Ali

Rating:
Summary: "Ali" takes a dive
Review: Sure Will Smith gives probably the best acting performance of the year. Sure Mann's direction gives the fight scenes -especially Ali's first against Liston, the opening scene - a thrill and immediacy missing from the Rocky flicks. Sure "Ali" tries to tackle the issues of race in the tumultuous 60s and wants to depict Ali for what he was: a truly courageous and principled man, as well as a hot-head and egoist. But the film ultimately fails. Because you leave the theater asking yourself what you have learned about Muhammad Ali. The answer? Nothing.

What's wrong with the film? First, it was over-ambitious. Mann attempts to chronicle a very, very busy ten years. If he had focused on a single theme - race and religion, say, or the entourage and the crazy goings on - perhaps it could have worked. Instead, the movie jumps all over the place, first trying to depict a relationship with the elder Clay, then showing Ali's marital problems, then his relationship with Malcolm X, and so on and on. As a result, Mann can't make any definitive statement about Ali, the times, the characters, the events. It feels like a music video. Empty. Hollow.

Trying to cover material already depicted in a better film. Why do the Foreman fight? "When We Were Kings" is a million times better and covers the same fight, and only that fight! That movie has everything "Ali" does not, Ali included!

All the great things left out. The Floyd Patterson fight, when Ali fought maliciously and cruelly against an opponent who tried to appeal to the white mainstream. Or the series of white fighters Ali demolished in defense of his crown after the second Liston fight. Or the events leading up to the first Liston fight, the crazy stunts Cassius Clay pulled to get his name in the paper and infuriated the champion Liston to fight an under qualified young light heavyweight.

Too many characters. Many of them don't play any part in adding to the film. Who can say, based on the movie, what Ali's father was like? Cus D'Amato? Elijah Muhammad? Elijah's son and Ali's manager, Herbert Muhammad? The photographer friend, Howard Bingham? Any of the wives? Only a few roles really stick, Will Smith as Ali, Jamie Foxx as Bundini, and Jon Voight as Howard Cosell. And based solely on these performances, I recommend the movie.

I wish Mann had concentrated on a narrower time frame. The first Liston fight, for example. And why not? It had all the elements, the brash talking, the involvement with the Nation of Islam, the brilliant fighting. All the elements that later drove Ali to reject the military. But also all the contradictions in Ali's character, the egoism, the harsh anti-white talk, etc.

I give this thing 3 stars because of Will Smith. Otherwise this movie is not great. Will Smith deserves the Oscar!

Rating:
Summary: Exhale..........!
Review: NONA M. GAYE

Look closely......she's wife # 2. Yes, the movie is about The Champ, and very aptly tells of his story, but it's also a tribute to the African-American woman, and features multi-visions of this sometimes underrated Bastion of our Society. We see three very different women in the life of Ali, Jada Pinkett-Smith as # 1 = no compromise here, she's true to Ali and to herself! Nona M. Gaye shines as Mrs Ali # 2, and the smoky seductive Michael Michelle as # 3.

Expertly directed by Micahel Mann this film reminds us of a time in the not too distant past when social lines were very clearly defined, and words had to be carefully chosen. What a delight to remember how intentionally funny and pointed Ali is and was back then - he never really offended and did things very much his way. Bright and witty, very bright, this is clearly Will Smith's best and most daring acting challenge since "Six Degrees of Separation" a consummate actor!

So it is too with the totally submerged Jon Voight as Cosell - not a hint of the actor there. Brilliant! As is Jamie Foxx!

This is an extremely well crafted, cast and directed movie. BRAVO Mr. Mann!!

Should be mandatory viewing for the young!

Rating:
Summary: Covers only first 10 yrs...needs a sequel
Review: The director took great pains to illustrate the struggle that 3 time heavy wt boxing champ Ali endured during the first 10 or so yrs of his life. Ali's latter portion of his career, particularly the fights with Frazier, were thrilling moments that the movie simply did not cover. Thus, there needs to be a sequel.

