KO'ed

Rating: Null/10 (5 March 2002)

`Ali,' directed by Michael Mann and Starring Will Smith, is the story of the life of Muhammad Ali. The movie picks up Ali's life in 1964 just before his first bout with Sonny Liston and ends after his victory in 1974 at the `Rumble in the Jungle' versus George Forman. Throughout this time we are introduced to Ali's relationships with many of the public figures of his time. It continues to follow him on his rise through the boxing world and his untimely defeat at the hands of the government for failure to comply with induction into the military during Vietnam. We are also introduced to the women that came and went in his life as well. However, it felt as though they were too worried about what to show and what not to show that they didn't show anything at all. The women just came and went and not much was done to explain. This could be to keep Mann from getting into exposing a part of Ali that Ali doesn't want exposed, or could be done to stay with Mann's overall image of the film. No matter the choice the film still struggles to explain many points. The film is not a complete waste though in that it does work to dig deeper into some subjects. The choice to go into Ali's relationship with the Nation of Islam and its representatives is experienced in many different ways. You see the influence that is has on the women that he chooses, the burden it puts on him, as well as to his changes in his personality after he first is given the name of Muhammad Ali. Another major point of the film is that of the building of his ties with Malcolm X before he is assassinated and its effect that is has on Ali. Including the reaction to Ali's hearing of the assassination, which shows the tie the two built over time.
However the one topic that is up front and center the entire film is Ali's outspokenness. This is the only subject that comes across the entire film. You are able to see his cockiness along with the arrogant air that surrounded him constantly. His use of rhymes gave flashy lines for the press and we even experience his bond many times with Howard Cosell.
Overall the film fails to explain more of the off camera nature of Muhammad Ali. One feels that if you were to watch old tapes of his fights or have already seen tapes of his fights you have probably seen more and learned more about Muhammad Ali than anyone leaving the theatres. This film only seems to regurgitate that in which we already know and place it in a Hollywood setting. Even with all the work that Will Smith puts into the character, including the additional 30 pounds, the film still is KO'ed in this mind.