Rating: 
Summary: Inspirational!
Review: This film can be enjoyed even by those who do not particularly care for boxing itself. Ali's life was, by any measure, interesting. Through this work one gains insight into the social issues he dealt with, including racial issues. The commentary by Norman Mailer and others adds to the impact of the film and helps to set the actual fight footage into the larger context of Ali's life and times. The night before running my first marathon I cued this film to some of the fight footage. The morning of the race, before leaving my house, I watched several minutes of truly inspiring footage of Ali working his magic in the ring.
Rating:
Summary: Best Documentary and Deservedly So!
Review: "When We Were Kings" is a tremendous documentary of the Ali/Foreman "Rumble in the Jungle" which took place in Zaire, Africa in 1974. The fight carries the distinction of being one of the greatest heavyweight bouts of all time, which it is, but there's more to the story. People may have forgotten the circumstances of the fight. That the fight happened at all, much less in Africa, is a story in itself worthy of telling. This film tells it very well. How did the fight come to be in Africa? Was there any way that Ali could beat the younger, more powerful Foreman, who had pummeled his previous opponents? What was really going through Ali's mind before the fight? And who was this new guy Don King? Even though I knew the outcome of the fight, I was overwhelmed with excitement throughout the entire film. The fight and the events leading up to it were so incredible that similar conditions could never be repeated today. The entire entourage, including musical acts James Brown, B.B. King, and the Spinners make the fight an even bigger event. Attention is also given to the political situation in Zaire (dictator Mobutu supposedly detained 1,000 of the country's most wanted criminals in order to ensure a peaceful atmosphere for the world to see during the fight), Don King's motivation, and the incredible charisma of Ali. The film won the Oscar for Best Documentary and deservedly so. Director Gast has produced a film that stands as an important portrait of boxing, black culture, and the 70's as a decade.
Rating:
Summary: Great even if you don't like boxing
Review: This is a great movie to understand the affection thrown on Ali. I vaguely remember Ali from his televised fights when I was small and held some interest in the man as a result but purely because of his boxing capabilities. What I got from this film was a peek into his charisma, intelligence, and personal values. By focusing on the Rumble in the Jungle fight the director brings out these qualities. What I find equally interesting about this movie is what we learn about Foreman who, at the time, had none of the charisma and was not politically engaged in the issues Ali was. In many ways this fight shattered Foreman and it took many years before he overcame his bitterness. I think in many ways Foreman, due to his lack of charisma then, was misunderstood, and you see his frustration in the movie. This is really a movie about both men, both noble in their own way, and how they were changed by this fight and how they changed those around them.
Rating: 
Summary: Young Ali's brightest moment
Review: It's great to see young Ali. It's amazing how much he had going for him. He was really funny, intelligent, warm, principled, handsome, and an incredible fighter. You don't think of him as a tough guy, but he took tough guys apart. This movie focuses on the Ali-Foreman fight in Zaire, the one that catapulted Ali into the status of greatest boxer who ever lived. You see Foreman when he was sullen, young and slim. Ali makes fun of him as a clumsy Frankenstein. Norman Mailer and George Plimpton comment. Plimpton says that a succubus got to Foreman, and they show a pretty black girl performing a song by breathing in and out. Where that silly Englishman sees a succubus I see a pretty black girl, harmless and talented. Good movie.
Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: What I expected to get out of this movie: Ali, a great fight, trash talkin', maybe some historical perspective What I got out of this movie: Admiration for the pure genius of Ali (both as a fighter and a character), perspective of 1974 America and its struggle with racial issues and post-Vietnam, a sports time capsule back to a time when boxing was still "noble" Great film
Rating:
Summary: NOT "Three Kings"
Review: Does anyone know where I can see a clip of the award presentation for this! I wish they had included that video clip on the DVD - as extra footage. This movie really surprised me - I thought I rented the new George Clooney movie. Just kidding - it was truly inspirational being able to see that behind all the glitz and glamour - Ali was and is a real man who was afraid as can be. Not knowing the end result of the fight made it extra special and tense for me - heck, I got tense in Apollo 13 trying to figure out if "they'd get back ok!" :^) Short of it all - I highly recommend this movie - and the music is GREAT! I wish they put more comments on who the musicians were - I know it should be obvious - but it wasn't to me - BB King I got, but many others I missed - it was a different time...