Rating:
Summary: The hype and the movie don't measure up
Review: I was really excited to hear that this movie was coming out. I have always been an Ali fan. Will Smith is great in the film. He is the reason that this movie gets three stars. John Voigt and Mario Van Peebles also do a great job!

Now for some cons. The cinematographer needs to find another profession. The camera shakes too much during the fights and blurs people out a lot. It is somewhat nauseating ... The Rocky movies had better fight photography. My eyes were beginning to hurt from the extremely bright white colors in the movie. Another thing, it brings out all the bad history of Ali. It shows him being a womanizer, a bad husband, and a traitor to his friends and country. At times, I was wondering if I liked the man or not. They picked a bad time of his life to portray. Finally, I didn't learn anything more about Ali from the movie. Everything in it was common knowledge.

Overall, not a bad movie, but not a good movie either. It is worth seeing if you don't know much about Ali and camera shaking doesn't bother you.

Rating:
Summary: Not Michael Mann's best effort, but worth seeing.
Review: Michael Mann has got to be one of the best and also one of the most overlooked directors in Hollywood. I'm a big fan of his work and will see any film on the sole basis of seeing his name in the credits [as director], but when I mention to most people about my excitement of a new movie coming out by Michael Mann all I generally receive are puzzled looks.

Mann's last two films, Heat and The Insider, rank among my favorite films of all time so naturally I was more than excited to see his latest film, Ali. This film has all the magic of Mann's visionary directing as well his amazing ability to get the most out of any actor. Will Smith (who I think is a horrible actor) gives a surprising good performance and who would have thought Jon Voight and Howard Cosell were in fact the same person? Unfortunately there isn't much of a story to make all the pieces worth putting together.

As a biopic I don't expect to find the traditional set-up/conflict/climax method of storytelling, but neither do I expect to see the complete lack of cohesion this film seems to have. This film jumps to different points throughout many of the famous parts of Ali's life seemingly without rhyme or reason.

The film is an interesting look into the life of a very interesting individual, and Mann's directing along with wonderful performances from all the film's actor are enough to take away the pain of the poor screenplay. Ali is not a bad film at all, but you can't help thinking about how good this film should have been.

Rating:
Summary: The most polarizing, thought-provoking film of 2001
Review: Having seen Ali twice now, I am no closer to coming to any conclusions on what I think about it. Very few films have forced me to debate my opinions on the art of film and what constitutes great art and what constitutes failed great art. Ali gets so much right and the story is told with more verve than almost any other film this year. And yet for a film that was so clearly a labor of love made by focused, talented people we never get a clear portrait of the subject and we are constantly let down by a script that is often little more than an impressionistic sketch of a potentially great screenplay.

Why is Malcolm X's relationship with Ali given an entire third of the film's running length only for it to be completely forgotten for the next two hours? Did Malcolm X's assassination continue to haunt Ali? Were there any further emotional repercussions and regrets for shunning him just before his death? Did the assassination have any effect on Ali's relationship with the Nation of Islam? As Malcolm X, Mario Van Peebles gives a charismatic performance, completely stepping out of the considerable shadow of Denzel Washington's portrayal. Peebles' Malcolm is a more pensive, haunted figure. He is also the only character in the film to be given his own scenes without Ali being present. This confused me more the second time around. Why did they give so much weight to a storyline that is never brought up again for the rest of the film? It felt like an easy opportunity to grab viewers by presenting another major figure in American history as bait.

Michael Mann has gone on record stating that the ten year span of Ali winning his first world title to regaining the crown from George Foreman seemed to be the most intense and dramatic decade of the great man's life. And while there is never a shortage of historic moments and great conflict, the impact is muted by the lack of depth in the storytelling. We never get inside a single character's head, never quite grasp what we are supposed to take away from what we are shown. The ending, with Ali & co. celebrating the stunning Foreman upset, does not ring true with anything we are presented with over the course of the near 3 hour film. Anyone with a passing knowledge of Ali's life knows that it begans to go steadily downhill for his career and his health after Zaire. At no point are we prepared as an audience to be left on a Rocky Balboa-esque note of corny triumph.

