Ali (2001) – 3.5/5

Ali (2001) Powerful and well done. Not a “boxing movie.”

I was surprised to find that this movie glorifies nothing and no one: not Ali, not boxing, not Islam, not really anything. It all looks pretty bad.

The opening scene sets the tone of Ali working out w/ flashes to his background in confusion of identity and Sam Cooke’s performance w/ all the ladies.

Ali starts w/a relationship w/ him and soon turns strongly to Malcolm X and Islam. W/ all these relationships and more including the U.S. government, his wives, Don King, etc. he “fights” his own fight in his own way. And usually he loses.

I saw a man who despite all his claims of who he is, he has no idea who he is. He only sees himself as the Champ and is fighting to make it true.