Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Allissa .Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

edeck I follow boxing to some extent, and have always been captivated by the Louis-Schmeling fights. However, I was unaware that Max was alive until just a few weeks ago. The movie does a good job based on the fact surrounding and leading up to the fight. As one poster mentioned earlier, they didn't note Max being champ in 1930, I believe. He beat James Braddock by DQ, then defended once, and lost to Braddock in rematch in controversial decision. I highly recommend this movie. The situation these two men were in had to be highly stressful. Louis defending his race and his nation, Max supposedly defending Nazi Germany and the White Race. Neither one appeared comfortable in those roles.

speechmasters I was surprised at the low overall rating this movie got. It won a Best Editing award, and the fine photography, editing, and one of the best jobs of musical scoring I have ever heard, alone, make it very watchable. Shot mostly on location in Berlin, check out the production design. Better than many feature films completed on ten times the budget. The interiors and exteriors of Harlem nightclubs and Third Reich headquarters never looked more accurate or better lit. I agree that there is some mis-casting, and while the acting isn't Oscar caliber, it isn't bad either. As far as being a movie for boxing fans only--no. I have no interest whatsoever in sports, and found the story compelling. The wider influence that sports has on society is an interesting context. Max Snelling getting big corporate sponsorship just months after honing a reputation as one of the worlds most hated personas--brings to mind parallels in todays celebrity-driven scene.

fugu_286 This could have been a great movie. All the elements where there. But this just ended up being too rushed with mediocre acting and uninspiring scenes. And there were a few things that just never happened. Like Schmeling going off on those MP's, oh please. Yes, the Allied occupation authorities did get on Max's case about building without a permit but anybody who's read Max's bio (highly recommended!) would know the issue was resolved peacefully. Max's wife somehow becomes an ego-centric Nazi b*** and the relationship between the movie's namesakes seems cold. Max appears to pity Louis more than he respects him. The extras in the film are notoriously bad, especially the 6'2" (!) Marciano who appears to be TALLER than Louis! And what about Max's experience as a paratrooper in Crete? They spend all of one minute on that. Scenes just flash by. Err, read "Max Schmeling: An Autobigraphy".

tomfloyd2002 A historical account of boxers Joe Louis vs Max Schmeling, America's democracy vs Hitler's nazis, black race vs white race, sprinkled with the German supremist attitude demonstrated by showing the persecution of jews & blacks. Both fighters are shown to have accomplished careers in the boxing ring, Schmeling becoming the European champion and Louis becoming the World champion. When they meet Schmeling takes the first bout in 1936, and Louis hospitalizes Schmeling in the 1938 rematch. Then problems in Louis' personnel life overshadow his athletic accomplishments culminating in his divorce and insurmountable debt to the IRS. Schmeling survives being hunted in WW II by american GI's who despise him for being perceived as a publicly visible Nazi. He is then hired by post war Coca-Cola as a spokesman and begins living a stable successful life. Max hears of Joe's hard times, locates him and kindles a friendship with his former opponent, which lasts until Joe's death in 1981.The movie fails to deliver. Acting is mediocre, the lines are not compelling; I kept waiting for the movie to "get going", but it never did. The story is historically interesting, but dry in presentation.