Big George Foreman

Finally a biographical pic on one of the most inspirational boxers of the century! I'd be lying if I wasn't hyped as hell to watch Big George, and for the most part it was exactly what I wanted!

Unfortunately, the third act was when things started to get a bit iffy, following Foremans decade long hiatus from boxing. I don't expect the film to broadcast EVERY single one of Foremans fights, but they really rushed his comeback. The training was all fine, but the Holyfield and Moorer fights were really downplayed, to the point that they used stock footage for Holyfield v Foreman. And then suddenly we are dropped into the Moorer fight with perhaps little to no buildup whatsoever. And then the film just kind of ends all of a sudden. The pacing took an absolute nosedive.

On a side note, the Jamaican accent that Foreman's wife uses was shockingly bad and killed any seriousness in a scene with her in it.

Beyond those issues, and perhaps a bit of an intrusive soundtrack at times, this is as good of a George Foreman biopic as you could ask for.

Overall the movie does a very good job taking the viewer through the life of George Foreman who is often overshadowed by Muhammed Ali. The movie takes its time walking the audience through the major stages of his life and from my knowledge is quite historically accurate. As for the entertainment value it doesn't pack the same punch as the fictional Creed movies and the fight scenes lack the flare of those in Creed or Rocky , but the movie is not as much about Foreman's boxing career solely as it is more about the man's journey through life.

His accomplishments in the ring are no doubt impressive, but the story of how he arrived there is perhaps more interesting. Certainly a must see movie for any fan of boxing history , but it probably won't connect with viewers who have never heard of George Foreman before. It also lacks some of the glitz and glamour of other boxing movies which could lead some viewers to view it less favorably.

I sure learned a lot from this biographical film, and Foreman's story is like one of those fictional underdog Hollywood films, but it's true. It doesn't get much better than that. All casting and performances where excellent, especially Sullivan Jones who emulated Muhammad Ali perfectly. Even though the pacing felt a little slow at times, the 129 min runtime still flew by with the many vast sub-plots that contributed to Foreman's life story. The screenplay had great fluidity and cohesiveness to it, and was very easy to follow, albeit a little reserved. My only complaint was that I felt the action/fight sequences were filmed underwhelmingly, and could've used more dramatics and better choreography. Plus I felt they were a little too short and rushed, and the focus was more on the story than the action. I'm ok with that, because I wasn't expecting a Rocky or Creed film, but the biographical story of a legendary human being, and that's exactly what I got.

I have a great admiration and respect for George Foreman. Having lost the World Heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali, his comeback story is one that begs to be seen. Having almost died after a boxing match, George credited his resurrection to Jesus and became a preacher and preached on the streets first. Due to financial problems from mishandling of his funds, George was forced to get back into the ring one last time.

There's a title fight between Tommy Morrision(the real-life boxer who starred in Rocky V 1990) and Foreman that you should see. Shannon Briggs, Tommy Morrison, Evander Holyfield, Jimmy Young, and Muhammad Ali are the five boxers who have beaten Foreman. Foreman's last fight I believe was with Shannon Briggs. Briggs won by a majority decision(MD). In a total of 81 fights, George has won an incredible 76 and losing only five times. Had he boxed more this record could've been huge. He was a huge powerhouse of a boxer and only a very few could withstand his punches.

The movie deals with Foreman's life as a youngster, quickly moving into his boxing career where he faced the likes of Joe Frazier. The Muhammad Ali match dubbed the "Rumble In The Jungle" is the highlight. I believe the real actual whole match is available free to see online if you are an enthusiast. I watched Facing Ali that showed actual highlights from the fight so I did not care to see the full fight. The movie's acting, directing, sound-effects and music are top-notch. Khris Davis plays Big George and Sullivan Jones plays Ali. I thought Jones was terrific in his portrayal of the brash and arrogant Muhammad Ali dubbed "The Mouth Of The South".

Verdict: it's way better than Creed 3(2023) and of course it's based on the true life story of a "real-life" boxer.

Other boxing movies: Dempsey(1983), Brutal Glory(1989), Gladiator(1992), Fighting Tommy Riley(2004), Cinderella Man(2005).

Thanks for reading this review and as Mister Spock says, live long and prosper.

I never knew the story of George foreman but it really was an inspiring and uplifting to watch. To see George's upbringing and dealing with his angry and challenges as a child and into his adult life was encouraging and fun to watch him start to succeed. The acting was solid and I personally had a strong attachment to the main character that you see his development from a boy to a man. His nature of giving back and self exploration was captured really well and had you rooting for him every step of the way. Watching his ups and downs and struggles was truly inspiring and thought the movie captured it well.