:
Roy Anderson,
Roy T. Anderson,
Richard Lexsee,
more...
:
Michael Mann,
Michael Mann
see all cast/crew...
: 
: Columbia TriStar
: Drama, Sports Drama, Biopics, Sports, Sports Drama
: 157 min.
: English, French
: English, Spanish, French
see additional details...
|
|
Notoriously obsessive director Michael Mann and star Will Smith devoted nearly two years and over 100 million dollars from the coffers of Columbia Pictures and other financiers to creating this biography of boxing great Muhammad Ali, which focuses on the ten-year period of 1964-1974. In that time, the brash, motor-mouthed athlete quickly dominates his sport, meets and marries his first wife (Jada Pinkett-Smith), converts to Islam (changing his name from Cassius Clay), and defies the United States government by refusing to submit to military conscription for duty in Vietnam. His world heavyweight champion title thus stripped from him entirely for political reasons, the champ sets about to win back his crown, culminating in a legendary unification bout against George Foreman (Charles Shufford) in Zaire, dubbed the "Rumble in the Jungle." In his travels, Ali becomes a symbol of power to disenfranchised African-Americans everywhere and meets such luminaries as Malcolm X (Mario Van Peebles), Martin Luther King Jr. (LeVar Burton) and Maya Angelou (Martha Edgerton). Ali features an all-star supporting cast that includes Jon Voight, Giancarlo Esposito, Jamie Foxx, Nona Gaye, Michael Michele, Joe Morton, Paul Rodriguez, Ron Silver, Mykelti Williamson, and Jeffrey Wright. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
|
| Watch the documentaries instead
by rarcher
May 17, 2004 - 11:26 AM PDT
|
|
|
1 out of 2 members found this review helpful
|
I would give this film a higher rating except for 2 things:
1. The overbearing soundtrack real detracts. What is this? A music video or a movie?
2. You can get documentaries that show the REAL thing and are way more interesting and informative.
Will Smith does a pretty good job as Ali in this film. But they miss one thing. Watch the real Ali. He's always on the verge of cracking up when he rhymes and boasts and insults people. This Ali seemed way too serious and self absorbed. Maybe even lacking some of the real Ali's confidence.
And what's the point of a film about a guy that skips important things like why/how he got into boxing AND the last 7 years of his fighting career? |
|
|
GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 5.40)
48 Votes
add to list 
|
|
|
Your cart
SteelyCrain
© 2006 All Media Guide, LLC. Portions of content provided by All Movie Guide®,
a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.