Rating: 
Summary: The Ali I Remember
Review: I saw the movie because I love Muhammad Ali. I used to clip the articles about his fights out of the Washington Post when I was a little girl 9 and 10 years old. I even used to watch his cartoon show. So I'm not going to pretend to be Leonard Maltin and talk about film techniques and angles and crap like that which I don't care about anyway. I'm going to try to describe what I liked about it.To consider who would like this movie besides me, I would say that fans would have enjoyed seeing Muhammad Ali on the big screen. I, of course, remember him from the little screen, and if I had bought this VHS version instead of seeing it on the big screen, frankly I don't think I would have felt the power in all his punches like I did in the movie theatre. It was awesome, as I were the one being hit (not that I'd enjoy that)! Apartment dwellers like me who can't have high volume surround sound would truly miss out. I liked the story. I remember seeing the story of Emmitt Till in the Jet magazine, too, and how repulsed I was as a young child. I can understand the anger he must have felt. Then I wonder if white audiences will even get this movie. There's plenty that will be over their heads just from a cultural aspect. Are they going to understand why Ali was so moved to go to Africa, where they don't even have TV, and see his image drawn on the sides of houses and walls? I really enjoyed the performances of the actors. I think someone besides Jada Smith should have been his first wife, but I guess if your husband's going to do a love scene, may as well keep him close. The make-up artist for the movie should have gotten a nomination for making Angelina Jolie's father, Jon Voight, look as if he had undergone major plastic surgery; it was truly amazing. If the movie didn't play in your part of the world, I believe it's worth getting, although a better one which I'll recommend, is When We Were Kings. The DVDs to both would be better still if you can justify it, just because of the extra material that's likely to be on them.
Rating: 
Summary: Four stars in parts, two stars in others
Review: This uneven account of the life of Muhammad Ali (as played by Will Smith) has much to offer, even if it does not hang together as a whole. In many ways, this film is too ambitious in its effort to touch upon many of the complexities of the renowned heavyweight boxer; the film tries to include too much and therefore doesn't fully explore any one aspect. As a result, this film feels incomplete despite its length. Will Smith does an admirable job evoking Ali's outward charm and unreadable emotions, but this public mask often obscures a more intimate exploration. The film succeeds best in more private moments, one on one with other characters, although Will Smith's evocation of Ali's public rhyming is dead-on. The documentation of some of Ali's personal struggles (many of which I was not previously aware of) are both moving and politically/socially charged. At other points, scenes drag on as though the director could not decide when to stop. The acting is good to exceptional, with no one glaringly miscast. As a Will Smith fan, I could not pass up this film despite mixed reviews. I'm glad I finally saw it. However, I don't recommend it for everyone because of its numerous flaws. If you are a Will Smith or Muhammad Ali fan, you should definitely see it. Likewise, boxing and bioflick enthusiasts should enjoy it. Skip this film if you don't fall into any of the preceding categories since there are many other (and better) films out there.
Rating:
Summary: Too Many Caricatures, but Overall a Fine Film
Review: Though few people in the cast even remotely resemble the people they portray--one would think that Wil Smith, in particular, is just too homely to play the baby-faced Ali, well known for comments about his looks and those of others--Michael Mann's take on the legendary fighter's life merits viewing for many reasons, not the least of which is its determination to focus on Ali as a man rather than a black man. Sure, racism, civil rights, the influence of Islam, and other issues, perhaps, common in films about the experiences of African Americans turn up, but they never overshadow the focus on Ali as a human being whose combination of bravado and personal ethics made him either a role model or a pariah to so many people in the 1960s and 1970s. Surprisingly, the usually lightweight Smith delivers a complex and generally satisfying performance as Ali, showing the man's inner strength with a quiet determination, even if in his more boisterous moments Smith borders on caricature. (The major weakness of the film is that too many characters come across as caricatures, Jon Voight's muppet-like Howard Cosell being the worst offender.) The rest of the cast, including Jamie Foxx, Ron Silver, Joe Morton, Mykelti Williams and other familiar faces, deliver the goods, though Nona Gaye, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Michael Michelle shine in particular as the women in Ali's life. And while its fight scenes never equal those of either "Rocky" or "Raging Bull," the visceral moments of the film still carry great weight, in part because of the effective score and in part because Mann captures reasonably well the look and feel of the period without any "Miami Vice" gloss.
