ALI
Released: December 25, 2001
Director Michael Mann returns after his compelling 1999 flick "The Insider" with a massive bio pic devoted to boxing legend Muhammed Ali. Will Smith stars as Ali and does a good job of playing the role few others in Hollywood could tackle. Jon Voight practically steals every scene he's in with his excellent portrayal of TV sportscaster Howard Cosell. Other performances from Jamie Foxx and Mykelti Williamson as Don King help bring this piece of history alive. Rather than a lifetime spanning story, "Ali" concentrates on the period between 1964 and 1974. There's some superb fighting scenes in the ring but the overall lack of direction hindered my enjoyment of the film. Mann's previous output including "Thief", "The Last Of The Mohicans", "Heat" and the aforementioned "The Insider" rule over "Ali". There is beautiful cinematography and music like we've come to expect from a Mann movie but the overall movie just isn't as memorable or essential as his previous films. I left the theatre no closer to understanding Muhammed Ali than I did beforehand but perhaps that's not what Mann intended. Another brilliant score courtesy of Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke.
158 Minutes
Columbia/Sony