Konterr Brilliant and touching

Borgarkeri A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Aedonerre I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

andressolf When I was 10 years old (in 2000) I first heard of Ali through a Nickelodeon broadcast. I was so proud of what I had learned, and what I had seen that I went to school and I asked the smartest boy in class "do you know who Muhammad Ali is?" He either said no, or gave an unenthusiastic nod of the head yes. I was shocked that no one in the class seemed to know or care about him as much as I did.The show I had watched was "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: A Lifestory of Mohammed Ali: Mohammad Ali".For YEARS after that I loved Muhammed Ali, just based on that show alone. I would talk highly about him on occasion, and even rented books on him. I held him in high regard with the likes of Bruce lee, and all the other heroes at the time.Well long story short: I loved him up until I saw this film. This film was so crappy, and such a waste of time that I actually lost respect for Muhammed Ali as if it was his fault that such a crappy film was made.What makes it so crappy? Well 1) Nothing new is covered. Everything I learned in that Nickelodeon program that I watched at ten years old is still here, and I would say that program was still better. 2) Not enough details are given. I didn't learn how he trained, how long he trained, what he ate, or even how he thought of felt before a fight. I didn't learn his inner thoughts or inner-workings. I didn't gain any insight or wisdom from him 3) there are too many replays and re-hashes of old footage, no full fights or anything enlightening.Bottom line: It's not fun. It's a collection of sad sob stories with occasional praising of Ali thrown in. I would recommend "Nick News: A Lifestory of Mohammed Ali" over this because in that 30 minute I learned everything I needed to know about about Muhamed Ali, and in this hour plus program I learned nothing new.

lastliberal It was 1964, I was 14 years old. It seems so long ago - well, it was. I was in the seminary in Subiaco Arkansas listening one night to Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston. It started a love of boxing that lasted a very long time.This film was a blend of talking and boxing. It kept you glued to the screen so you wouldn't miss a word or a moment of action.It was a well balanced film; giving the good and the bad. You gained a real insight into Muhammad Ali, and into those who fought him. A fight with Ali was literally a lifesaver for Ken Norton, who was broke.An excellent documentary about a great man.

nelspit FACING ALI is a fantastic documentary that is a befitting tribute to the man who is undeniably "The Greatest", Muhammad Ali. I absolutely loved this "career biography" that is told by some of his most significant former opponents like Joe Frazier and George Foreman. It is easy to see why Ali is the Greatest Fighter of all time. The film has a well blended combination of historical footage and contemporary interviews beginning with his early professional fights through his last fight with Larry Holmes. It recalls his conversion from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali and how he stood by his principles. We also get some insight into the men who fought him as they recount some of their own history. But mostly it is an affectionate tribute to great fighter and a great man.

peg-643-793403 I have seen a lot of material regarding Muhammad Ali. Movies, clips from his greatest fights, documentaries, interviews and many, many more. This is what I was expecting when I sat down to watch 'Facing Ali'. Another documentary concerning this extraordinary man's exploits.What I found, however, was something else. Something that kept me glued to the screen for the entirety of the film.The premise of 'Facing Ali' is simple. Ten fighters who had traded blows with Ali during his remarkable career are interviewed. George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Ron Lyle, Larry Holmes and many other great boxers give their opinion on their fights with Ali, as well as Ali the boxer and Ali the person.The interviews are beautifully done, with each fighter recounting their experiences, both personal and official. I found it riveting to hear each one's story. The pain and heartache each one endured to get where they were was clearly visible, as were their vivid recollections of their experiences with Ali. They say history is written by winners. This documentary identifies the men who were on the other side, who lived in the shadow that was Ali. They are no less remarkable.The shooting style was very simple, and it worked. The interviews are interwoven with various Ali quotes and footage, as well as (of course) clips from his greatest fights over the course of his career. The whole thing comes together to keep one interested. This is no mere recollection of a great boxer's fights. It is also about Ali the man, a fighter of awesome ability, but also a man with a conflicted life, filled with hardship. This is told from the point of view of the men on the other side of his gloves.This documentary is deserving of any praise it receives. 'Facing Ali' may have been told from the side of his opponents (phenomenal fighters and people in their own right), but it leaves little doubt - Ali was, and always will be, one of the greatest.