Rating:
Summary: Ali swings and misses!!
Review: Michael Mann's direction of the movie is all over the place. The story doesn't give the whole story. What about his beginnings in Louisville, Kentucky? What was his motivation for joining the Nation of Islam? Who are these women in Ali's life? Don't get me wrong. The performances were the best thing in this movie. Preferrably from Will Smith, Jon Voight and Jamie Foxx. You should be more inclinded to see the movie "The Greatest" which shows Muhammad Ali as himself. And even though the champis stiff as an actor, the story is better represented.
Rating: 
Summary: the champ is here!
Review: Will Smith playing Muhammad Ali? Yes, indeed, and surprisingly enough, he does a fantastic job. While he doesn't look too much like Ali, Will Smith bulked up and did a credible job in the ring as Ali (isn't film wonderful?). Where Will Smith really shone was outside the ring, getting to perform as Ali the man. It is in the human portrayal of Muhammad Ali that Will Smith disappears and we can believe that it truly is Ali himself. Ali was directed by Michael Mann (The Insider, The Last of the Mohicans) and the movie has a slow, deliberate pacing that perfectly serves the film. We get to savor the moments on screen instead of being rushed to the next bit of Ali spitting out beautiful dialogue in rhyme. While it is equally as important to have Ali talking as it is to have him fighting, the scenes that linger a moment or two longer than one might expect help give the overall tone to the film. The perfect example of this is the scene where Ali is dancing with the woman who would become his first wife. The scene is perfectly captured, slowly dancing to the music and it really puts the emotion into the scene. Holding the shot longer helped the scene and the movie. The movie begins with young Cassius Clay preparing to fight Sonny Liston for the first time and for the championship. The film follows his life and career through Ali winning the championship, marriages (plural), changing his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, refusing the draft, the Ali-Frazier fight, and finally ends with the Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman. I don't know very much about the life of Muhammad Ali, so I can't comment on the accuracy of the film. Without that knowledge, I can only judge "Ali" on its own merits. This is a fine film with excellent performances (Jon Voight as Howard Cosell stands out, as does Will Smith) and is without question is worth watching.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Perfect
Review: As expected from Michael Mann, the Director who brought us "Last of the Mohicans", "Ali" is a well-crafted movie. Akin to a Swiss watch, the movie was chronicled with precision from Ali's rose to fame by beating Sonny Liston, his convergence into Islam, his estrangement from his father in particular for dumping the so-called slave name, Cassius Clay, his womanising attribute, his fall with Malcolm X, Ali's refusal to be drafted into the US Army, his close relationships with Cosell (Jon Voight), Howard Bingham (the person who took intimate photographs of him). I would have liked to watch how he got into boxing at the first place due to his stolen bike & subsequently discovered by his trainer, his legendary fights with Joe Frasier, his fight with his Parkinson disease. Maybe it's due to time constraint or maybe, the Director felt that it's best to depict Ali for overcoming his fear of losing by beating George Foreman in Zaire. Standing ovation to Will Smith for his individual performance. If we were to watch the documentary of Muhammed Ali, you would have noticed that Will Smith WAS Ali. The voice, the way he moved were commendable. Having said that, the rest of the crew were in their best form yet. As the movie critic summarised succinctly, a movie that worked if it's watched as it is, but faltered should it tried to explain Ali, the man that he is.
