Will Smith Becomes the Champ

Rating: 8/10 (15 October 2002)

Muhammad Ali has made his name as one of the foremost American athletes in history, and a true hero. The movie of his life, "Ali," profiles a fraction of this man's illustrious life. The story looks at the years between 1964 and 1974, between Ali's career-making title bout against Sonny Liston, and the much-hyped "Rumble In the Jungle" bout against George Foreman, with many points of interest in between. Michael Mann did a fine job of showing Muhammad Ali's rise to the forefront of the public eye. And Will Smith earns his acting chops in the title role. He plays the role well, showing the swagger of a man who proclaimed himself "The Greatest," then went out to prove it. John Voight's performance as Howard Cosell is also notable. The subdued impression avoids becoming a caricature, which is too easy when dealing with Howard Cosell. No movie may be enough to cover the life of the legendary boxing champion. "Ali" does not try to, it merely shows the prime of Ali's life.