Purely Joyful Movie!

Brilliant and touching

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

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.

The life of Muhammad Ali (both inside and outside the ring) is one of the most fascinating in all of sports or US history. At times, this movie captures those moments. Sadly, it doesn't catch nearly enough of them, focuses on the wrong things, and ends up a bloated, ponderous exercise in preachy film-making.For a basic plot summary, "Ali" opens with Cassius Clay (Will Smith) defeating Sonny Liston (Michael Bentt) to become the boxing heavyweight champion of the world. Shortly after this event, Clay falls in the Muslim Brotherhood, befriending such figures as Malcolm X (Mario Van Peebles) & Herbert Muhammad (Barry Shabaka Henley). He also begins a romantic relationship with Sonji Roi (Jada Pinkett Smith) that is often tumultuous due to Ali's interpretations of the Muslim faith. Entering the prime of his fighting career, Ali is then drafted into the Vietnam War, which he refuses to participate in. As a result, he is stripped of his boxing license and not even able to leave the country. After years of fighting the U.S. government, Ali is finally able to be reinstated, where he gets the "Fight of the Century" with Joe Frazier (James Toney) and then the "Rumble In The Jungle" against George Foreman (Charles Shufford).Judged purely on film-making and directing, "Ali" isn't even a three-star effort. It is overly preachy when it comes to the "political stuff", and director Michael Mann uses such a weird style. About every 20 minutes or so, there is an extended musical sequence, all of which (besides maybe the opening one) only serve to grind the intensity of the film to a complete halt. Every time the action starts to progress again...it's back to another strange interlude.There are two other problems with the film that are quite glaring:1. There is nothing (at least in terms of style) that director Mann really gets right during the film. The political side of things is definitely important to the Ali story, but in this case it is preachy and over-the-top. Then, when it comes to the boxing fare, there are too many historical inaccuracies to consider even those scenes a true success. Maybe those who know nothing about Ali won't care, but those who have a little background will be appalled to hearing Ali's famous poem used before the Frazier fight instead of Liston, or seeing Ali & Frazier getting buddy-buddy with each other before their fight (in reality, Frazier couldn't stand Ali until very late in his life when some amends were made).2. For a movie titled "Ali", this should have focused on the entirety of Ali's life. That would have made for a much better story. Ali had a very interesting childhood, and also had some genre- defining moments late in his life as well. Those areas weren't even sniffed in this adaptation, which is a shame, as the film instead to give so much valuable time to the political/religious side of things.I'm sure by now you are probably wondering why I can even give this film three stars. Well, the main reason is because Will Smith turns in perhaps the greatest acting performance I have ever seen...bar none. He IS Ali in this picture, plain and simple. The times (sadly rare as they are) where Smith is given the chance to rant and rave like Ali once did are easily the best parts of the film. His interactions with Howard Cosell (played by Jon Voight) are also special.Also, the fight scenes are probably the most well-done boxing action I've even seen in a film. The fights manage to be both dramatic and realistic at the same time, which is no easy task in such a violent (yet also very tactical) sport.Overall, though, "Ali" is first and foremost a disappointment. Even a three-star rating probably holds some personal bias of how much I simply WANT the film to be better than it is. While Smith's iconic Ali performance will certainly stand for ages, it's sad that it has to be surrounded by such sloppy film-making. I would suggest "When We Were Kings" or "Facing Ali" for a much better nod to Ali's unique career and culture-defining role in American society.

As we celebrate one of the finest sportsmen in history who died two days ago at age 74, I decided to see this movie dedicated to him, Cassius Clay famously known as Muhammad Ali starring Will Smith as the main role.I never watched one of his fights as his career was over even before I was born. I'm not a real fan of boxing either which I find violent and ruthless. But I still know about Muhammad Ali and his legendary stance, his endless will to fight both on the ring and outside. A man who stood for his beliefs and opinions, never flinching once.My very big, personal memory of him was when I watched him in Atlanta, brandishing the Olympic Torch to light the Cauldron. Despite shaking from all his body, he was standing there with so much pride. I was amazed and truly impressed, almost having a tear and getting chills. That was Muhammad Ali, a man of valor, honor and pride.Another proof of his character was when he refused to be drafted for the Vietnam War because he thought this war wasn't right and the complete opposite to his religious beliefs. Despite he knew what he was about to face, he never flinched and assumed his decision until he was finally cleared.Now that I saw that movie, I think it's making a nice tribute to Mr Ali even if I wished that it wouldn't stop at the Rumble in the Jungle, the historic bout between Ali and George Foreman. I would have wished to see him fighting his illness as he was as brave against it and it had a deep impact in his life until his death. Maybe they should have made it in two parts as there is so much to tell about the man.Anyway, I applaud Will Smith performance in this movie. It's one of his finest. He has the same cheekiness, the same way of saying the things straight in an humorous manner. Will was the perfect choice for the role. I also appreciated Jamie Foxx performance as his mentor. Most of the note I give is because of those two.

Ali (2001): Dir: Michael Mann / Cast: Will Smith, Jon Voight, Jamie Foxx, Mykelti Williamson, Mario Van Peeples: Boxing film is poorly edited, written and directed by Michael Mann who made the intriguing suspense drama The Insider. Cassius Clay became one of the biggest names in boxing history and certainly a celebrated champion. He switched from Christianity to Muslim resulting in a name change to Mahammad Ali. Highlights includes bouts with Sonny Lipton, Joe Fraser, and a bout in Africa against George Foreman. Unfocused with Ali being drafted and arrested for refusing induction; his brother shot; bad marriages. Many of the shots do not match. The nightclub singers footage is also unnecessary. Boxing footage is exhilarating with a fantastic performance by Will Smith as Ali. Smith holds strong and is the best aspect of the film but Ali deserves a tighter screenplay as oppose to the laziness scribbled down for the screenplay. Jon Voight plays a promoter in what is a fine effort but a one note role. Jamie Foxx seems out of place as Ali's brother, and the footage comes across as distracting. Cameo by Mykelti Williamson as fight promoter Don King but none of it is inspiring or worthy of our attention span. Mario Van Peeples also makes an appearance as the infamous Malcolm X, but again, more would be better. Fine attempt is down for the count. Score: 4 ½ / 10