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Ali
2001 Directed by ; Michael Mann
Biopic of Muhammed Ali's rise to fame with Will Smith as Ali.
I'm a huge fan of Michael Mann, and this is probably the only film of his I hadn't seen. I don't know why, but when it was on general release I just didn't fancy it. For me Will Smith just isn't a serious actor, and perhaps this influenced my decision not to see it. I'm a huge fan of Ali as well, I own several documentaries including the excellent " When we were Kings ", perhaps the thought of Smith playing the iconic Ali just didn't do it for me, who would I have chosen, I honestly don't know.
My main gripes with Ali were that a very complex character was never really fleshed out or disected, instead there was an excessive amount of music montage with Smith trying to look mean and moody.
Mann has always been a fan of the music montage, and moody lighting, but whilst in other films he has not used it to the excessive, Ali felt like one long pop video/promo at times. I half expected Crockett and Tubbs to whizz past in an open topped ferrari at any moment. I found the fight scenes disjointed and disorientating, and not very plausible for the most part, and before the famous " Rumble in the Jungle " there was the most over sentimental montage of Ali connecting with the African people I have seen in ages.
To sum up, a huge dissapointment from a director I normally admire, and what should have been an iconic movie and a huge break from the norm for Smith, ends up knocked out in the first round!
Rating 1/5 ( against the ropes and facing a KO! )
2001 Directed by ; Michael Mann
Biopic of Muhammed Ali's rise to fame with Will Smith as Ali.
I'm a huge fan of Michael Mann, and this is probably the only film of his I hadn't seen. I don't know why, but when it was on general release I just didn't fancy it. For me Will Smith just isn't a serious actor, and perhaps this influenced my decision not to see it. I'm a huge fan of Ali as well, I own several documentaries including the excellent " When we were Kings ", perhaps the thought of Smith playing the iconic Ali just didn't do it for me, who would I have chosen, I honestly don't know.
My main gripes with Ali were that a very complex character was never really fleshed out or disected, instead there was an excessive amount of music montage with Smith trying to look mean and moody.
Mann has always been a fan of the music montage, and moody lighting, but whilst in other films he has not used it to the excessive, Ali felt like one long pop video/promo at times. I half expected Crockett and Tubbs to whizz past in an open topped ferrari at any moment. I found the fight scenes disjointed and disorientating, and not very plausible for the most part, and before the famous " Rumble in the Jungle " there was the most over sentimental montage of Ali connecting with the African people I have seen in ages.
To sum up, a huge dissapointment from a director I normally admire, and what should have been an iconic movie and a huge break from the norm for Smith, ends up knocked out in the first round!
Rating 1/5 ( against the ropes and facing a KO! )