Ali

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                                                   Muhammad Ali on film

     Still is property of Columbia Pictures. I have looked forward to this movie since it came out in 2001. For some reason this always skipped out of my grasp. No longer the case!

   I do not have to get very much into the plot. We know that Muhammad Ali was a great boxer and he went through some trouble protesting the Vietnam war. Is that everything? No, obviously not, but it is the main overview of the film.

  Performances of this film  is what stands above anything else in this. Will Smith has two most celebrated performances of in his career : "Ali" and "Pursuit of Happiness". I would say this is the crowning achievement. Here he disappears into the role of Ali. There is a lot of times where actors just play a version of themselves, this is the farthest from that.

    In the world of Michael Mann movies, no matter if they are good, or bad, they all look beautiful. This film is no different. Even without the digital film, it looks great. The film gives off a very documentary feel. which they were looking for.

   The story, is where this film falls short. This feels so unfocused, especially with a two hour and thirty -seven minute run time. There is so much meandering through the story that is unnecessary. There is a lot of fat, at least twenty minutes worth. As great of a performance that Will Smith gives, the screenplay cuts anything that makes Ali remotely likable. It is hard to get behind a protagonist that is such a jerk.

   When this film is great, well it's spectacular, when it isn't, well, you know.

GRADE: C+

    

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