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Though it will always be remembered as the movie featuring the "other" Hannibal Lecter, Michael Mann's 1986 thriller Manhunter is nearly as good as The Silence of the Lambs, and in some respects it's arguably even better. Based on Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon, which introduced the world to the nefarious killer Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter, the film stars William Petersen (giving a suitably brooding performance) as ex-FBI agent Will Graham, who is coaxed out of semiretirement to track down a serial killer who has thwarted the authorities at every turn.

Graham's approach to the case is a perilous one. First he seeks counsel with Lecter (Brian Cox) in the latter's high-security prison cell--an encounter that is utterly horrifying in its psychological effect--and then he begins to mold his own psyche to that of the killer, with potentially devastating results. As directed by Mann (who was at the acme of his success with TV's Miami Vice), this sophisticated cat-and-mouse game never resorts to the compromise of cheap thrills. Predating Anthony Hopkins's portrayal of Lecter by four years, Cox plays the character closer to Harris's original, lower-key conception, and he's no less compelling in the role. Petersen is equally well cast, and as always Mann employs rock music to astonishing effect, using nearly all of Iron Butterfly's heavy-metal epic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" to accompany the film's heart-stopping climactic sequence. All of this makes Manhunter one of the finest films of its kind, as well as further proof that Harris's fiction is a blessing to any filmmaker brave enough to adapt it. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (320)

Manhunter is a treat....
especially for fans of Michael Mann, and his stylish, intense film presentation. If you absolutely must have your movies true to the book, or if you are watching Manhunter to try to get an early view of Hannibal Lecter (pre-Silence of the Lambs), you may be disappointed.

Mann gives us William Petersen, a little younger and thinner, but much the same as his current role in the television feature "CSI". He has nearly destroyed himself and his family life with his ability to profile serial killers, and his inability to stay out of harm's way. The villain of this setting (and the book, "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris) is called the "Tooth Fairy" and his slaughter of two families is particularly grisly; how and why he chose his victims will surprise you. Mann's use of rock classics for the score, and his choice of actors for the parts of both villians are brilliant. Although I prefer Anthony Hopkins, the Lecter role is played with brilliant understatement by Cox, an actor who can "ooze" madness and evil, and does so in this film. Like many of the reviewers, I found only the original widescreen DVD, and not the 2 part Director's cut to demonstrate the excellence in this film. BRAVO, Michael Mann!

A little slow at times, but done with great style!
True to the book, with a great sense of the somewhat cheesy 80's style Mann himself invented. Love the Inna Gadda Da Vida scene. It is, to me, one of the greatest marriages of music and video ever put on film, and it saved the movie for me. Also enjoyed the eerie lack of music in the 'burning wheelchair' scene. Mann has the unique ability to create an unforgettable 'moment' in a film which etches itself forever into the viewer's mind (For another prime example of this ability, see the seemingly endless 'shooting to escape capture' scene in the beginning of Mann's HEAT. Excellent!). Performances were good, if not exactly captivating, especially if judged in comparison to those in Silence Of The Lambs. But comparing any movie to a 5-time Academy Award winner is probably unfair. The biggest problem with Manhunter, I found, was Mann's (Or, perhaps, William Peterson's) inability to convincingly portray the overwhelming mental anguish that the Will Graham character goes through in this story. All in all, a good, entertaining film with some truly memorable moments.

Dream Much, Will?
Don't miss this original, the first of the Hannibal Lechtor series. The score, the filmography, (Lighting), is still so vividly used in the best of today's suspence/thrill sequences.
Will Graham, (William Peterson), is the "Manhunter" hunting down "Frances Dolarhyde", and also the man responsible for imprisoning Dr Lechtor, at great phsycial, and emotional harm to himself.
Don't be fooled by Dino's latest grab at a buck, the rediculous "Red Dragon". (Which is odd, since Dino owns "Manhunter" as well..)
So, Red Dragon is only a remake of this great film.
It's ultimately embaressing to watch Lechtor and Chilton's charachter's re-acted, only "made up" to look 20 some years younger! (Red Dragon).
This is the Real McCoy, and Brian Cox, IMHO, should have stayed Hannibal Lechtor.
If you want another good performance by Anthony Hopkins, see "Meet Joe Black".
BTW, as far as I can tell, Barney's character, (Frankie Faison), is the only actor to play in all "Four movies of the Trilogy"..
If you want the original psychological thriller in this series, you found it..

