

Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Will Smith | ... | Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali | |
Jamie Foxx | ... | Drew 'Bundini' Brown | |
Jon Voight | ... | Howard Cosell | |
Mario Van Peebles | ... | Malcolm X | |
Ron Silver | ... | Angelo Dundee | |
Jeffrey Wright | ... | Howard Bingham | |
Mykelti Williamson | ... | Don King | |
Jada Pinkett Smith | ... | Sonji | |
Nona Gaye | ... | Belinda Ali | |
Michael Michele | ... | Veronica Porche | |
Joe Morton | ... | Chauncey Eskridge | |
Paul Rodriguez | ... | Dr. Ferdie Pacheco | |
Bruce McGill | ... | Bradley | |
Barry Shabaka Henley | ... | Herbert Muhammad | |
Giancarlo Esposito | ... | Cassius Clay, Sr. |
In 1964, a brash new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes on to the scene, Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self confidence with his unapologetic belief that he is the greatest boxer of all time. To his credit, he sets out to prove that with his highly agile and forceful style soon making him a formidable boxer who soon claims the heavyweight championship. His personal life is no less noteworthy with his allegiance to the Nation of Islam, his friendship with the controversial Malcolm X and his abandonment of his slave name in favor of Muhammad Ali stirring up controversy. Yet, at the top of his game, both Ali's personal and professional lives face the ultimate test with the military draft rules are changed, making him eligible for military induction during the Vietnam War. Despite the fact that he could easily agree to a sweetheart deal that would have meant an easy tour of ... Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
Well, if you went to Ali to see an boxing movie you might have been disappointed, but if you went to see a great film you hit the mark. The hype was due. A conglomerate of great acting, great direction, and a great story has made Ali a landmark film. This film is socially important because it raises up one of the most notable and underappreciated figures of the twentieth century, Ali. Many considered Ali just a boxer with a big mouth, but this film finally exposes him for what he truly was, one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our time. The film makes subtle but amazingly-done comparisons between Ali and other civil rights leaders, notably Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and highlites Ali's influence with theirs. This theme is climaxed in the beautiful scene of Ali (Will Smith) running down streets in Africa with local chidren chanting his name. At this moment in the film, we understand as viewers that Ali did not fight for fame or fortune, but he fought for his rights and the rights of all black people in the United States and the world. No other film has exhalted Ali's influence in such a way. It was beautifully done. Ali will become one of my favorite films of all time, and I believe will be remembered years from now as the crowning achievement of both the main actor and the director. I applaud their efforts