As the title indicates, this is a biopic of the most charismatic figure in boxing history, Muhammad Ali. Yet rather than follow the conventional path of biopics, Mann focuses on perhaps the most eventful decade in Ali's staggering life - 1964-1974. Like all Michael Mann films, Ali is a beautiful looking and extremely well acted affair. Smith is in the form of his life, capturing the swagger, charm and arrogance of the boxer. It's not completely his show, as Jamie Foxx, Jeffrey Wright and an unrecognisable Jon Voight offer excellent support. Mann's direction, while ascetically incredible (his camerawork, usage of light and space borders on the profound) is where Ali falters. The decision to simply take a decade long look at the Champ's career may have seemed like a good idea, but there's no sense of pacing here, as major events literally pile up in the space of a few scenes, and many are unsatisfactorily dealt with. In the director's defence, it could be argued that he's more intent on recreating the period (which he does brilliantly) rather than making the 'definitive' Ali movie. Regardless, this is still very entertaining viewing.