Pete

Michael Mann's controversial crime-thriller ...
MANHUNTER is the 1986 crime-thriller that began Michael Mann's career as a respected filmmaker. Adapted from the novel "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris, this film will be remembered as "the film with the OTHER Hannibal Lecter" and will dismissed by many as a good first try, but nothing special. CSI's William Petersen stars as Will Graham, a gifted FBI agent who is working to track down a mysterious killer nicknamed the "Tooth Fairy" before the next full moon. Aiding him in his hunt is the (curiously mispelled) criminal genius Hannibal Lecktor, played by Brian Cox. Being a huge fan of the Hannibal Lecter film series and Harris' novels, I have more to work with than some other people. MANHUNTER was adapted and directed by Michael Mann, who also produced "Miami Vice" - and it shows on the glittering design and stunning soundtrack. The acting is okay, but is great only in the cases of Petersen and Dennis Farina (who also featured on "Miami Vice", as well as certain other people who appear in the film). Mann's direction is the greatest part of the film. Brian Cox's performance as "Lecktor" works fine, but is completely incomparable to that of Anthony Hopkins, who played him in the later films. MANHUNTER has been unfairly dismissed as a piece of crap. It's no masterpiece, I'll grant you that, but the fact that the film is so dated, and the work that people like Mann and Petersen have done, make it a wonderful, "Miami Vice"-esque thriller.

Read the novel AND see this film!
I first rented this movie in the late '80s, and I really only did so to see Chris Elliot's cameo -- give me a break, I was really bored that weekend! Years later, when I saw Silence of the Lambs in the theater, I recognized the name of the doctor and realized that these two works were somehow related, and eventually ended up reading all four of Thomas Harris' novels and seeing all five film adaptations, of which Manhunter is my personal favorite.

Upon reflection, I initially found the film's ending a bit stereotypically Hollywood, and not quite up to the same high level of quality found in the rest of the film. As I later read the novel, I at first found myself liking the book's ending better, but understood how it might have been much harder to film -- that is, until I got past the red herring to the novel's REAL ending, which made Manhunter's ending seem positively inspired by comparison. (Okay, so maybe I'm being a bit too hard on Harris, and giving Michael Mann a bit too much of a pass on this point....)

If you don't like Michael Mann's directorial style, or if you're one of those pseudo-intellectuals who can't look at a film made in another decade without calling it "dated" -- or if you think Anthony Hopkins is the only actor who should ever be legally allowed to play the character of Hannibal Lector --then you might not like this film. Though it often strays from the novel a little bit, and leaves almost all of the exposition regarding the Tooth Fairy's origins out, it all still works. Noonan gives an excellent and economic performance, as does Nancy Allen (and their love scene is one of the more tasteful and romantic in recent memory).

Brian Cox also has a different take on the Lector character than Hopkins, but it is ultimately A) closer to the novel's depiction and B) more realistic and believable. Sorry, Tony, but you have to admit, as great as your performance was in Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal comes off much better when the actor playing him resists the urge to chew scenery -- no pun intended....

But it is William Petersen's portrayal of Investigator Graham that really carries the film, and rightly so. As I said before, the novel gives us much, much more background on the Tooth Fairy than the movie does, but the main focus of the story is on Graham and his own internal struggles. I was especially impressed with one scene in particular that Petersen and Mann really pulled off well, as far as taking a great moment from the novel and translating it into a great movie moment. It's the scene in the middle of the film when Graham is seated at a diner, staring out into the rainy night, playing the answering machine message of one of the victims in his head: "Hi, this is Valerie Leads; I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now..." because she's been murdered, of course. Absentmindedly, Graham says aloud, "Me too." The waitress passing by asks if he was asking for more coffee, and he tells her no. Turning back to the window, having now made up his mind to throw himself completely into the investigation and see it through to the end, Graham says out loud, as if the Tooth Fairy could hear him, "It's just you and me now, sport." This was a great emotional moment in the novel, and Mann and Petersen (and the music score) also manage to make it a great emotional moment in the movie as well, losing nothing in the translation.

