'Boxing Biopic That Doesn't Fly Like A Butterfly, Nor Sting Like A Bee'
By all accounts, a biographical film on sports legend, Muhammad Ali, Ali chronicles the life of heavyweight boxing champion, formerly known as Cassius Clay, from his first-ever in-ring fight, subsequent doomed and short-lived relationships up to his conversion to Islam and the infamous Rumble in the Jungle' bout with George Foreman.
When Ali tanked at the box office and missed winning best actor for Ali, (Will) Smith spent the next two decades on sequels and a stream of popcorn, mainstream fodder that turned out to be duds - IRobot, Hancock, After Earth, Suicide Squad and recently, 2019's Gemini Man & Bright, as well as flirting with Scientology.
Haphazard and brazen, excluding the boxing scenes, Ali is undeservedly long-winded and bloated and but for the short spells involving his relationships with the three women he comes across, I was utterly disconnected with the story, which didn't attempt to pull me in, but rather bore me to death and omitting any insightful events and aspects of Ali's career and personal life; speaking of which, the film's telling of events is both sluggish and unengaging and lacks what the real Muhammad Ali possessed: firepower and character, -something Will Smith's portrayal cannot tap into. Smith is an entertainer, a good actor when the right movie and character role comes along; back in 2001, this was deemed by many as the breakout role of his career, as he tried as he might to cement his position as a leading Hollywood actor; fast forward 20 years on unfortunately, despite his efforts as one of the greatest boxers of all-time, Smith appears to be miscast. I wasn't watching Muhammad Ali onscreen - I was watching Will Smith impersonating Muhammad Ali and this is exemplified by his deep voice. I actually liked this Ali less, the longer the film went on.
Michael Mann aims for style over substance, and being flashy and showy. This should have been extraordinary as a film; whilst it tries its best, instead it settles for ordinary - and ordinary doesn't cut it when it comes to Ali's legacy. The ending is plausible, but it doesn't make up for the lack of depth that it has. The performances just about save this from being what would otherwise be a poor movie.
Whilst the extra mark I give seems generous, Ali should have amounted to something special, explosive and memorable. & unfortunately, it didn't. The script (courtesy of the writers of the remake of A Star is Born, Forrest Gump, Heat and Nixon) ought to have brought out the best out of the cast - had it been better developed.
Muhammad Ali has landed many punches towards his opponents in the ring, - yet contrary to that, this biopic, due to Michael Mann's style, & Smith's inability to convey Ali's charisma, doesn't make inroads in ways that I expected it to have; thus forth, this bog-standard drama doesn't manage to land that much-needed knockout blow.
Gripping and provocative, it was thus certainly by any means not.
Final Verdict:
Ali is Oscar bait, and still it didn't and doesn't make for a great movie.
To me, this was a disappointment.
Overall:
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