Rating:
Summary: Good Performance By Smith, Story A Little Incomplete
Review: Ali is a decent bio of Mohammad Ali's boxing career. Will Smith certainly elevates the performance of the film. Its amusing to listen to Will imitate Ali as he talks trash before his big fights and to Howard Cossel. Also the actor who portrays Howard Cossel does him good justice. However, the story is a bit incomplete. The story cuts right to the first Sonny Liston fight with little introduction on Ali's growing up period. Than there is the focus on his dodging the draft and his spiritual role as a Muslim. This is given decent emphasis. Finally some coverage of his fights with Frazier, Quarry, and Foreman. Somehow it would have been nice of the movie included some mention of the second and third fights with Frazier and even Ali past his prime. Nonetheless, the fight scenes are exciting and even in its limtied focus, the movie is good if not spectacular.
Rating: 
Summary: No Magic, No Drama. Will Smith just playing Will Smith.
Review: Word-of-mouth is true about this one. This movie is a bummer. It's just Will Smith playing Will Smith, but he almost had the voice down. But he would lose the voice occasionally. The fight scenes are uninteresting. Will Smith looked as if he was scared of a stunt punch. Unlike the real Muhammand Ali in those days. Perhaps Laurence Fishburne should have been cast as Ali. No magic or drama to this film. I recommend the original film that Muhammand Ali made on his life story starring Muhannand Ali himself, THE GREATEST (1977). Muhammand Ali was also good in FREEDOM ROAD (1979-TVM).
Rating:
Summary: Should be a five-stars movie, but it's not
Review: Muhammad Ali is surely one great character and his life undoubtedly renders a great movie script. When I found out "Ali" was going to be made, I was eager to see it from the first moment. After watching it yesterday, I was a little disappointed. First of all, "Ali" covers only ten years of Muhammad's life. Sure, those were the "best" ten years in Ali's life, when he was at the top of his boxing career, when he converted to muslim religion, when he was a friend of Malcolm X's. But certainly, Ali's life is much more than that. Even if the movie is longer than 150 minutes, I was, at the end, feeling that there was something missing (and there really was). Another low point of the movie is Michael Mann's direction. After "Heat" and "The insider" (two movies I really enjoyed), he changed his style, and Ali's was a blend of Steven Soderbergh and Oliver Stone. Maybe Mann wanted his movie to be like a documentary, but that was not the point in "Ali" (there is already a tremendous documentary about Ali, called "When we were kings"). Now, the good parts: the producers worked hard and found actors that really resemble the fighters, specially George Foreman. Will Smith does not resemble Ali, but Smith does a competent job as the protagonist. Aside from his good acting, his leg and feet movements are impressibly close to what Ali did in the ring. I also have to mention Mario van Peebles as Malcolm X, Mykelti Williamson as Don King (funny) and John Voight as sports-anchor Howard Cosell. But the main award should go to Jamie Foxx as Ali's drug-addicted, priest-like jew companion Bundini Brown. Great performance. Anyway, Ali was not what I expected. But it's an interesting movie about one of the greatest boxers, personalities and characters of the XX century. Grade 8.0/10
Rating:
Summary: the mann-spinoti connection!!!!!
Review: i just saw this movie on hbo....and i was amazed!!!....this is a very different film (well everything that comes out of michael mann vision is quite different!). i just have to say that i loved it. yes, it's slow , long and inconcistant, at is not an action film! if you want action, get a Jackie Chan film. This movie is amazing!!! And the recreation of the fight scenes are just magical, thanks to master director Michael Mann.
i'm very surpised of what a great actor will smith can be...it just about the roles!!..great acting all the way. Dante Spinoti gives once more an unforgetable cinematographic journey, wich is a tradition in almost all michael mann movies. over all the film is really entertaining. I'm a film student and a huge Michael Mann/Dante Spinoti fan and this film is a great oportunity to see this two masters work together. Class a film all the way. So if you really want to see a different american movie...try this and pay great attention to the visual that cinematic gennius spinoti brings on to this films. The sountrack, like in every Mann movie, is just espectacular!
Don't pay attention to the others people reviews, they are just used to watch the typical every day movie. sorry for the spelling, i'm not from the U.S.A, but this doesn't mean that i don't know a great movie when i see one.
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