ALI (Ali (DVD))

Member Name: tuttgarm

Product:	Ali (DVD)
Date:	06/09/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: WILL SMITH'S EFFORT

Disadvantages: WANTED TO SEE ACTUAL ARCHIVE FOOTAGE

Directed by Michael Mann, ALI is a biopic movie of teh great Muhammed Ali.

Will Smith plays Ali when he was known as Cassius Clay. The film concentrates primarily on Ali's life away from the boxing ring. During the movie we see Ali and the women in his life. We see his change in religion and how he deals with racism. From here we see Ali's relationship with Malcolm X and how his death effects him. When Ali declines to fight in the war he is mocked and prosecuted. Along the way we also see Ali's fights against Joe Frasier ad others leading to the Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 where the film concludes.

As it's a biopic the premise was simple stick to what happened in Ali's life. Nonetheless, I fouund there was too much happening in the great man's life that the film was a letdown. The life of Muhammed Ali can not be truely highligted in a film so alot was skipped over and the last forty years of his life totally ignored. There were too many long segments on his training or other factors that weren't needed. The film lacked laughs and Ali was a character who entertained his fans with humour as well as through his boxing.

Will Smith doesn't look like Ali though gives everything that he's got in the role. He does sound like Ali, but obviously can't give the realsitic speeches that Ali made famous. The rest of the supporting cast are okay. The actual boxing scenes were fine, but I would have preferred to see more real footage of Ali in the ring.

The DVD features include interviews, deleted scenes and a look at Muhammed Ali himself.

Lasting nearly two hours with a 15 viewing certificate and avaliable from AMAZON at £3.34 I feel this would have worked better as a documentary.

Summary: ALI NOT DEPICTED AT HIS BEST