By VINCENT CIVITILLO
Features Editor
Muhammad
Ali is, with three reigns as world heavyweight champion, one of the greatest boxers
ever to put on a pair of gloves.
In
the 2001 film Ali, playing in the SEC Theater from April 25-28, the
flamboyant superstarÕs dramatic and controversial life is brought to the
big-screen in a biography that does his story justice, but leaves viewers dry
on entertainment.
The
movie begins as Cassius Clay, a.k.a. Muhammad Ali (Will Smith), defeats Sonny Liston
(former pro-boxer Michael Bentt) and is crowned champion for the first time in
his illustrious career. However, after dodging the Vietnam draft over religious
and moral beliefs, Ali is stripped of not only his title, but his license to
box as well. The remainder of the film is his out-of-the-ring battle to regain
the title he believes is rightfully his.
Those
heading into Ali expecting to see Rocky VI will be greatly
disappointed, as the movie is not by any means a boxing film and revolves
mostly around the politics involved with his life as a Muslim. The fights that
are featured in the picture are few and far-between, and supplemented with a
dreary type of music that makes them seem more dramatic than action-packed. Overall,
this only helps to slow down the pace of the film, which at 2 hours and 36
minutes, seemed too drawn out to begin with.
With
the extensive dive into religious and athletic politics that the film takes, its
only redeeming factor is its star.
Smith,
who spent months in training and preparation, did an excellent job of truly bringing
the role of Muhammad Ali to life. In addition to the 35 pounds the Fresh Prince
gained to equal AliÕs 220, make-up techniques were used to fill out his face
and taper down his trademark big ears. The end result was an actor who really
looked and sounded just like the man he was portraying.
Complementing
his physical mastering of the character was his flawless, Academy Award-nominated
portrayal of the living legend. Smith is hysterical and carefree Òon-camera,Ó
yet serious with a manner that seems to carry the weight of the world while
Òoff,Ó perfectly relaying the conflicting showmanship lifestyle the entertainer
led.
The
DVD, to be released on April 30, will be a greater disappointment to the champÕs
legacy than the film itself. With a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer,
proponents of fullscreen home videos will surely not find the transfer
Òpretty,Ó as it is the widest, and thus smallest appearing on a TV-screen,
aspect ratio available to a filmmaker. Additionally, the extra features section
will be nearly empty, with only a trailer and subtitles to accompany the film.
Although
the drawn out politics and dreary music of the movie give it the tendency to deliver
a KO to the attention spans of its viewers, SmithÕs performance in Ali
is definitely worth at least one sitting.
However,
with a DVD that hardly Òfloats like a butterflyÓ on the way, viewers interested
in seeing SmithÕs greatest performance should probably catch the film in the
SEC Theater while itÕs still there.