I give the same number of stars to Jonathan Demme's Silence of the Lambs, but let's face it -- Mann's asylum for the criminally insane is much more realistic and believable than Demme's, for instance. Two different directorial styles, two different approaches to Lector, etc., but each quite good in its own right. The "re-imagining" of 2002 on the other hand is another story, and a sad one at that....

If you're in the mood for the original modern police procedural on investigating serial killers, or for a good psycholgical character study about the effects of such work on the investigators themselves, then give this film a try!

PS: Why is it that when most people review books and films on Amazon, A) they seem not to notice that most of what they say has already been said in the hundreds of other reviews previously posted, and B) they seem to feel obligated to recount the entire plot, point by point, spoiler by spoiler, in excruciating detail, instead of just giving the rest of us a simple idea of why we might like or dislike the book or film in question?! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Its a crime to sell Crime Story, the way it was Copied.
I bought the whole set of Crime Story. Some of the tapes contain four to six one-hour episodes. The problem with this is that all these tapes (except for the Pilot episode) are recorded in EP. Most of these tapes contain minutes to hours of untrackable video tape. I own 4 Video recorders and all these tapes could not be adjusted by tracking. Its too bad because I would be more than willing to pay a lot more money for a set, if it was recorded in sp.I think Crime Story is great, thats why this is so frustrating. Buyer Beware ! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

GREAT MOVIE!!
I'm not a Tom Cruise fan but this gets two thumbs up! Saw it twice in the theater, and am gonna buy it on DVD and watch it again!!

Micheal Mann will do it again
I know this movie will be awesome this is a Micheal Mann movie. Just look at the list of movies he's made Manhunter, Heat (one of my all time favorites), The Insider (another one of my all time favorites), and Ali. In all Micheal Mann's movies there are alway's awesome plot's, plot twists and performances. Ten years ago Tom Cruise was an awesome bad guy in Interview with the vampire, and again Tom Cruise will be awesome as a bad guy. I know Jamie Foxx who is always good, and Mark Ruffalo will put on good perfomances. So be ready for a night on the town. ... Read more

Reviews (370)

Movie sizzle.. DVD extras fizzle...
HEAT is one of the best crime dramas ever made! Director Michael Mann's saga is simply a tried and true tale of good versus evil. Al Pacino plays an L.A. cop, who leads a team, that is hot on the trail of a band of criminals. The bad guys are led by mastermind Robert De Niro. Mann tells the epic with such precision and skill, that it is just flawless, from start to finish. Even though Pacino and De NIro do not share much screen time, the film has so much going on, that it almost does not matter. When the two mega-stars do act in the same scene, everything crackles with intensity, that is is almost palpable. The supporting cast is first rate. Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and JonVoight lead the way into putting this film in the "classic" catagory

The DVD is a major disappointment, due to the lack of any extras, save for a trailler and production info. I wish those in charge would consider a special edition reissue soon. The movie is a winner despite the DVD sans extras and should be part of anyone's film collection. Warner Home Entertainment GET CRACKING on HEAT 2 disc set!

Buy It!
This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!

fantastic
this movie has some of the best acting i've ever seen. the plot is great and the action scenes are also great. the dvd i'm reviewing now lacks extras, but a special edition is supposed to come out later this year. some might not like it being three hours, but i think the three hours i spent watching were well worth it.

The best!
Great flick.....perhaps the best car chase scenes and most "tactically correct" fire and maneuver sequences ever filmed. Outstanding plot and great acting.

Long, but good
Pacino, De Niro, Kilmer, Voight all in one movie. Isn't that great? It is. This cop movie is not bad at all, especially the story and the personalities are well developed.

Pacino is sometimes a little too rude and the movie takes too long with 2 hrs and 45 minutes.

Still worth seeing if you have the sitting-flesh. ... Read more

Reviews (370)

Movie sizzle.. DVD extras fizzle...
HEAT is one of the best crime dramas ever made! Director Michael Mann's saga is simply a tried and true tale of good versus evil. Al Pacino plays an L.A. cop, who leads a team, that is hot on the trail of a band of criminals. The bad guys are led by mastermind Robert De Niro. Mann tells the epic with such precision and skill, that it is just flawless, from start to finish. Even though Pacino and De NIro do not share much screen time, the film has so much going on, that it almost does not matter. When the two mega-stars do act in the same scene, everything crackles with intensity, that is is almost palpable. The supporting cast is first rate. Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and JonVoight lead the way into putting this film in the "classic" catagory

The DVD is a major disappointment, due to the lack of any extras, save for a trailler and production info. I wish those in charge would consider a special edition reissue soon. The movie is a winner despite the DVD sans extras and should be part of anyone's film collection. Warner Home Entertainment GET CRACKING on HEAT 2 disc set!

