A major disappointment...

Rating: Null/10 (23 February 2002)

Ali was just released in the UK this weekend and I have to say, it was a major disappointment. The movie was like a video compilation of Ali's life from 1964-74 but with (an exceptional) Will Smith taking the part of the main protagonist instead. Nothing new whatsoever. Usually with pretty poor biopics, the recommendation is that only the major fans of the person profiled should go and see it. In this case, however, I would recommend it to all those out there who know little about these incredible years in Ali's life, as it's basically a piece of show-and-tell cinema. Perhaps most disappointing is that this comes from Michael Mann, who in the 90s brought us 'Last of the Mohicans,' 'Heat,' and, 'The Insider,' making him arguably the finest director of the last decade. So let's just hope Ali's a false start to this one.