Fresh Prince gets jiggy With The King (Ali (DVD))

Member Name: dave2707

Product:	Ali (DVD)
Date:	23/03/02 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: real atmosphere, focuses on Ali's personal life as well as boxing, Will Smith's incredible performance

Disadvantages: Some periods of his life glossed over too quickly

Could Will Smith pull it off? Even if he could would it be a good film? The answer is yes, Will Smith is a sensation. Who would have believed that that goofy, lanky, smart ass teenager in the Fresh Prince could have turned in a performance that is not only acting like Muhammed Ali, but being Ali. Will Smith may be the reason to see this film, but there is a hell of a lot more to it.
Firstly, i went to see it with my girlfriend, and she knows nothing about boxing. She loved it. So don't be worried if you don't like boxing, you don't have to.
The film follows the legendary boxers life over a 10 year period, where he wins the World heavyweight championship, becomes friends with Malcolm X, gets stripped of the title for not accepting his draft for the U.S army, and then wins his title back against the much younger george Foreman.
The film, directed by Michael Mann(Heat, The Insider) is sensational in its composition, particularly demonstrated at the start where scenes of Ali growing up, training to fight, and running are intercut with a soul singer in a smokey club filled with ladies. The atmosphere is spot on throughout the film.
The film strongly benefits from focusing on only 10 years of his life, giving the essence of Ali as a cultural icon.
The acting from the supporting cast is also excellent, particularly from Jamie Foxx as one of Ali's corner men, and John Voight (unrecognisable under all of the excellent makeup) as a commentator and Ali's friend.
The boxing scenes are also exceptionally realistic (most of them are real as Will Smith trained for months and actually took and threw the punches, most of which actually connected), and particularly the final fight which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. These fights make Raging Bull look highly choreographed.
The only dissapointment is the speed with which some of the issues are glossed over, both Malcolm X and his refusal to be drafted are not given enoug
h attention.
However, overall this is an unmissable experience, one of the worlds greatest cultural figures portrayed by some of the best acting you are ever likely to see.

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