a movie for champions

Rating: 9/10 (6 January 2002)

the first ten minutes of this movie drew me. the camera-work, the music, and especially, the very first fight sequence where we see Ali (will smith in a role that will defienetly earn him the top spot in the run for the best actor oscar). the movie has a special feeling to it. the camera-work is very different from most other movies, but it works amazingly. you get to feel the madness, and intensity from inside the ring as Ali boxes his way into stardom. jon voight was also very good as Howard Cosell. When i was walking out ofthe theatre i was asking people where was jon voight in this movie. i didn't see him. then they told me he was howard. When that happens you know it is a great performance. Mann turned what everyone thought was impossible into something that will acheive some great success. i mean, look at francis ford coppola. with the godfather, I & II (i won't even go to III, cuz it is just to bloody bad), he was told it wouldn't come out good. it couldn't live up to anything. it managed to win best picture and a slew of other awards. that shows how much work everyone put into the movies. overall, this was a good movie, with funny parts from smith, and as well as great boxing sequences, that not since raging bull, a movie could live up to that standard. 9/10