Ali

Ali is certainly not the best boxing film ever made, but on the other hand, it is an interesting glimpse into the life of a boxer known to many as a legend, though not much is known about him. The first thing that struck me while watching the film is the fact that it could have been much more controversial. The life of Cassius Clay, also known as Cassius X or Muhammad Ali, was controversial; it was definitely interesting, and there was certainly more to be extracted from it. I don’t quite understand why the film avoided his illness, even though it’s true that it fully manifested later. But okay, the film dealt only with one part of his life, from his early steps in the ring to his first defeat against Joe Frazier and the subsequent fights that brought Ali back into the spotlight. People loved him, just as they hated him. It was impossible not to love him. His boxing style was incredible; I don’t think anyone in history has come after him who was as fast and achieved such success. He didn’t cover up; why would he, when he was so fast that he could simply dodge the punches? The strongest moments are those in the ring and those where the camera focuses on Ali himself, perfectly portrayed by Will Smith. Not only did he learn his style of speech, but he also mastered his boxing style. I consider this truly genius, and I can only agree that the beloved actor was nominated for an Oscar, even though he didn’t win. That year, his colleague Denzel Washington snatched the statue for Training Day, where he delivered the performance of his life. Jon Voight was also nominated for an Oscar but did not win either. I didn’t recognize him throughout the film, which is not so much due to him but mainly thanks to the makeup artists who transformed his face beyond recognition. I wasn’t as thrilled with the film as I would have liked; Warrior moved me much more, but I still think this is another example that boxing films are simply not bad. (03/01/2013)

Mann has bound himself in the shackles of a biopic, and yet all the while we are being winked at by a loutish fighter from the Italian quarter. Whilst Mann formally once again sympathetically does his own thing (the cinematography, the music), in the dialogue and pacing he lacks Scorsese’s explosiveness, and the period is also reflected quite dimly. Thematically, the film packs a lot in (personal testimony, sports drama, agitation for racial tolerance), only to end up resolving nothing even in a two-and-a-half-hour runtime. A cruelly missed opportunity. (02/29/2008)

Simply wonderful. A biographical drama as I like them best. No over the top going into unnecessary details, but the coherence of the central branch of the movie means watching Ali with bated breath. The moments in the ring are an unforgettable masterclass of cinema and the emotive moments are handled with similar bravado. Will Smith gives the performance of his lifetime and his depiction of Muhammad Ali is more than convincing - on occasions he simply IS Muhammad Ali. Michael Mann again filmed an excellent movie and this is his first movie using today much-discussed digital camera. But the important thing is what he does with that camera. And what he does is absolutely captivating. Here again we have that central thought that shows itself in each of Mann’s movies. This time it was the struggle of a man against the system. Muhammad Ali’s fight against everybody who didn’t understand one simple thing: That he was the best. (08/19/2006)

A biopic without adornment from a visual master. Just like with his film The Insider two years prior, Michael Mann tells the story of a remarkable person that not only addresses its subject matter but also various social issues and what it's like for people under strain. And just like with The Insider, the story is captivating, visually stunning, and interesting overall. However, it is also overly generous in length and uneven in pacing. Whenever the camera isn't focused on Ali, I don't have much to grasp onto, and the family problems become uninteresting filler. On the other hand, the moments when the main character encounters his femme fatales are among the strongest, because here Mann applies his natural sense for romance. His best ally in all of this, of course, is Will Smith, who has found his strongest tentpole role here, and I never stopped believing in this complicated character for a single second. (08/21/2007)

Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) was the 16th heavyweight boxing world champion, but by his time, the original idea was already there, as Jack Dempsey first fulfilled it. The story of this champion is full of activism, racism, and politics. In his career, not even the black bomber Joe Louis was important anymore, but rather the endless strife to regain the title. Will Smith surpassed himself here, but considering the complexity of the whole life story, I must conclude that the resulting film is only a superficial work. (06/17/2024)