Ali (2001)

Float like a butterfy, sting like a bee.

Ali DVD

Will Smith is eerily like Ali. It's like Cassiuss Clay is playing himself. I remember watching Clay fight in the Olympics and Smith has him down pat. I'd admired Ali for being willing to go to prison for his convictions instead of fleeing to Canada like all the other bed-wetting, Mommas boys who opposed the War in Viet Nam. Jon Voight is good as Howard Cosell, who was a nobody until he weaseled his way into Ali's life. I understand that Smith and Voight both received Academy Award nominations for their roles in this move. I wonder how Smith "bulked up" for this role.

Highly recommended for fans of Will Smith, Jon Voight, boxing the way it use to be, and Cassius Clay, aka Mohammed Ali.

Gunner April, 2008


April 3, 2008

Good film that could have been great

Ali is a good film that could have been great. Will Smith plays Ali with great passiond vigor. Micheal Mann direction and cinematography is some the best work he has ever done, but the film drags in its second half and ends on a dry note. I think the film should ahve covered Ali's whole life not just ten years that were covered in the film. Until The Purusit Of Happyness, this was Will Smith's best performance as he gives the auidence the charmisa and charm that he displayed in Six Degrees Of Seperation. Ali is by no mean's a GREAT film but it is a good one. March 25, 2008

Better than average Bio-pic

While it obviously could be referred to as a boxing picture, this nice Michael Mann biographical effort is more a character study of the one of the most charismatic figures ever to step into the squared circle. Mr. Mann shifts gears appropriately from his heavy action yarns (Thief, Last of the Mohicans, Heat) to provide an insightful look into the life of this legendary boxer as Will Smith pulls off the title role rather well yet regrettably holds back much of the wit, humor and unpredictable antics Ali was known for. As a result, viewer's eyes actually will be more fixated on the dynamite supporting cast including Ron Silver as Ali's longtime trainer Angelo Dundee and Mario Van Peebles playing a formidable Malcolm X. Both of these memorable characters are only to be outdone by an almost unrecognizable Jon Voight as he dons the patented yellow ABC sport jacket and gives an incredible, Oscar nominated performance as the exuberant and controversial Howard Cosell who always seemed to be where Ali roamed the globe. While the film does span 10 years of the famous boxer's life, the major disappointment of the film is the 157 minute which could have been shortened by needles/monotonous training footage sequences. December 9, 2007

Ali

Rather disappointing film about the life and times of the famous boxer. The name Cassius Clay (his real name) is never brought about. Also a downer was that it seemed to center more on Malcom X later in the movie than Clay himself. It was funny seeing a young Don King represented but instead of getting to know the man, the viewer is bandied about with constant themes of racism, the draft and other pieces of the 1960s. I know that is a part of his life but personally I really did not enjoy it, instead of feeling like I was viewing his life, I was viewing the life around him. Will Smith is cast as Ali but honestly, they portray the man as if he could only talk when ranting about how great he was with "float like a butterfly/sting like a bee" and "I am the greatest" being punched at me over and over again. I must say again, this film is more about the life and times that happened around Ali than about his personal life or boxing legacy. August 2, 2007

truth be told, i cant wait for "toothless: the leon spinks story"

a quarter century before, muhammad ali HIMSELF made a legendarily bad biopic of his life. he was better than will smith.
March 24, 2007

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