Ali (2001)

Muhammed Ali's life is big enough for six movies, let alone one. A giant life, that thankfully was brought alive again by Will Smith. He's just perfect here. Everything from the cadence of his voice to his glide across the ring. He was born to play him. Arguably, this is the performance of his career. Throughout, this is a thrill ride. Michael Mann does as good of a job as he was expected to do. The only qualm I have is how reliant his direction is on other existing sources. His interpretation of Ali's relationship with Malcom X leaves a lot to be desired. It copies Spike Lee's Malcom X, right down to the moment of his assassination, and the usage of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Going to Come". Mann also has a bit of trouble balancing Ali the activist with Ali the fighter within the narrative. It's not an easy feat, but Mann isn't exactly a novice director either. 4 out to 5 Stars.