Buy It!
This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!

fantastic
this movie has some of the best acting i've ever seen. the plot is great and the action scenes are also great. the dvd i'm reviewing now lacks extras, but a special edition is supposed to come out later this year. some might not like it being three hours, but i think the three hours i spent watching were well worth it.

The best!
Great flick.....perhaps the best car chase scenes and most "tactically correct" fire and maneuver sequences ever filmed. Outstanding plot and great acting.

Long, but good
Pacino, De Niro, Kilmer, Voight all in one movie. Isn't that great? It is. This cop movie is not bad at all, especially the story and the personalities are well developed.

Pacino is sometimes a little too rude and the movie takes too long with 2 hrs and 45 minutes.

Still worth seeing if you have the sitting-flesh. ... Read more

Reviews (342)

Great Original Movie (and VHS); POOR DVD
Re-release of a previous review so those who read nearby reviews NOTE the difference between VHS (excellent) and DVD (POOR): Waited in great anticipation for the DVD release of this one. The Last of the Mohicans is a great movie enhanced with terrific music. The VHS widescreen version in THX is a wonderful piece of entertainment. Unfortunately, this Director's Expanded Edition has destroyed the flow and continuity of the original. In Director Michael Mann's attempt to supply us with his "definitive vision of the film" via his own editing, he has ignored the professional editors and provided us with a substandard version of what was a fine film. Several of the added clips have no musical sound track at all and come across as painfully awkward - making the viewer fully aware he/she is watching actors in front of a camera rather than immersing us in the action. There is even a series of scenes in the original (and VHS) that has a vocal music piece overlaid that has been completely omitted from the DVD. All in all, I was very disappointed in the DVD after having distinctive and memorable images etched in my mind from the original theater and VHS releases.

Enchanting!
I just recently viewed the movie for the first time during my U.S History class. Since then I have watched the movie five times in as many days. The movie is historically accurate for the most part when dealing with the war itself. The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful and the music chosen was neutral for the time period and accented the major events of the movie. The ability of the movie to convey the wordless love between Uncas(Eric Schweig) and Alice(Jodhi May) was absolutely amazing. The cast was well chosen, even if Madeleine Stowe(Cora Munro) had an on-again-off-again accent. Wes Studi(Magua) played the avenging Huron to perfection creating understanding of his wishes to kill Munro, but yet a frightful savage. As for Daniel Day-Lewis(Hawkeye) I don't feel I can say anything that hasn't been said before. The scene I found the most emotional was during the fight between Magua and Uncas, and then when Alice is making her decision. Great acting, historical accuracy, a wonderful soundtrack and breathtaking scenery made this movie overly enjoyable and emotional. I recommend it to most people, however those who have no desire to try and understand the history behind the movie or the subtle pieces that are expected to be picked up on probably shouldn't watch this movie. Also if you expect an exact replica of the book you won't find it in this movie. END

good but could have been better
My biggest complaint with this movie is that story was changed and not for the better. In the original novel, Cora(played by Madeline Stowe) was in love with Uncas(who is the last of the Mohican tribe) and Hawkeye was just some old guide, along for the ride. Also Cora's sister Alice is in love with Duncan, the English officer. In this movie there is a major turnaround. There is a love triangle-Duncan is in love with Cora who is in love with Hawkeye, who is young and attractive, and Alice has feelings for Uncas(and there is no character development for either one of them). I think perhaps the producers had a problem with an interracial angle although in this day and age you'd think Hollywood has gotten over it. I guess not. None the less, I liked the film-the story was still compelling enough, battle scenes were impressive and I loved the soundtrack(I own it, as a matter of fact).

Fabulous
The movie has the same title as James Fenimore Cooper's novel, but about the only elements that are the same would be the French and Indian War setting and the names of the characters. But don't be disappointed! This is one gripping movie.
There are many, many powerful scenes.

