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Rating: 6/10 (28 December 2001)

Michael Mann's Ali is a film that has the elements in place for a movie that could've been better than it is. It has the performances- Will Smith is a good choice for Ali and in his best scenes he shows some real talent (the best scenes with him were when he was in front of the TV camera with or without Voight as Cosel), Jamie Foxx as Bundini, Ali's half-drunken inspiration who gives the film a added comic punch, and Jon Voight in a miraculous transformation as Cosel who plays off Smith's Ali with the greatest of ease. Plus the boxing scenes were (sometimes) quite enthralling.
But like I said, these are the elements in place to make a good movie, but the film doesn't pull through. Mann goes too long with details that aren't needed to illustrate Ali's thoughts and feelings and in contrast shows Ali and what he wants to do in and out of the ring but never gets inside of his psyche totally which would've been really interesting. It is a longish and sluggish picture that at times can be good and at other times can be actually annoying: what is the point of the overlong jogging scene in Zaire, the overuse of dramatic music in scenes where it's not needed (I don't mind music for dramatic use but every 30 seconds is something I do mind) and having Martin Luther King's assassination when he plays a lot lesser of a role than Malcolm X did for Ali?
Overall, Smith is able to pull through as do other members of the cast, and there are things to look for, yet it's not worth sitting through the constant lulls. If you want to see a great Mann movie rent Insider, Heat or even Manhunter. C+