Ali (Michael Mann)
Grand and ambitious and overlong: par for the course for Michael Mann. The two key sequences–a dynamic opening-credits-plus montage that crackles with intelligence, and a moving tour through Zaire culminating in Ali the man confronting Ali the legend–work like gangbusters. The fights go for ultra-realism and sadly are a bit of a wash. As a biopic, it’s more impressionistic and fragmented than is the norm, and for a while you groove on Mann’s virtuosity, Emmanuel Lubezki’s superb cinematography, and the Fresh Prince’s honest, unpretentious performance. Ultimately a bit unfocused and wearying, nonetheless. B-