Ali also shines brilliantly on several fronts. Every actor in this film is riveting in their commitment to character and story. It was very smart to cast an ensemble of dependably superb actors such as Jeffrey Wright, Ron Silver and Jon Voight in key supporting roles. Jeffrey Wright brings his usual quicksilver intelligence to the role of the photographer who follows Ali throughout both their careers and who himself is a mirror of the social upheaval of the times. Ron Silver, as Angelo Dundee, is an anchor of paternal warmth. Miles away from the feral mastermind villains he often plays, he makes it clear that his only interest is in the well being of his fighter. Unselfish and unwaivering, he is a calming presence throughout. Jon Voight, as Howard Cosell, is remarkable in his ability to find the balance between the flamboyance of the part and the no-frills realism required to keep it from turning into a sketch comedy piece. Voight is one of the rare few great actors, along with Sir Ralph Richardson and Fredric March, to gain a third career wind as a pricelessly eccentric supporting actor.

As "Wife #1," "Wife #2," and "Wife #3" (at least that is how the film presents them) Nona Gaye fares the best as #2. Sane, practical and protective of her husband, she radiates female strength and makes Ali look foolish for not taking her council.

Jamie Foxx, as cornerman "Bundini" Brown, is a revelation. Having already proven himself a major actor with his turn in Any Given Sunday, he is altogether something else here. Especially in the film's final hour, his mastery of body language is something to behold. Watch the scene where he defends Ali after the bitter Frazier bout. Truly an amazing piece of work. Foxx is fearless in making the character as pitiful as he is hilarious. At his best, which he is in this film, Jamie Foxx turns his line readings into poetry in the same way that Richard Pryor could make his stand-up material soar into literature on a good night.

And then there is Will Smith as The Man himself. There's something about playing a boxer that seems to spark actors to give career-defining performances. John Garfield, Robert Ryan, Robert DeNiro and now Will Smith. Smith improves on many of Ali's riffs by giving them an actor's refined sense of timing and showmanship. This makes up for the lack of legitimate suprise that Ali himself created so effortlessly. Smith also shows a frightening mean streak in the champ's easy dominance over slower, less artful opponents. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the unforgettable opening fight against Sonny Liston, played out in almost real time. Having established his physical and intellectual dominance over his opponent, Smith as Ali is merciless in dissecting them. And while the film fails us by never showing us the inner man, Smith keeps our attention glued to the screen with his presence and talent.

One of the few films to really merit the much-abused tag lines "No middle ground" and "Love it or hate it" Ali proves itself to be a substantial achievement just by the fact that it makes one care greatly in the first place. A film that deserves to endure and be watched by generations to come. Maybe one of them will figure it out for us.

Rating:
Summary: Glimpses of brilliance in a sea of boredom
Review: The title of this review does not mean Ali is a brilliance amidst many other mediocre movies. It actually means one can find some brilliant moments in Ali the movie, but for most of the 2-and-half hour duration, it's boredom and incoherence.

I almost fell asleep the first 15 minutes into the movie. I don't think the boxing scenes are exciting, maybe except the last 2 mins of the last one (Ali Vs. Foreman in Zaire)... mostly due to the refreshing soundtrack accompanying that. And there're quite a few long and dragging boxing scenes. I was surprised that the style of shooting the boxing scenes in this movie is pretty similar to that in the Rocky movies (which were made about 20 years ago!). I had expected more artistic touches or maybe even more thrills in the boxings in Ali. But it's disappointing.