An Absolute Best!!
This is a wonderful movie, and I can't say enough about it.

I first seen this movie when I was in high school. I remember my boyfriend forcing me to see this film. I complained during the whole ride to the theater. But, after the first ten minutes I was hooked like a fish.

The haunting, visual landscapes are breathtaking, Daniel Day-Lewis is wonderful, and the secondary characters are very good. Essentially, this is a story of change. The Last Mohican represents a changing of lives and cultures. Additionally, the story of the French-Indian war is moving.

I cannot list a full synopsis of the movie because there are so many different back stories and themes. There is love, intrigue, deciet, family values, war, and death...and all of it is rolled into one.

Everything about this movie is fantastic and very moving. You need to see it for yourself to see what I am talking about. Or, you can listen to the some of the reviewer's recommendations that say this movie is boring and long.

I won't kid you there is some slow points, but this isn't an all out action flick.

Ultimately, this movie is for people who love real, moving movies. ... Read more

Reviews (370)

Movie sizzle.. DVD extras fizzle...
HEAT is one of the best crime dramas ever made! Director Michael Mann's saga is simply a tried and true tale of good versus evil. Al Pacino plays an L.A. cop, who leads a team, that is hot on the trail of a band of criminals. The bad guys are led by mastermind Robert De Niro. Mann tells the epic with such precision and skill, that it is just flawless, from start to finish. Even though Pacino and De NIro do not share much screen time, the film has so much going on, that it almost does not matter. When the two mega-stars do act in the same scene, everything crackles with intensity, that is is almost palpable. The supporting cast is first rate. Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and JonVoight lead the way into putting this film in the "classic" catagory

The DVD is a major disappointment, due to the lack of any extras, save for a trailler and production info. I wish those in charge would consider a special edition reissue soon. The movie is a winner despite the DVD sans extras and should be part of anyone's film collection. Warner Home Entertainment GET CRACKING on HEAT 2 disc set!

Buy It!
This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!

fantastic
this movie has some of the best acting i've ever seen. the plot is great and the action scenes are also great. the dvd i'm reviewing now lacks extras, but a special edition is supposed to come out later this year. some might not like it being three hours, but i think the three hours i spent watching were well worth it.

The best!
Great flick.....perhaps the best car chase scenes and most "tactically correct" fire and maneuver sequences ever filmed. Outstanding plot and great acting.

Long, but good
Pacino, De Niro, Kilmer, Voight all in one movie. Isn't that great? It is. This cop movie is not bad at all, especially the story and the personalities are well developed.

Pacino is sometimes a little too rude and the movie takes too long with 2 hrs and 45 minutes.

Still worth seeing if you have the sitting-flesh. ... Read more

Reviews (148)

The hype and the movie don't measure up
I was really excited to hear that this movie was coming out. I have always been an Ali fan. Will Smith is great in the film. He is the reason that this movie gets three stars. John Voigt and Mario Van Peebles also do a great job!

Now for some cons. The cinematographer needs to find another profession. The camera shakes too much during the fights and blurs people out a lot. It is somewhat nauseating ... The Rocky movies had better fight photography. My eyes were beginning to hurt from the extremely bright white colors in the movie. Another thing, it brings out all the bad history of Ali. It shows him being a womanizer, a bad husband, and a traitor to his friends and country. At times, I was wondering if I liked the man or not. They picked a bad time of his life to portray. Finally, I didn't learn anything more about Ali from the movie. Everything in it was common knowledge.

Overall, not a bad movie, but not a good movie either. It is worth seeing if you don't know much about Ali and camera shaking doesn't bother you.

Too Long, But Strong
This is not a perfect movie by any means. But Will Smith is brilliant as Ali, particularly during the early part of the film, where he superbly portrays the boxer in his young Cassius Clay days. I remember those years when Cassius Clay came to prominence, and Smith captures his spirit, his cheekiness, his strength, and his sheer, confident youth to a tee. As Clay grows as a boxer and as a man, embraces the Muslim faith, and becomes Muhammad Ali, he changes more than his religion and name. The cockiness is still there, but so is the cynicism and disappointment brought on by too much fame, too much money, too many women, too many hangers-on. Smith handles the change from brash youth to more thoughtful man with subtlety and aplomb.

