Analysis of the Movie Ali Directed by Michael Mann

2097 Words5 Pages

Title: Ali

Director: Michael Mann

Release Date: December 11, 2011

List of Characters (Actor’s Name):

• Will Smith as Cassius Clay, Jr. / Cassius X / Muhammad Ali

• Jamie Foxx as Drew Bundini Brown

• Jon Voight as Howard Cosell

• Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X

• Ron Silver as Angelo Dundee

• Jeffrey Wright as Howard Bingham

• Mykelti Williamson as Don King

• Jada Pinkett Smith as Sonji Roi

• Nona Gaye as Belinda/Khalilah Ali

• Michael Michele as Veronica Porsche

• Joe Morton as Chauncey Eskridge

• Paul Rodriguez as Dr. Ferdie Pacheco

• Bruce McGill as Bradley

• Barry Shabaka Henley as Herbert Muhammad

• Giancarlo Esposito as Cassius Clay, Sr.

• Laurence Mason as Luis Sarria

• LeVar Burton as Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Albert Hall as Elijah Muhammad

• David Cubitt as Robert Lipsyte

• Michael Bentt as Sonny Liston

• James Toney as Joe Frazier

• Charles Shufford as George Foreman

• Robert Sale as Jerry Quarry

• Candy Ann Brown as Odessa

• David Haines as Rudy Clay / Rahaman Ali

• Leon Robinson as Joe Smiley

• David Elliott as Sam Cooke

• Shari Watson as Singer

• Malick Bowens as Joseph Mobutu

• Zaa Nkweta as Foreman Fight Announcer

• Brandon T. Jackson as Club Goer (uncredited)

• Victoria Dillard as Betty (wife of Malcolm X)

Sources: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248667/

Plot Summary:

The film begins with Cassius Clay Jr. before his championship debut against then heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Cassius Clay goes into the fight as the underdog and is able to dominate the early rounds of the match, but halfway through the fight Clay complains of a burning feeling in his eyes due to Sonny Liston attempting to blind Cassius with a substance on his glove. Cassius regains his eyesight and easily dom...

... middle of paper ...

...ggle with Parkinson’s disease and more detail into his relationship with his family. Michael Mann does a good job of incorporating scenes with not much going on with music to help set the mood of the scene. Also Michael Mann’s choice of cast was excellent, with actors such as Will Smith and Jamie Foxx. Will Smith does an excellent job of displaying an almost uncanny mastery of the real Ali’s mannerisms and speech patterns. Ali is a very inspirational and encouraging film that allows the viewer to get a closer feel to Muhammad Ali’s boxing career and legal turmoil. Michael Mann could improve this film by focusing in also on more of Muhammad Ali’s personal life outside of boxing and court trials. Strengths of this film were the excellent acting and intense boxing scenes which made the viewer feel as if they were actually watching a real boxing match.

Open Document