Reel Critics

Peggy Rogers

Ali! Ali! Ali! The champ is here! the champ is here! the champ is

here!

Covering 10 years in the life of the heavyweight champion, 1964 to

1974, “Ali” merges the events of the fighter’s trials and tribulations in

the ring with the national headline breaking news events such as the

Vietnam war and Martin Luther King’s assassination. The result is

potentially a cause and effect accounting of Ali’s life.

Will Smith (“Men In Black”) portrays the champ as a man in control of

his professional affairs yet out of control with women. Hence his ability

to win, lose and win back the title unfairly taken from him within a

10-year time span during that time he was also married and divorced three

times.

Director Michael Mann (“Miami Vice,” “The Insider”) reveals the human

qualities of Ali, the positive and negative, giving a realistic view of a

living sports legend. The portrayal never appears to favor Ali’s winning

qualities over his losing qualities, leaving viewers with the same

opinion of Ali they arrived with. The result is a multifaceted social

portrayal of Ali, an overview allowing for a revelation of different

points of view regarding his career, religion, marriages, friendships and

social beliefs.

One of the strength’s of “Ali” rests with John Voight’s (“Tomb of

Laura Croft”) re-creation of Howard Cossell. Voight’s uncanny ability to

capture Mr. Cossell’s personality, enhanced by superb makeup, results in

entertaining on-screen encounters with Ali. It exposes a personal as well

as professional relationship that greatly benefited them both while

providing a counter balance between Ali’s other relationships portrayed

as purely economical.

Ron Silver (“Reversal of Fortune”) as Ali’s manager is a highly

visible presence but asilent force throughout the film. The entourage is

seen but not heard. I kept waiting for the story of Ali and his manager

to spring into action. The training and winning strategies that Ali

incorporated and depended upon are not addressed in the film beyond a few

sound bites.

Jamie Foxx (“Any Given Sunday”), Paul Rodriguez, Jeffrey Wright and

Jada Pinkett along with Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X round out the

supporting cast with quality performances.

“Ali” is an entertaining Hollywood biography. A merging of fact with

strong doses of poetic license richly filmed. While not as hard-hitting

as one of Ali’s punches, it goes the distance.

* PEGGY J. ROGERS, 39, produces commercial videos and documentaries.