The disappointing part of the film, which begins to drag on and on, is the lack of depth in Ali's relationships. His marriages are glossed over quickly...we get no sense of what he is really thinking, or what his private life is really like. The same holds true of his relationships with his entourage, from his manager on down. If this was meant to come across as aloofness, it didn't work; this viewer found it very frustrating.

Nevertheless, the movie is worth seeing, for the sheer exuberance of Smith's acting, and the absolutely dead-on portrayal of the late sportscaster Howard Cosell, rendered fabulously by Jon Voight. It is not a brilliant movie, but in my view, it deserves more than 3 stars. I think it is inexplicably under-rated.

Ali Bumaye
Ali - The Director's Cut, takes about 20 or so minutes out of the original movie and adds about 28 minutes of new footage back into the movie. According to Michael Mann, both versions are truly director's cuts, and this one simply emphasizes the politics a bit more. This is what a director's cut should be. A true redo of the movie, not adding in an extended scene or two to get an "unrated" DVD to sell more.

Will Smith gives an incredibly powerful performance as Cassius Clay, aka Muhammed Ali. Mario Van Peebles does a great job as Malcom X, and Jamie Foxx is wonderful as Bundini. The movie shows how Ali was manipulated by his management, but also how he stuck to his beliefs.

Will Smith delivers the line so convincingly, it's amazingly powerful and heartfelt. Not only the lines, but Will also took real punches in the movie. They hired professional boxers to play Frazier, Sonny Liston, and and George Foreman, who were allowed to throw real punches at Will but stop at incapacitating him. The realism shows in the boxing scenes. The movie ends at the Rumble in the Jungle, an excellent place to end the story of Ali. We all know the sadness that followed later in life, but there's no need to go into it in the movie.

If you enjoyed the original version of Ali, definitely check it out.

A TKO
When I first heard that Hollywood was doing a biopic on the life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, I thought it was a good idea, who's time had come. Although, Ali's boxing career had been in its latter stages, by the time I was old enough to notice such things, Ali transcends the sport. Even people who have never watched a boxing match in their life knows who Ali is. The fact that the film was being directed by one of my favorite filmmakers, Michael Mann, was also anorher plus. When I saw the film during its theatrical release, I thought it was a b it better than some of the very mixed reviews suggested. When the movie was originally released on DVD, I was disappointed at the lack of any commentary or extras, the director's cut disc, addresses those issues.

With wit and an athletic genius, that oozed confidence, with both defiance and inner grace, Muhammad Ali (Will Smith) forever changed the American landscape. Ali took on any and all opponents, inside and ouside of the ring. The law, conventions, the status quo, all got a taste of him - not to mention any fists put in front of him. Ali both ignited and mirrored the conflicts of his time and ours to become one of the most admired fighters in the world.

I thought Smith aquited himself very well with his performance as Ali. I was impressed by his ability to not come off like someone doing an exaggerated comedic turn. His transformation may not be 100% spot on, it doesn't have to be, to work out well. I compare how Smith works here, to the way Anthony Hopkins became his own version of Richard Nixon, in that film. Comedian Jamie Foxx, as Drew Brown, should have won the Oscar for his work. Foxx is pitch perfect, showing a dramatic side, he obviously kept well hidden. Jon Voight goes almost unrecognized as controversial sportscaster Howard Cosell, not quite as dynamic playing Malcolm X as Denzel Washington was, Mario Van Peebles is still pretty good, as is Mykelti Williamson playing boxing promoter Don King. Technically, Mann's film is nearly pefect. The director's cut includes a total of eight minutes that have been restored or re-edited. In a subtle way, the new version adds another layer to the story.

The audio commentary from Mann is very well done. The track is engaging, insightful, and never lags. Like the commentary for Manhunter, it's great to listen to Mann discuss how he does his things here as well. The exclusive making-of documentary is basically an HBO First Look for Ali. It's good to see on set footage though.

Ali is an even better film with the inserted/changed footage. Fans and admirers of Mann should pick this up. Anyone else should see it for the performance of Foxx.

