Review of Ali (2012) by Galaxy Quest P — 19 Apr 2012

Ali-ali-oxen-free! Yeah, I know that was cheesy, but hey, it's no cheesier than Will Smith, who is actually supposed to be believed as one of the greatest, manliest champions in boxing history, and actually pulls it off. It's one of the only times he's ever been totally believable as a black man, so I guess it would seem as though Michael Mann whipped him into shape, which is to be expected, considering that his name is actually "Mann". Of course, he's still got Eric Roth at his back, pulling him back into the cheese zone, which, don't get me wrong, I don't mind too much, just as long as it gives Eric Roth some work, because the boy still knows how to whip up a sceenplay, but boy, does he get admittedly sappy at points. So, this is a Michael Mann film on one of the manliest men ever, but it stars a real cheeseball and is written by a big cheeseball, so I guess the man factor kind of cancels out. It's the most half-manly-half-cheesy film out there, or at least when you look at the components of the film, because when you look at the final product, oh man, is it mantastically manliness, manned by man-y a manly moment... man. Okay, maybe it's not that manly either, but it's still pretty cool, though not quite slick enough for its missteps to just slide off.

I know that Eric Roth is "the" long script writer, even if that script is being touch by three other people (That should tell you how much I like him, considering that it's actually "Mann's" script, as well as that of two others), but really, this film wastes no time in wasting time, with the first 10 minutes being a montage set to soul music, and then we follow that up with that overlong slow-dance brawl between Ali and Liston, which, don't get me wrong, I understand is being portrayed like it really was, but come on people, tighten it up a bit. Well, I guess the film heard me when I said that, because after that first Ali/Liston brawl at the beginning, it dropped much of the looseness. However, the problem is that the film also drops much of the oomph that made those dragging moments still engaging in the process, and while the looseness of cut loose enough for you to not fall out of the film, because of the dilution of intrigue, the film just doesn't pack to hard of a punch for the longest time. It's never terribly slow to the point of being boring, but things do dry up awful fast and quite often, further plaguing a story already tainted by some degree of squandered potential in execusion. I'm not going to dwell on judging this film's portrayal of Muhammad Ali as much as other critics very much have, but this is a very worthy, very unique story that, contrary to the consensus' belief, could easily be done as well as you would hope, were in the hands of a great director, yet as things stand, while Michael Mann is perfectly competent, his interpretation of the legend is a smidge dry, a little bit underwhelming and - dare I say it - even rather generic, both as a boxing film and biopic. However, although the film doesn't land the hardest blow in the world, it definately hits just hard enough to hold your attention. It's not stellar, but it is certainly compelling, with resonance and intrigue when it needs it most, while the rest of the film still goes powered by, well, a fair deal of aspects, including style.

Now, the film isn't nearly as stylized as other Michael Mann films, nor is its cinematography even all that impressive, but the film is still quite handsome and engaging in its subtle artistry that touches the film with much livliness, particularly during the boxing sequences, some of which do go on longer then they should, but are always engaging, with tension and flare intensified by the style, as well as some brilliant editing and sound design, making for boxing sequences that marry realism with drama in a mostly tight and thoroughly effective fashion. Still, the film's highest points are not at all the boxing sequences, because although the film isn't as consistent as it should be with emotional oomph, with some golden moments in soundtrack and powerfully meditative moments in atmosphere, there are genuine moments of resonance, whether it be during the fall segments of Ali's rise-and-fall story or even a certain event involving Malcolm X, which was treated immensely more respectfully and emotionally with Malcolm X as a come-and-go secondary character than Spike Lee treated it with Malcolm X as the center of an epic. Now, in all fairness, that's not saying much, considering that the way Spike Lee treated that major event at the end of "Malcolm X" was realistic, but pretty ridiculous when it hits you that you just sat through an almost three-and-a-half hour film, only for something that should have been emotional to come off as just plain pretty messed up; but eitherway, the point is that, while this film will laps in engaging resonance, it does pack moments of powerful intrigue and even emotion to break up the underoomph (Yeah, I made that word up, what of it?). Still, even when the film isn't delivering as thoroughly as it should, you're still kept going by, if nothing else, the charm, which may not be terribly faithful to Ali's charisma, but still wins you over, even during the less effective dramatic moments, which still have enough charisma to earn your investment and interest. Really, the film doesn't kill as a docudrama, but it has its moments while still being consistently fascinating, and for that, credit goes out to Eric Roth's charming scr-I mean, Michael Mann's, Steven J. Rivele's, Christopher Wilkinson's "and" Eric Roth's neat screenplay that goes executed decently enough by Mann, as director. Still, the real man that carries this film is, of course, Will Smith, who's recognizably as charming as always, only this time, he throws in a subtle touch that makes all the difference. Don't get me wrong, this is Will Smith, and you never forget that, but immediately, effortlessly and subtley, Smith does the amazing and transforms all but entirely, not necessarily into Muhammad Ali, but another man, all together, and while he isn't given enough material to top off that transformation with awesome slam-bang acting, he glows in certain parts, but never doesn't impress, embodying the unique charm, confidence and personality that made the legendary boxer who he is, as a fighter, an icon and a person, and watching Smith become that is an experience, in it of itself.

At the sound of the bell, it's hard to not walk away a touch underwhelmed by a deal of slow spots and lack of oomph, made all the worse by a conventional tone and storytelling, yet the film battles on, powered by handsome style, as well as a fine screenplay and many a golden moment in genuine resonance - both during the action and in the sidelines -, which isn't to say that there's not still plenty of consistent charm, ameliorated by a strong, transformative performance by Will Smith, ultimately leaving "Ali" to stand as a rather improvable, but still thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating portrayal of the boxing legend to end all boxing legends at his lowest and highest.

3/5 - Good.