The movie is more like a collection of anecdotes in Ali's early career than a coherent story, not to mention a drama. As such, there is really not a point in the movie that can be called a climax. Without an interesting storyline, in order to keep the audience mentally involved in the movie, it at least has to offer some superb acting and effective atmosphere.

For the acting, it's one of the few brilliant spots of the movie. Will Smith is very good. On the screen, he's totally a people's champ and he portrays Ali's confidence (arrogance) and humor wonderfully. Besides Smith, I think the other cast members in general do a good job, too.

However, the second ingredient, the atmosphere, is less than satisfying. The decision to shoot some sequences using hand-held camera is a good one. It gives a more real and historical feel to this cinematic biography. And overall, I think each scene is OK (maybe except the one where thousands of supporters in Zaire are chanting Ali's name for... oh the whole 3 mins or so!). But on a larger scale, the arrangement of the scenes does not seem sharp enough. As I mentioned, too much time is given to too many boxing sequences. A few more scenes describing the mental journey of Ali before and after his decline to join the military would be welcome additions. And I would feel more comfortable if the long scene where Ali stares at his portrayals on his admirers' houses in Zaire is completely deleted (too corny and artificial).

The movie wants to give a big picture of Ali to the audience. But it's hard to do because the movie can be only 2 or 3 hours long. Unlike in many other biography flicks like "A Beautiful Mind" which revolves around only one or two extraordinary aspects of the character's life (and portrays it with some dramatization), Ali the boxer is presented in a matter-of-fact manner and many different aspects of his life are covered with equal weight. This style is not likely to work if the atmosphere is not really well crafted, which is unfortunately the case here. To me, not a fan of Ali's, he's just another person with some character and some achievement. I'd thought this movie would change my perception somewhat. But even during or after the movie, I really don't feel as though I care much for him. I suppose I would not prefer this movie to a PBS documentary of Ali (if there's one).

Rating:
Summary: "Try to remember" [It's not that long ago!]
Review: Ali? Who is that? the kids might ask.....Noo sweeties, not the TV Series - this is THE Champ! THE Greatest! The One!

Brilliant performaces by Will Smith as Ali, Jon Voight [totally immersed and unrecognizable as Howard Cosell], underrated Jamie Foxx as the befuddled, semi-alcoholic sidekick and more.

A moody piece loveingly crafted with great humor by the ensemble cast under Michael Mann's expert direction. It's a smorgasbord of life in the 60ties seen through the brilliant mind of a sometimes too easily condemned public figure, [and seen with great wit and charm] - detailing the painful emergence of African American rights, culture and being. Not only painting the public picture of suffering, but also the private and personal trails of the always embracing, always enduring African American woman.

Highly recommended - viewing should be mandatory!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating look at the world's most famous living person
Review: This is the type of film that demonstrates that you can have an Oscar-caliber performance without having an Oscar caliber film. Will Smith is phenomenal. He was fantastic and really helped to bring the viewer to having an experience rather than just watching a movie.

You see that while Ali stood up for his beliefs and had a great charismatic flair with the media, he was less than a gem when it came to his fidelity with the women he married... especially when those who married him were totally devoted to him and gave him good advice that he dismissed and ignored.

Ali was and still is a fascinating human being and is known as being the most famous living person on earth... pretty stupendous accomplishment in of itself.

My less than perfect rating for the film does not reflect upon the acting of any member of the cast... they were all phenomenal and Mario Van Peebles will blow you away with his portrayal of Malcom X. Jon Voight outdid himself as Howard Cosell and Jamie Foxx deserves big-time recognition for his role as Bundini, the author of many Ali quotes such as "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

The film opens up with the location and date... 1957. You see young Cassius Clay going to the back of the bus with his mother and you see him read a disturbing story about the torture-murder of a young black boy in the south... this is obviously intended as a glimpse to his motivation as an adult to convert to Islam, but this is the only such overt scene.

As the show continues, there are no more on-screen texts telling you the date, so there is not only a continuity problem, you are really wondering... what date is this supposed to be?

