "The Greatest" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076111/combined starring Ali himself, or one of the many documentaries on Ali. This film is about how and why Ali is who he is, and how he drove himself and everybody around him to reach phenomenal heights. It features the beginnings of Ali's career and follows him through the most difficult part of his career, when he fought the US government over the Viet Nam war, fought his own religious establishment over his outspokenness, and even fought against hypocritical promoters he relied on who were bent on exploiting the third world. Too intelligent to just be a prize fighter, too passionate to just shut up, and too faithful to give up his religion when it gave up on him, Ali just kept on driving. The film ends after Ali's fight against George Foreman in 1977, so it does not cover his entire career, and does not discuss his more recent activities. His life since retiring from boxing is equally interesting, in my opinion, but since Mann wanted to depict the most dramatic and challenging aspects of the Ali legend, I can't blame him for his choice of time frame.

The cast is very strong. Will Smith gives a fine performance wonderfully recasting Ali's wonderful facial expressions, gestures, physical style and speech pattern, Jamie Foxx, Ron Silver and Mario Van Peebles are all excellent in their supporting roles. And the boxers are all very believable. They even look like the people they play. Smith doesn't really look anything like Ali, and you are occasionally aware (mainly through Smith's imitation of the greatest's very unique speech) that you are watching an imitation, but this does not in any way detract from the film.

Highly recommended for those interested in real-life drama and heroism, the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s, and the intelligent and political side of American sports. NOT recommended for fans of boxing movies and action films. This is a slow moving, intense drama and neither a feel-good film nor a slug-fest.

The controversial Muhammad Ali, the people's champion! : )

[si4abetterworld · 7/10 · 6 February 2010]

A great biopic starring Will Smith, as the controversial Muhammad Ali, greatest boxer who ever lived - the "people's champion", heavy weight boxing champion of the world.

In his peak years, he risked his freedom and his career by refusing to heed the call up to be part of the U.S. Vietnam War effort (to be an army demonstration boxer), back in the early days of the Vietnam War, when the peace movement was very small and peace was not a popular cause: 'I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong - no Viet Cong ever called me "nigger"'.

In response, the U.S.-controlled international boxing organizations took away his belt and the top fighters refused to fight him: 'They couldn't take away my heavyweight title in the ring - this is the only way they could do it'.

And when, after 3 years of financial hardship, 3 of his prime boxing years, Ali was allowed by those boxing organizations to return to the professional boxing that they controlled, once again he shot straight to the top. What a legend!

Not a boxing movie, a landmark film

[kyle_793 · 9/10 · 3 January 2002]

Well, if you went to Ali to see an boxing movie you might have been disappointed, but if you went to see a great film you hit the mark. The hype was due. A conglomerate of great acting, great direction, and a great story has made Ali a landmark film. This film is socially important because it raises up one of the most notable and underappreciated figures of the twentieth century, Ali. Many considered Ali just a boxer with a big mouth, but this film finally exposes him for what he truly was, one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our time. The film makes subtle but amazingly-done comparisons between Ali and other civil rights leaders, notably Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and highlites Ali's influence with theirs. This theme is climaxed in the beautiful scene of Ali (Will Smith) running down streets in Africa with local chidren chanting his name. At this moment in the film, we understand as viewers that Ali did not fight for fame or fortune, but he fought for his rights and the rights of all black people in the United States and the world. No other film has exhalted Ali's influence in such a way. It was beautifully done. Ali will become one of my favorite films of all time, and I believe will be remembered years from now as the crowning achievement of both the main actor and the director. I applaud their efforts

What went wrong??

[ctroed · 7/10 · 22 February 2002]

This movie was a massive failure. When I go to a movie about somebody I know almost nothing about, I expect to know a fair bit about that person after the movie is over. Well I still know very little about Ali. At the end of most scenes, I asked myself "what just happened?" or "what did he/she say?". This is not a good sign. In interviews, Will Smith said he had to learn all about being muslim....why??? I learnt absolutely nothing about it from this movie, just that apparently the leaders of the faith wanted Ali's money. Michael Mann's "The Insider" was a terrific movie that gave me tremendous insight into that situation. So why has he failed this time?

Missed Opportunity

[DraxAnivar · 5/10 · 20 June 2016]

All the incredible acting was undone by sloppy-to-non-existent editing. I had to open the Wikipedia entry on Muhammad Ali to figure out who was who, where they were, and why people were saying what they were saying.

Will Smith's and John Voight's excellent performances were wasted. The movie would have been greatly aided by displaying the names of towns and characters. It seemed like every time a new character was shown on screen, they were never introduced by exposition.

The movie jumped around locations a lot, and the dialogue was confusing at times, unless you already knew the life story of Ali.

Michael Mann can do better, but he seemed more interested in crafting the individual scenes instead of focusing on a coherent narrative. Thus, the movie was long, boring, and confusing.

It was heartbreaking, I wanted to like this movie, but the editing ruined it.