Review of Ali (2012) by John B — 26 Jan 2014

As a big Muhammad Ali fan I was looking forward to seeing this film a lot. Upon seeing I realised the biggest problem in making a film about Ali, no one can play him in a film. He is truly unique and not even a talented actor like Will Smith can pull it off.

Not only that but you can't tell the story spanning ten years between the first Liston fight and the rumble in the jungle against George Foreman in a few hours. Mann never really explained the power of the opponents Ali was facing in the picture. In many ways it was the men he fought and beat which made him so great. They weren't just your average heavyweights Sonny Liston Joe Frazier and George Foreman all deserve their place in boxing history. This film never really touched on any of that.

Also it never depicted the trouble he had being banned from boxing for over three years.

You'd get much more knowledge and entertainment from watching a good Ali documentary then you would from this picture. At least you'd see Ali for how truly amazing he was and is.