The movie should have been a bit longer and have included more character development of Ali as a child.

The world knows the adult Ali from the media... and much of the film involves his public persona, not the underpinnings of what motivates him to cheat on his wife or for him to stay aligned with the Nation of Islam after they ban Ali from being a Muslim for publicly stating he was broke (hence unwittingly stating that the Nation of Islam had mis-managed his funds). Despite the murder of his good friend Malcom X at the hands of those working for the Nation of Islam, Ali stands behind the organization and continues to covort with the same folks as before. Sticking to one's faith doesn't need to be explained, but why he stuck with this same organization and this same motley crew is not explained and therefore befuddling.

There are some scenes that should have been on the cutting room floor but instead were left in the movie for some unknown reason... my best guess is just to pepper the movie with as many historical references as possible tied in with Ali's fighting career.

Levar Burton portrays Martin Luther King, Jr., but you never hear him speak in the film. You see him once in a newspaper photo and then laying dead after being shot... there is no reason to have included these two scenes that are in no way connected to the rest of the movie. MLK may have been closely tied in with Ali's story in real life, but the film drops the ball in explaining the relationship.

Later you see the leader of the African nation in which Ali fights George Foreman have a covert meeting with Idi Amin. This disjointed scene has no overt connection with the rest of the film and appears to be another effort to squeeze in another Trivial Persuit question/answer into the film.

The film ends with some last-minute paragraphs in an attempt to tie up Ali's life in a little bow. This film had the potential to be so much more than it was. Ali was and still is a larger-than life character, but the film does not step up the plate. The teleplay needed some major re-working and a number of scenes were lacking when others should have been edited out. Character development is far more important than including frivilous details.

There are many funny moments and the outstanding performances will be more memorable than the film itself. Definitely worth seeing, but go early for the matinee.

Rating:
Summary: It Coulda Been A Contender!
Review: Michael Mann's "Ali" is not really a bad film. But, I wouldn't go as far as to say it's a good film either. It's somewhere in the middle. Unlike Muhammad Ali himself, "Ali", the film, doesn't pack much of a punch. It feels like the script, which was written by several people, including Mann himself, coulda used more time in the gym preparing. The film doesn't supply me with anything I don't know about Ali already! It doesn't tell me or teach me anything new about his life. It doesn't tell me what made Ali want to become a boxer. Who were his inspirations? None of this is revealed. People who know nothing about Ali's life will find to film to be not only entertaining, but, as an education into the life of a very controversial man. People whom are already fans of Ali will undoubtedly enjoy the film. Because after-all, if your a fan of the sports legend, you'll be happy to see anything about your hero's life. But, I'm not a fan of Ali on a personal level. So the story, right from the start had a lot to live up to if it was going to impress me. I admit though, I did end up liking the film more than I thought I would, but, not enough to recommend it to people.
"Ali" is nicely directed by Mann, and has good performances by Jon Voight, who is probably one of my favorite things about the film. I was midly amused by Ron Silver and Jamie Foxx, and I thought Will Smith was OK, in the title role. Jada Pinkett Smith, I feel, strikes out. The problem with her is, there's no screen-time for her. She has nothing to work with. Infact, to be honest, the only bit of information I got out of "Ali" was, I didn't know the names of his wives.
The other problem with "Ali" besides the screenplay is the fact that the story has no meaning. The story is not consist enough to keep our interest for the entire lenght of the film which is 2 hours and 47 minutes. It's not a strong enough of a story. "Ali" has moments also where it feels preachy a bit. It's too sentimental. Though, the film does have it's moments where it works. I really don't want to sound like "Ali" is an awful film. It's not. I've seen worst. But, like I said, if you know a lot about "Ali" you will not come away with anything you didn't know before. It's not like we all don't know who was going to win the championship in the "rumble in the jungle" fight. An average movie with average results. ** 1\2 out of ****