Mann's Underrated Take on Legendary Boxer
When Ali was released in 2001 it received decidedly mixed reviews. While Will Smith was praised for his impressive physical transformation into legendary boxer Muhammed Ali, the film itself was criticized for revealing nothing new about the man. Herein lies the problem that Michael Mann and company faced: how do you shed new light on one of the most documented historical figures of the 20th Century? Like he did with The Last of the Mohicans, Mann has revisited Ali again on DVD with a new cut of the film. He's taken out approximately 20 minutes of footage and put 30 minutes of previously unseen footage back in. The effect? Hard to tell unless you've seen the film many times but Mann claims that the politics of the times are more the focus this time around.

There is an audio commentary by writer/director Michael Mann. He does an excellent job of putting the film into its historical context. The director clearly did his homework and points out who everyone is and the significance of the events depicted in the movie which is a nice consideration for viewers not familiar with this particular period of time. This is an extremely informative track and Mann contributes many very thoughtful observations over the course of the movie.

"The Making of Ali" is a 29-minute featurette that originally aired on HBO. It is slightly better than your average electronic press kit and features some decent on the set footage and interview sound bites with Mann and various members of the cast.

Ali eschews the traditional docudrama for a more impressionistic take on the man and life. Mann's film may not say anything new about the famous boxer, but it does depict an exciting ten years of his life in a masterful and richly evocative fashion. This DVD features an excellent transfer of the movie with an aggressive 5.1 surround soundtrack and is definitely worth purchasing for Mann fans for his audio commentary alone. ... Read more

Reviews (148)

The hype and the movie don't measure up
I was really excited to hear that this movie was coming out. I have always been an Ali fan. Will Smith is great in the film. He is the reason that this movie gets three stars. John Voigt and Mario Van Peebles also do a great job!

Now for some cons. The cinematographer needs to find another profession. The camera shakes too much during the fights and blurs people out a lot. It is somewhat nauseating ... The Rocky movies had better fight photography. My eyes were beginning to hurt from the extremely bright white colors in the movie. Another thing, it brings out all the bad history of Ali. It shows him being a womanizer, a bad husband, and a traitor to his friends and country. At times, I was wondering if I liked the man or not. They picked a bad time of his life to portray. Finally, I didn't learn anything more about Ali from the movie. Everything in it was common knowledge.

Overall, not a bad movie, but not a good movie either. It is worth seeing if you don't know much about Ali and camera shaking doesn't bother you.

Too Long, But Strong
This is not a perfect movie by any means. But Will Smith is brilliant as Ali, particularly during the early part of the film, where he superbly portrays the boxer in his young Cassius Clay days. I remember those years when Cassius Clay came to prominence, and Smith captures his spirit, his cheekiness, his strength, and his sheer, confident youth to a tee. As Clay grows as a boxer and as a man, embraces the Muslim faith, and becomes Muhammad Ali, he changes more than his religion and name. The cockiness is still there, but so is the cynicism and disappointment brought on by too much fame, too much money, too many women, too many hangers-on. Smith handles the change from brash youth to more thoughtful man with subtlety and aplomb.

The disappointing part of the film, which begins to drag on and on, is the lack of depth in Ali's relationships. His marriages are glossed over quickly...we get no sense of what he is really thinking, or what his private life is really like. The same holds true of his relationships with his entourage, from his manager on down. If this was meant to come across as aloofness, it didn't work; this viewer found it very frustrating.

Nevertheless, the movie is worth seeing, for the sheer exuberance of Smith's acting, and the absolutely dead-on portrayal of the late sportscaster Howard Cosell, rendered fabulously by Jon Voight. It is not a brilliant movie, but in my view, it deserves more than 3 stars. I think it is inexplicably under-rated.

Ali Bumaye
Ali - The Director's Cut, takes about 20 or so minutes out of the original movie and adds about 28 minutes of new footage back into the movie. According to Michael Mann, both versions are truly director's cuts, and this one simply emphasizes the politics a bit more. This is what a director's cut should be. A true redo of the movie, not adding in an extended scene or two to get an "unrated" DVD to sell more.

Will Smith gives an incredibly powerful performance as Cassius Clay, aka Muhammed Ali. Mario Van Peebles does a great job as Malcom X, and Jamie Foxx is wonderful as Bundini. The movie shows how Ali was manipulated by his management, but also how he stuck to his beliefs.

