This is definitely one of my favorite pictures showing the unusual life of Muhammad Ali, up until the time he first regained the Heavyweight Boxing Championship title. In addition, it also marks one of the best performances from Will Smith (MIB).

"Ali" follows the famed boxer from his original gain of the world's title through his oust from the sport due to refusing to serve in the Vietnam conflict, all the way to his return to spotlight. Upon his return, he masterfully stripped the title from then champion George Foreman in what was promoted as "Rumble in the Jungle."

Boxing pictures have always been interesting me, and in my opinion, director Michael Mann (Heat, Collateral) did not break new ground with his boxing sequences on this. However, the picture mostly focuses on Ali's fight of religious freedom in America as well as his trail of tattered relationships and love affairs. The film also spent screen time on his family, trying to accept his new found faith and name; from Cassius Clay to Cassius X and eventually Ali.

Smith's character of Ali was very charismatic and was very close to the real life man, as much as I've seen in archived news reels. Smith picked up an Academy Award® nomination for his portrayal that year.

One of my favorite performances from the picture came from John Voight (Mission Impossible), also nominated, as the icon of sports media Howard Cowsell. The picture defines the relationship between the sports caster and the boxer behind the scenes. Voight's Cowsell was nearly right on the money, aided by the make up department.

Ron Silver (Garbo Talks) also appears in an almost unrecognizable performance as Angelo Dundee, Ali's longtime trainer.

With everything I like about this picture, I don't exactly like Mann's pacing. The opening credits sequence drags on forever, oddly returning to this musical performance, which gives no clue how it was related to Ali's life in anyway. The picture kept the same theme from start to finish. Music must be a big part of Mann's life, cause he loves over-using it in his films.

Once the story was taken to Africa, for the infamous Rumble in the Jungle fight, the film took forever to actually get to the fighting. PLUS, we had to stop and meet what became another one of Ali's wives. This was fine, and that's what the movie was about, but Mann set up this fight so well, I as a viewer was extremely anxious to get to it. The material presented in between, I just did not care about.

The material and the look of the picture I loved, but because of the pacing, it seems to run much LONGER than it actually does.

I loved this picture, but yes there are some flaws and may not be everyone's cup of tea. Give it a try anyway.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?