Review of Ali (2012) by William K — 12 Nov 2017

Attempting to encapsulate perhaps the busiest and most significant years in the life of transcendent Boxing legend Muhammed Ali, Michael Mann constructs a visually striking though not always emotional stirring portrait of the man and his exploits, both in and out of the ring.

The film goes on for too long and many scenes could be cut or trimmed, such as a pointlessly extended segment of Ali jogging in Kinshasa. Will Smith is an excellent fit for the part, perfectly aping Ali's mannerisms both inside the ring and out, lashing out at his opponents in rhyming denigration before fights and dancing around the ring during them.

The bouts are directed closely but mostly without being overwhelming, and the movements of the camera represent the disorientating nature of an intense boxing match. The lead performance is what sticks out the most, and is what the movie is best remembered for, and with good reason.

It was never flat-out boring, but feels like it skips over some major events in favour of lingering on minor ones. Its financial failure is a shame, because there's a lot to admire, both in the aesthetics and the performances, but it didn't quite reach the legendary heights of its subject matter.

But to be fair, what possibly could?