Will Smith delivers the line so convincingly, it's amazingly powerful and heartfelt. Not only the lines, but Will also took real punches in the movie. They hired professional boxers to play Frazier, Sonny Liston, and and George Foreman, who were allowed to throw real punches at Will but stop at incapacitating him. The realism shows in the boxing scenes. The movie ends at the Rumble in the Jungle, an excellent place to end the story of Ali. We all know the sadness that followed later in life, but there's no need to go into it in the movie.

If you enjoyed the original version of Ali, definitely check it out.

A TKO
When I first heard that Hollywood was doing a biopic on the life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, I thought it was a good idea, who's time had come. Although, Ali's boxing career had been in its latter stages, by the time I was old enough to notice such things, Ali transcends the sport. Even people who have never watched a boxing match in their life knows who Ali is. The fact that the film was being directed by one of my favorite filmmakers, Michael Mann, was also anorher plus. When I saw the film during its theatrical release, I thought it was a b it better than some of the very mixed reviews suggested. When the movie was originally released on DVD, I was disappointed at the lack of any commentary or extras, the director's cut disc, addresses those issues.

With wit and an athletic genius, that oozed confidence, with both defiance and inner grace, Muhammad Ali (Will Smith) forever changed the American landscape. Ali took on any and all opponents, inside and ouside of the ring. The law, conventions, the status quo, all got a taste of him - not to mention any fists put in front of him. Ali both ignited and mirrored the conflicts of his time and ours to become one of the most admired fighters in the world.

I thought Smith aquited himself very well with his performance as Ali. I was impressed by his ability to not come off like someone doing an exaggerated comedic turn. His transformation may not be 100% spot on, it doesn't have to be, to work out well. I compare how Smith works here, to the way Anthony Hopkins became his own version of Richard Nixon, in that film. Comedian Jamie Foxx, as Drew Brown, should have won the Oscar for his work. Foxx is pitch perfect, showing a dramatic side, he obviously kept well hidden. Jon Voight goes almost unrecognized as controversial sportscaster Howard Cosell, not quite as dynamic playing Malcolm X as Denzel Washington was, Mario Van Peebles is still pretty good, as is Mykelti Williamson playing boxing promoter Don King. Technically, Mann's film is nearly pefect. The director's cut includes a total of eight minutes that have been restored or re-edited. In a subtle way, the new version adds another layer to the story.

The audio commentary from Mann is very well done. The track is engaging, insightful, and never lags. Like the commentary for Manhunter, it's great to listen to Mann discuss how he does his things here as well. The exclusive making-of documentary is basically an HBO First Look for Ali. It's good to see on set footage though.

Ali is an even better film with the inserted/changed footage. Fans and admirers of Mann should pick this up. Anyone else should see it for the performance of Foxx.

Mann's Underrated Take on Legendary Boxer
When Ali was released in 2001 it received decidedly mixed reviews. While Will Smith was praised for his impressive physical transformation into legendary boxer Muhammed Ali, the film itself was criticized for revealing nothing new about the man. Herein lies the problem that Michael Mann and company faced: how do you shed new light on one of the most documented historical figures of the 20th Century? Like he did with The Last of the Mohicans, Mann has revisited Ali again on DVD with a new cut of the film. He's taken out approximately 20 minutes of footage and put 30 minutes of previously unseen footage back in. The effect? Hard to tell unless you've seen the film many times but Mann claims that the politics of the times are more the focus this time around.

There is an audio commentary by writer/director Michael Mann. He does an excellent job of putting the film into its historical context. The director clearly did his homework and points out who everyone is and the significance of the events depicted in the movie which is a nice consideration for viewers not familiar with this particular period of time. This is an extremely informative track and Mann contributes many very thoughtful observations over the course of the movie.

"The Making of Ali" is a 29-minute featurette that originally aired on HBO. It is slightly better than your average electronic press kit and features some decent on the set footage and interview sound bites with Mann and various members of the cast.

Ali eschews the traditional docudrama for a more impressionistic take on the man and life. Mann's film may not say anything new about the famous boxer, but it does depict an exciting ten years of his life in a masterful and richly evocative fashion. This DVD features an excellent transfer of the movie with an aggressive 5.1 surround soundtrack and is definitely worth purchasing for Mann fans for his audio commentary alone. ... Read more