Not the greatest of all times!

Rating: 5/10 (13 March 2002)

This was an ordinary film about an extraordinary individual. It's a good effort, but falls short in virtually every area. Will Smith has a decent stab at Ali, getting the voice just about spot on. He's worked out but is still about 30 pounds shy. But you never BELIEVE this is Ali you're watching. It's always Will Smith and I found myself expecting Carlton Banks to run on and do a little dance.
The fight sequences are beutifuly shot and almost faithfully recreated. But the film just seems to cover a decade without filling any gaps. Ali beats Liston, suddenly he's married with kids, refusing army induction, losing to Frazier, beating Foreman and hang on - it's ten years on and he looks no different. To anyone who doesn't know about Ali it's as if all this happened in six months!
If you want to know about the real Ali - read the books, watch the real interviews, and watch the fights. Now, that's entertainment!