Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

I Am Ali Blu-ray Movie Review

Is his Blu-ray the greatest?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 31, 2015

It's strange to watch a movie entitled I Am Ali and not actually see Muhammad Ali, at least not sitting down to tell his own story. Writer/Director Clare Lewins' film recreates the legendary boxing champion's life through picture and sound that depicts Ali through the years, his story told through interviews with those closest to him. Even without Ali's own retrospective insight, the film proves a success of Documentary storytelling, weaving together a classy and, other than Ali's absence, complete overview that doesn't focus exclusively on the fighting but rather uses it as something of a constant along the timeline of his life. The film is rightly more concerned with the Muhammad Ali who lives outside the ring: his family life, his activism, his influences on the people closest to him and the world in which he lived. The picture, then, plays with a broader accessibility outside of the sporting universe and should appeal to audiences in search of a well constructed Documentary centered on one of the most prominent and influential men of the 20th century.

He is Ali.

I Am Ali chronicles Muhammad Ali's life through retrospective interviews and archival video footage and audio clips. With his brother Rahman, the filmmakers travel to Muhammad's childhood home of Louisville, Kentucky and explores his introduction to boxing in a police department basement training room at the age of 12, weighing a meager 87 pounds. The film examines how he developed his style and reflexes and moves on to cover some of the biggest fights of his career against opponents Sonny Liston, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and his final fight, a loss to Trevor Berbick in 1981 at nearly 40 years of age. The piece also examines his activism in the civil rights era and stance on Vietnam, his conversion to Islam and name change from Cassius Clay, and his family life. Notable interviewees include Ali children Maryum and Muhamad, ex-wife Veronica Porsche, NFL legend Jim Brown, and former Heavyweight Champions George Foreman and Mike Tyson.

On the surface, I Am Ali plays through straightforward Documentary stylings, cobbling together a narrative through most available means and shining an almost universally positive light on its subject. The film, then, doesn't break new stylistic ground, and neither does it offer much in the way of revelatory insight into the life and career of the champ, instead presenting it all in a rather quick production (even with the runtime approaching two hours) that feels detailed but perhaps not as complete as it might have been or as the subject deserves. It's linear in construction, for the most part, and explores the man, relives the key fights, and expands on his charisma and worldview throughout. Ali's absence is a noticeable one, but credit to Clare Lewins for not so much getting around that but instead ensuring that the core narrative drive is rich enough without his firsthand accounts driving the narrative.

Still, the film opens up an Ali that's probably not the first that springs to mind in the general public perception. It focuses on his relationship with family more so than even his boxing career, his activism, or his religion, arguably the three most dominant areas of discussion, with his charisma and charm a close fourth. Through family interviews and, even more revealing, intimate phone conversations with his children, the film opens up a side of Ali that takes viewers a little closer to the man than perhaps ever before, resulting in the richest pieces of the I Am Ali experience where most everything else is largely standard retrospective backstory that's not particularly novel considering that Ali lived, and still lives, under one of the most intense microscopes ever to be focused on an individual.

I Am Ali Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I Am Ali features a blend of aspect ratios and picture quality. The former generally settles on 1.78:1, but old footage sometimes goes ~2.39:1 or ~1.33:1. As for the picture quality, older footage is frequently in some stage of fatigue. Film footage frequently shows robust grain and various bits of wear and tear. Old photographs likewise show deterioration, but some are remarkably sharp and vivid. The new interview footage is fairly crisp and well defined, with quality facial features evident in most every segment. The only major concern is heavy black crush that's noticeable in interviews with Maryum Ali. Minor aliasing is also apparent in a few shots (look at eyeglass frames at the 15:40 mark). On the whole, this is about what one expects of a documentary release with footage that spans several decades; the new material holds up well enough but not without flaws, and older footage is all over the map in terms of quality. The score reflects only the new HD content.

I Am Ali Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

I Am Ali features a healthy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It's largely constructed of dialogue and music, the latter of which enjoys good general clarity, effortless front side spacing, and an even surround presentation, whether it's underneath dialogue or the dominant aspect of a particular shot or scene. There's never any prioritization problems; dialogue rises well above when necessary but the music maintains good balance and distinction underneath. Dialogue is straightforward and accurate with natural center placement. The only real reservation comes in some of the old recorded phone conversations that are sometimes so muddled that subtitles are occasionally necessary to understand every word. Note that audio options cannot be changed "on the fly" but only via selection in the "pop-up" or "top" menus. Subtitles, on the other hand, may be changed "on the fly."

I Am Ali Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

I Am Ali contains several bonus features in which a number of individuals share additional thoughts on Ali, all grouped within a context identified in the supplement title. Menu is non-standard Universal with no text identifiers, only symbols. Inside the Blu-ray case, buyers will find a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy.

• Fighter -- The Legendary Boxer (1080p, 3:19).
• Brother -- The Civil Rights Supporter (1080p, 3:56).
• Lover -- The People's Champion (1080p, 4:14).
• Father -- The Family Man (1080p, 5:48).
• The Music -- Telling the Story (1080p, 4:49).

I Am Ali Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I Am Ali plays with an easy, effortless flow that overcomes Ali's absence through a classic narrative structure that's supported by plenty of interviews with family, friends, and rivals that help profile the man who lived outside of the ring and who, from humble roots in Louisville, Kentucky, became one of the most influential figures of the 20th century and arguably the most iconic athlete of all time. Clare Lewins' Documentary may not expose much in terms of new, revelatory content, but the heart and soul of the man and the love flowing from those who speak on his behalf help make this a winning production. Universal's Blu-ray release of I Am Ali features good video and audio. Several short extras are included. Recommended for both longtime Ali and boxing fans as well as outsiders looking for a good overview piece on a legendary figure.