I Am Ali

Many people comment on this documentary based on their thoughts of Ali, and I think it is wrong. You may think whatever you want about him, but this title is for the documentary of him, that's not the place to argue his personality or whatever.

The documentary had very rare tapes and it was definitely worth watching. However, I did not like how his influence on people was covered, because many stories were short and out of context. The setup of the documentary was also quite straightforward, and it could be done a thousand times better. For instance, you can see how The Last Dance of Michael Jordan was setup, and this storyline here is not just satisfying.

All things aside, it was worth watching the human part of Muhammed Ali with its beauty and ugliness. He is one of the greatest legends of all times, and this documentary will definitely have a place in any collection about sports.

Of course some can argue whether Ali was that so great or not (each one has your own conclusion), but the main point here is that this is really a very good movie and worth to be watched.

The movie is very educational for those who just arrived from Mars and know nothing about that remarkable character, and very enjoyable to the ones already familiar with Ali's career. Whatever it is your case, the movie will catch your attention by covering some important moments of Ali's career mixed with some of his personal life.

Throughout the film, there are testimonies of people who were present in the life of Muhammad Ali during his time as a great heavyweight fighter in boxing. This includes coaches, editors, journalists and family members, describing memorable passages of the life of Ali at that time.

Beyond that, there is no way to deny he was one of the greatest figures from the past century, far beyond the sport scenario, and with a great story above all.

Review: I was really looking forward to this movie because it's been some time since there has been a documentary on Ali, but this movie didn't really show anything that we don't already know. I liked the footage were they are playing the hidden tapes of Ali talking to his daughter and the interviews with Tyson and Jim Brown but most of the information is things that we have heard time and time again about the legend. I was also hoping to see some footage of Ali nowadays but the director chose to stick with old footage. We all know that he was one of the greatest fighters of all time and that he didn't shy away from speaking his mind so I didn't really see the point of this documentary. It was more of a movie about him as a devoting father and how much he cared about family, even though he couldn't help playing away from home. All of the boxing footage was OK but, once again, it isn't anything that we haven't seen before. In all, it's good that they are paying respect to a man who is suffering with Parkinson's decease and has achieved so much in his life but the documentary isn't anything new. Watchable!   

Round-Up: This film really does show that Ali was a number one entertainer and that he cared a lot about his family and fans. The story about the sick kid who was dying from cancer was touching and when he let one of his fans stay in his house, it really did show that he has a loving heart. It was also good to see how he treated his family, especially his brother and his daughter when she was young but I still didn't learn anything new about the man himself. I honestly feel that the movie Ali, was more of a deep insight about the man and the people around him. Don't get me wrong, it is a watchable film and I'm sure that a lot of boxing fans, or fans of Ali, will enjoy the film but I honestly thing that there was more to the man that what the public already know. It doesn't really touch on his various relationships or how he treated his women but when you think about the amount of children he has, which is 9, he obviously was a ladies man. At 73, he is still classed as the best boxer of all time, close to Tyson in his prime, but it's sad to see him loose his sharp wit and supreme boxing skills, to a illness which must be hard to live with.

I recommend this movie to people who are into their boxing documentaries about the boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, and his devoting love for his kids and his family. 4/10

Where do you begin assessing such an individuals inspirational story?

Browse any bookshops, any DVD store and the titles devoted to Ali stretch and stretch. There will be always be people who will disaffect themselves from his achievements. They will point to his infidelity. How a man who converted to the Islamic faith was also a skirt chasing womaniser. Granted, the negatives will say his boxing genius is undeniable, but they will cancel any semblance of his skills by attributing and highlighting his less than perfect outside boxing antics and rank him undeserving of the majority who consider him an amazing person.

I'm a fan of boxing. I enjoyed the unseen footage we have here. Clips, family interviews, and other footage has been assembled to show a personal side of Ali - in particular reference to his family life - a major highlight are the archived audio recordings between Ali and his young children.

Ali was a victim of circumstance. He came along in the glitz and revolution of the 60's, and took the boxing world by storm. There have been other colourful characters in boxing history - Ali though was wildly different. A firework personality whilst his peers stuck to the persona of being a boxer and nothing else. When the events unfolded (his Vietnam draft) he stood firm to his beliefs and with an unbreakable confidence eventually, aided by the sea-change of thought against the Vietnam War, overcame the situation. It was the 60's a time of cultural and irrevocable change.

Love him? Loathe him?

He never withered in the face of extreme criticism. I admire him for that. From the beginning he set out to conquer the boxing world - the adoration, the mythic status afforded to him, unexplainable, but who hasn't met somebody in their lifetime who commands a special kind of attraction by virtue of their charisma.

If you're a fan of pugilism,, then watch this, as it demonstrates why Ali was a grade 11 in athletic prowess when most champions were blessed to reach a grade 8, 9, if they were considered exceptional. All stars shine in the universe, Ali was the universe when it came to boxing.

A movie buff will appreciate this film. It is a well made documentary. At times very moving, funny, and always informative with the rare unseen footage moments.

'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them', Shakespeare said.

Ali has led an extraordinary life. In fact many might say he is has achieved all three of what the bard wrote about 'greatness'.

Muhammed Ali is still a divisive figure in the USA. Lot less so in other parts of the world. In 1999 he was voted the greatest sportsman of the 20th Century by a BBC sports review programme. Ali got more votes than the rest of the top 10 sports personalities combined.

We now live in a day when sportsmen thank their business managers, accountants and stand up for something only when it has been first approved by their publicist.

It were different days back then and Ali divided America and rest of the world by changing his name, religion and refusing to be drafted into the US army and go fight in Vietnam.

There is nothing new here but it is a good documentary if you know little of Ali and wanted to understand and know more of the man.

Ali does not appear apart from old film footage. However there is an emphasis on his personal and family life by way of various audio recordings he made which he gave to one of his daughter's which is new. You also get to see the usual stuff like his exploits in the ring, his politics, religious conversion etc.

The film does show us a little of this complex even contradictory man. Veronica Porsche confirms that she was seeing Ali while he was still married. He had children from many women but wanted his kids to know each other and seems to have maintained good relationships with his ex wives.

There is good use of soul music, it is good to hear from members of his family, past and present as well as other celebrities. It is not ground breaking but a good introduction of Ali.