Ali

Mann has bound himself in the shackles of a biopic, and yet all the while we are being winked at by a loutish fighter from the Italian quarter. Whilst Mann formally once again sympathetically does his own thing (the cinematography, the music), in the dialogue and pacing he lacks Scorsese’s explosiveness, and the period is also reflected quite dimly. Thematically, the film packs a lot in (personal testimony, sports drama, agitation for racial tolerance), only to end up resolving nothing even in a two-and-a-half-hour runtime. A cruelly missed opportunity. (29.02.2008)

A brilliantly rendered life story of Muhamad Ali that focuses only on the important things in his life. Which is also the only significant downside, because in the 150 minutes or so, a lot of interesting things are only hinted at. (26.04.2005)

Unadorned resume from a visual master. Just like with his film "The Insider" two years prior, Michael Mann tells the story of a remarkable person, which speaks not only about the given subject matter, but also about various social issues and how people can be in tense conditions. And just like with "The Insider," the story is captivating, visually stunning, and interesting overall. However, it is too generous in length and uneven in pace. Whenever the camera does not focus on Ali, I don't have much to grasp onto, and the family problems become uninteresting filler. On the other hand, in moments when the main character encounters his fated women, they are among the strongest, because Mann applies his natural sense for romance in them. The best ally for him is, of course, Will Smith, who has found his strongest life role here, and for a single second, I never stopped believing in this complicated character. (21.08.2007)

Simply wonderful. A biographical drama as I like them best. No over the top going into unnecessary details, but the coherence of the central branch of the movie means watching Ali with bated breath. The moments in the ring are an unforgettable masterclass of cinema and the emotive moments are handled with similar bravado. Will Smith gives the performance of his lifetime and his depiction of Muhammad Ali is more than convincing - on occasions he simply IS Muhammad Ali. Michael Mann again filmed an excellent movie and this is his first movie using today much-discussed digital camera. But the important thing is what he does with that camera. And what he does is absolutely captivating. Here again we have that central thought that shows itself in each of Mann’s movies. This time it was the struggle of a man against the system. Muhammad Ali’s fight against everybody who didn’t understand one simple thing: That he was the best. (19.08.2006)

Michael Mann is the type of director who creates his own story, characters, plot, and Ali is exactly the type of film (perhaps the only one in his filmography) where this is not possible. (27.06.2005)

"Ali" is certainly not the best boxing movie ever made, but on the other hand, it is an interesting exploration into the life of a boxer who is known by many people as a legend, but not much is known about him. The first thing that occurred to me when I watched the film is the fact that it could have been much more controversial. The life of Cassius Clay, also known as Cassius X, also known as Muhammad Ali, was controversial, definitely interesting, and definitely had more to offer. I don't completely understand why the film avoided his illness, although it is true that it occurred later. But well, the film only focused on a certain part of his life, from his first steps in the ring to his first defeat against Joe Frazier and the subsequent fights that brought Ali into the spotlight. People loved him, as much as they hated him. It was impossible not to love him. His boxing style was incredible, and I don't think that anyone in history has been as fast and achieved as much success as he did. He didn't cover himself, why would he, when he was so fast that he could simply dodge the punches? The strongest moments are those in the ring and those where the camera focuses on Ali himself, which Will Smith played perfectly. Not only did he learn his way of speaking but also his boxing style. I consider this truly brilliant, and I can only agree that the beloved actor was nominated for an Oscar, even though he didn't win it. That year, his colleague Denzel Washington took the statue for the film "Training Day," where he gave his best performance. John Voight was also nominated for an Oscar but also didn't win. Throughout the whole film, I didn't recognize him, which is not so much his achievement but mainly the achievement of the makeup artists, who transformed his face beyond recognition. I wasn't as captivated by the film as I had hoped, "Warrior" had a much greater impact on me, but I still think that it is another example that boxing films are simply not bad. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/10/zitra-nehrajeme-lovci-dinosauru.html (01.03.2013)