Ali (film)
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| Director(s) | Michael Mann |
|---|---|
| Distributor | Sony Pictures |
| Ali is a rush of charm, violence, and well-crafted mythmaking sure to enthrall. From the unforgettable surge of the opening—a 10-minute montage of sheer brilliance where formative scenes from the early life of Cassius Clay float along on the rapture of a live performance by Sam Cooke in a Harlem nightclub—through to Muhammad Ali’s departure for Zaire to fight George Foreman, Michael Mann’s homage is mostly crisp and fleet-footed. As Clay/Ali, Will Smith acquits himself marvelously due in large part to his uncanny re-creation of Ali’s most famous weapon,… | |
Reviews
Amazon.com
Ali is a rush of charm, violence, and well-crafted mythmaking sure to enthrall. From the unforgettable surge of the opening—a 10-minute montage of sheer brilliance where formative scenes from the early life of Cassius Clay float along on the rapture of a live performance by Sam Cooke in a Harlem nightclub—through to Muhammad Ali’s departure for Zaire to fight George Foreman, Michael Mann’s homage is mostly crisp and fleet-footed. As Clay/Ali, Will Smith acquits himself marvelously due in large part to his uncanny re-creation of Ali’s most famous weapon, his mesmerizing voice. Indeed, the best scenes throughout showcase Ali’s verbal rather than pugilistic sparring; whether with his entourage (notably Jamie Foxx), Howard Cosell (Jon Voight), or Don King (Mykelti Williamson), Michael Mann’s Ali has the same authoritative wit and ability to surprise that so disarmed the public. The news conferences and behind-the-scenes banter are exquisitely re-created; not so Ali’s flaws. Mann’s attempt to depict Ali’s womanizing, his dubious affiliation with the Nation of Islam, and his insatiable need for the spotlight seems halfhearted and laborious in comparison to the film’s enlivened adoration of its subject. As the sluggish second half of the film betrays, Ali is at its impressionistic best when it’s in awe rather than when it explains. —Fionn Meade
Barnes and Noble
Not quite as flamboyant as its subject, this engrossing biographical film offers a serious, thoughtful look at legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, whose appearance and mannerisms are replicated to an uncanny degree by 2002 Academy Award nominee Will Smith. Ali doesn’t attempt to chronicle the champ’s entire life; it focuses on a ten-year period, beginning in 1964, when Ali (still known as Cassius Clay) wins the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston, and ending after the famous 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” with George Foreman. Ali’s relationships with confidant Drew “Bundini” Brown (played by Jamie Foxx), sportscaster Howard Cosell (Jon Voight), activist Malcolm X (Mario Van Peebles), and trainer Angelo Dundee (Ron Silver) are never completely spelled out, and the primary women in his life during that period—played by Jada Pinkett Smith and Nona Gaye—also get short shrift from the screenwriters. This elliptical approach might have stymied a lesser director, but Michael Mann (The Insider) manages to capture Ali’s essence even as he skips over interesting facets of the champ’s career. Mann’s Ali is not merely the spontaneous jokester or the comically arrogant self-promoter many people remember: He’s also seen as subdued and meditative, and deeply committed to his religious beliefs even after his Nation of Islam allies turn against him. Smith, who bulked up considerably for the role, is quite convincing in the scenes re-creating Ali’s famous title bouts, but Ali isn’t a boxing movie. It’s the fascinating story of a man who both changed his times and was changed by them. Ed Hulse
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