The Best Film Of 2002 ?

Rating: 10/10 (23 February 2002)

On a cold friday night in South Yorkshire, I went to see this film and boy was I impressed!!
From Director Michael Mann (Manhunter, Last Of The Mohicans,Heat and The Insider) comes a superb biopic of the world's greatest ever boxer, and someone with more intelligence than anyone ever gave him credit for. Muhammad Ali is played by Will Smith (Men In Black, Independence Day, and Bad Boys) someone of whom I have never been a big fan of because of his insistence to crack incredibly poor jokes in his terrible movies. Smith has always been more of a comedian than a serious actor. For examples of this, see the godawful patriotic propaganda film - Independence Day.
But in this film, Smith finally stands up to be counted. He gives a performance of rare passion and vigour coupled with an uncanny Ali style sense of humour (those with only a small bit of knowledge about the great man will know he was certainly no slouch in the comedy department!). There are many great moments from Will Smith in this film, his obvious pain from hearing of the death of dear friend Malcolm X (a superb if short performance from Mario Van Peebles), plus his inner struggle on whether or not to agree with his proposed conscription into the US army for the Vietnam war. The tension in this particular scene is incredible!!
There are other great performances in this film, take for instance that of Jon Voight as sports journalist and friend of Ali - Howard Cosell, he is superb and his scenes with Smith are amazing!! Plus Jamie Foxx (Any Given Sunday) should not underestimated, as Drew Brown, he is both passionate and sincere.
This film also ranks well in comparison with two other films about boxing - Raging Bull and The Hurricane , Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington's performances as Jake De La Motta and Ruben Carter respectively are both well known and acclaimed as Smith's should become to be.
It should be added in closing that the direction and narrative construction of this film from Michael Mann is superb ranking along his greatest ever works, he and Will Smith should be commended for their efforts.
In conclusion, this is a superb piece of filmaking from one of the world's greatest ever directors, that should never have got the bad reviews it did, which probably only came about because of the identity of the film's main star!!
I have not yet seen A Beautiful Mind yet so do not know what to make of Crowe's performance but I have to say that Will Smith certainly deserves the best actor Oscar for his performance as Muhammad Ali, Respect is certainly due!!
RATING = 9/10