Muhammad Ali

Wow, what a triumph this documentary is! Ken Burns is to documentaries what Muhammad Ali was to boxing, the Greatest!

I must admit when I heard this series was in four 2 hour parts, I wondered what more can possibly be said about Muhammad Ali. But trust me there is not one boring second in this documentary. I have seen all the Muhammad Ali ones and outside of When We Were Kings, which focuses on his trip and fight with Foreman in Africa, this Ken Burns one is the definitive one and if you were going to see only one, this is it. Muhammad Ali is known by sound bites and excepts but here we see better the contexts where his words were spoken. The footage restoration is amazing! Malcolm X has never looked more magnificent on film. This is one for the ages, after Civil War, Jazz and more Ken Burns does it again. I hope he gets decorated for telling American history honestly.

Of the over a dozen documentaries on the life of Ali -- which this reviewer has seen -- this is the best, the sharpest, the most nuanced. It deals albeit indirectly with the unspoken issue of whether Ali really was the best boxer ever (even at his peak) or whether it is what the Japanese call his "fighting spirit" which put him over the top. Fighting spirit may well be what kept this incredible man in the minds and hearts of the public for so many years. A similar story will hopefully be told one day about Elvis, also at one time the greatest in his chosen vocation, who similarly was forced by circumstances to give up his throne too early, and take a very different direction. (Eg., search "Dentons Benton 2011")

Older than I Ali always popped up. This documentary is a fitting tribute to an athlete who I can measure my life with. A must watch.

I have read and watched almost everything published about Cassius Marcellus Jr. Clay, and while in his early 20's later accepting the Islam name, Muhummad Ali. I can never read or see enough film about Ali's early life and trajectory to become not only a sports hero but a legend for mankind.

Ali has been photographed and interviewed more than any other man/woman in the past century. It may sound strange but I don't think of Muhummad Ali as a famous and successful.three (3) times Heavyweight Boxing Champion. I will always remember his speech when he was asked why he refuses to go to Vietnam and if he was prepared to go to jail if he continues to refuse to go to war and fight for his country. Over the next several decades Ali maintained steadfastly his religious beliefs and used his fame to the betterment of not only African Americans but to all children, men and women around the world.

This documentary series provides an excellent insight into not only the man Muhummad Alli, but also insight into the many people who were close to him and influenced him both as a father, friend, fighter and as a political and civil rights leader.

This is a must see documentary series narrated with perfection by actor Keith David that I will need to purchase when it becomes available.

I give the series a perfect 10 out of 10 IMDB rating.

In the first of the three parts, the titles not represented here, we basically see a calculated move for amateur boxer to the heavyweight champion of the world. This incredible documentary shows us a man of enormous talent as a boxer, using tenuous methods to psyche his opponents, including the continual baiting of Sonny Liston, a heavy favorite to defeat hm. We are shown his movement toward Islam and his connections to Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammed. Also, his embracing of the pageantry of the sport. I will add more to this review after seeing the second part.

Having seen the second part we can see what can make for an ugly country. Granted, Ali was abrasive. But he was true to himself and formidable. This episode involves his confrontation with the draft during the Vietnam War. He refused to recognize the draft and paid dearly for it. He was stripped of his license to fight and had his title taken away from him for his personal and religious beliefs. Even though, as a celebrity, he would never have seen combat. He held fast to his religion. We are shown the small mindedness that would allow over a hundred white fighters with felony convictions to keep their licenses (murderers, armed robbers, etc.) while he was taken apart by politicians and law officers. It also shows his achieving the heavyweight championship and all the twists and turns he needed to fight his way back. More in the third part.

Now we have the most intense part of this series. It involves, first of all, Ali's having to deal with the five year sentence for avoiding the draft. But, the most interesting is his battle with Joe Frazier, whom he hated for some reason. Here we see Ali at his worst, abusing this man, making fun of his looks and his speech, and saying he is stupid. It went beyond his usual promotion of a fight. We all know what happens when they meet for the first time. This is a turning point. Ali wants a rematch but Frazier goofs it all up when he meets George Foreman. Ali also has bumps along the way and is starting to lose those youthful advantages. Episode 4 is on its way.

This was difficult to watch. When Ali fought George Foreman and wins, he gained a new sense of invulnerability. Because he had thrown so much money away or showed kindness to people, he felt he needed to keep going and he continued to fight way too frequently. After losing to Leon Spinks, he gets a rematch, defeats him, and gets his title back for the third time. The perfect time to quit. But then we see the decline of his health and his efforts to foolishly fight while ill and aging. This is a terrific documentary and it gives us a balance view of a man who was vile sometimes, loving most of the time, and never deterred. Excellent.