Rating:
Summary: gripping breadth and depth
Review: Intellectually, psychologically, politically, morally, spiritually, Muhammad Ali was the most electrifying, compelling, principled athlete of our time, maybe of all time. Quick-thinking, a brilliant ring strategist, a charismatic man of peace and hope, Ali used his boxing success and his popularity to inspire people, bring political injustice to light, and, maybe above all, to entertain. This documentary brilliantly portrays the complexities of Ali as well as the complexities of the United States and of Zaire. Ali becomes an emblem for African heritage, resistance to the Viet Nam war, oppression in the USA, and the struggle of African-Americans to forge an authentic identity. Thus, the breadth and depth of this movie. The boxing match is the film's climax, but oddly, not its focus, exactly. The focus is much more on being African and African-American. Spike Lee weighs in. So does Don King. We hear stories of atrocities in Zaire. We hear James Brown, B. B. King, and also interiews with citizens of Zaire. In all of this brilliant coverage, I thought George Foreman was portrayed sympathetically. It would have ruined this movie had Foreman been its stooge. He wasn't. Powerful, reserved, confident, dignified, Foreman loses to Ali because Ali took a huge, unpredictable risk; I think it was a measured risk on Ali's part, but Ali banked on being able to withstand body punches long enough to tire out Foreman and the movie shows us how Ali began working on this strategy very early in his training. Other ring strategy is discussed. Norman Mailer and George Plimpton add insightful analysis, especially of Ali's artistry. I enjoyed every moment of this film: the music, boxing clips, interviews, historical background, political exploration, religious dimensions, everything.
Rating:
Summary: A Sure Knockout
Review: This is by far the best documentary I have ever seen. Ali is captured in his finest hour when he beats Foreman in the "Rumble in the Jungle". Ali is viewed in his early days when he beat Liston up to when he beat Foreman. I have never seen such an exciting documentary.
Rating:
Summary: An inspirational and motivating picture
Review: I can tell you straight out, I am not a fan of boxing. When I was given this DVD as a gift, I was very skeptical, thinking this would just be another dull documentary focusing on the 'Rumble in the Jungle'. I am very happy to say that I was proved wrong. This is more than a simple film about boxing, it deals with many issues, political and cultural. It is moving seeing Ali getting in touch with his African roots and seeing the effect of this great humanitarian on the citizens of Zaire. Norman Mailer and George Plimpton give us an indepth commentary of what it was like to know the man, and the static atmosphere in Kinsasha during the time of the training and the night of the fight. A well edited film coupled with music by BB King and James Brown among others has made this THE documentary of the decade, richly deserving the Oscar it received.
Rating:
Summary: Greatest Sports Film Ever Made
Review: What I really love about this movie is the way it revives the lost art of sports storytelling. Nowadays, major sports events are told in cold, statistical, terms. Sometimes they'll run biographies on players, telling how they grew up in a poor community in Georgia, but you never really get inside their head. And if there were ever an athelete whose head you eirther could or would want to get into, it's Muhammed Ali. As we go through the movie we begin to see through Ali's bluster and begin to realize that he's nervous. Norman Mailer points out how every day, Ali would have to go into the gym where Foreman had just been working out, and see the immense dent in Foreman's punching bag. Ali knows that he's reaching the age where boxing not just becomes more difficult, but extremely dangerous, especially when dealing with a juggernaut like Foreman. My favorite scene in the film occurs between the first and second rounds. Ali has been confusing Foreman with right-hand leads, but all they've accomplished is making Foreman furious. Ali now finds himself pitted against an opponent who is stronger than him, younger than him, and determined to knock him out, (to paraphrase Maiier's comments.) We see Ali, stunned by the first round of boxing, staring blankly at the canvas. Suddenly, we see his eyes and face focus, and he gives a little nod to himself. He cries to the crowd, "BOMA YE!" In the next five rounds he will use the rope-a-dope and finally emerge victorious. I can think of no greater scene in any movie.
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