Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
First thing I’ve seen on this film so far. I believe this may well have been the very first screening. I know that MAJESTIC played somewhere on Monday or Tuesday, and now ALI has finally weighed in. The Christmas blockbusters are starting to take shape, and here’s IRONSIDE with your first look at Will Smith’s attempt to fill the shoes of “The Greatest”...
Hey, kids.
Saw ALI at the Pacific Lakewood Center North in Lakewood, CA this evening.
With all the disappointments from Spielberg, Lucas, etc. lately - let me quell any fears you might have for this movie:
Michael Mann does NOT let us down!
I will keep this review spoiler-free out of respect to the filmmakers.
Will Smith as Ali does not disappoint. He plays his role perfectly. While not "Best Actor" quality, there are only a few moments where you might find yourself thinking, "I'm watching Will Smith..."
Jon Voight as Howard Cosell -- Normally I LOATHE Jon Voight, but he is AWESOME here!! I LOVED every moment he was on screen! His scenes with Will Smith are very humorous and brighten this movie immensely.
Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X -- Who knew this guy could act? He's brilliant! He delivers a speech about Malcolm X's motivations (in a hotel with Ali in the background) and it's just riveting. Possible Best Supporting Actor? Maybe -- all I know is that I wanted to see more of him.
Jamie Foxx -- As a dramatic actor? You bet! Humorous in almost every scene he's in - but the part does call for him to break down into a pit of despair. And he delivers.
The cinematography is EXCELLENT. Emmanuel Lubezki gets his camera IN CLOSE. He is very aware of his Depth-Of-Field, keeping what Michael Mann wants you to see in focus and everything else blurry.
Boxing has never looked so real or exciting.
Also, the use of music was good. A lot of authentic 1960s / early 1970s R&B and "soul" music is used flawlessly to put you in the atmosphere of the black culture. During other scenes, there was some Moby and a temp track from "The Thin Red Line" used as filler (this was a test print). Expect those to disappear and be replaced by Lisa Gerrard type stuff (ala The Insider).
However, that's not to say that the movie is without flaws...
Unlike The Insider or Heat, I didn't really care what happened to the main character. The movie seemed a little impersonal...We see what happens to him from 1964-1974 but what does he FEEL? We're kind of left wondering...
But it's still the most "REAL" movie that any studio has put out this year! I recommend it to anyone who loves a GOOD movie - not that fake crap you usually expect from a studio.
Fans of Michael Mann fear not!! (Michael Mann was at this screening, but never announced himself.)
Let me also stress that this was the first time this movie has been shown to an audience. This is still considered a "work in progress" - with some temp music, no color-balancing, etc.. Expect it to be even BETTER when it comes out for release in December.
Call me IRONSIDE.
Thanks, IRONSIDE. If anyone else saw the film, and you disagree or agree, or you want to simply add more detail about what you saw, you know where to reach us, and we are dying to hear from you...
"Moriarty" out.
