When We Were Kings (1996)

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

A documentary of the 1974 heavyweight championship bout in Zaire between champion George Foreman and underdog challenger Muhammad Ali.I know a little bit about boxing, but only a little. I have followed MMA / UFC much closer (and even that is not something I am deep into). I knew very little about the Rumble in the Jungle, and perhaps most interestingly I knew very little about the skill involved.This film covers the people, the culture, the race dynamics... but it also made me respect boxing as a sport and not just as two men punching each other. The ballet-like footwork necessary to move your opponent around the ring... very interesting. A fighter's location may be just as important as his jabs.

Fascinating episode of cultural history - authoritarian Mobutu Sese Seko hosts the fight in order to put a sheen on his public image. The contrast between the talismanic, inspirational, irrepressible Ali who most Zaireans backed, and on the other hand, the quieter, almost mythic Foreman also makes a fascinating aspect of this movie. Foreman was heavily favored against Ali after he had destroyed Frazier and Norton and knowledgeable boxing observers expected the worst for Ali. Ali's bluster, perhaps to entertain, perhaps to provoke Foreman, perhaps to make things interesting, also made the film amazing. Ali's ease with the media made him the more sympathetic boxer to Zaireans, but so too did his humor and commitment to justice. Another fascinating feature of the film was the role of Don King in promoting the fight. While King was a great promoter, commentators like Norman Mailer and George Plimpton rightly look askance at King's jarring amorality. It's probably not surprising that King was able to come to terms with Mobutu on the hosting of the fight. For all his well-known negatives though, King put on a landmark event by also booking some of the biggest musical acts of the day, from The Spinners, James Brown, from B.B. King to Miriam Makeda. We are the beneficiaries as we get to hear some fantastic live performances.The direction and editing are great too. Commentary from Norman Mailer and George Plimpton give us context to understand the events better and the use of lots of archival footage make it that much better. The way it is framed are credits to the editor and director.All that said though, Ali is the star of this film for his boxing but also for his heart.

When We Were Kings (1996) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Extremely entertaining, Oscar-winning documentary covering the 1974 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, which became known as the Rumble in the Jungle. Through interview footage as well as archival footage, director Leon Gast's film perfectly documents the historic match and everything leading up to it. The boxing match itself is legendary and something most people know about and it's perfectly shown here but I think the real key to the documentary is everything we're shown leading up to the fight. This, of course, includes a lot of stuff dealing with Ali trash talking and getting involved with the African people. There are several scenes where Ali is simply out in the streets working out and trying to pump up the African people and of course get them in his corner. By contrast, we then see interview segments with Foreman where he's obviously not as deeply in with the people and doesn't have the same connection that Ali does. One really gets a great idea of the political climate heading up to the fight and the stuff with Ali training and just being himself are truly priceless. It's also fun hearing about how his career was thought to have been on the low-end as everyone was thinking that Foreman would destroy and possibly kill him in the ring. When we finally get to the fight footage it's presented in such a way that you really see what Ali was going for and how he pulled the upset. We see some terrific footage that is broken down and we're shown every little point that helped get Ali the win. WHEN WE WERE KINGS shows a historic fight and the surroundings around it and you can't help but be thankful that such an important event was captured in such a great form.

This "documentary" on the Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman heavyweight championship surprised me in how little footage of the fight was shown.It's mainly about the buildup of the fight, of black people "finding their roots," and of Ali and Foreman and their entourages. It was fun to see Ali back in his youth again although I felt sorry for Foreman because the film is obviously prejudiced in favor of Ali. In fact, just read the reviews here on IMDb. All you read is about Ali being almost deified. It's ridiculous. Excuse me, but there WAS another boxer in here. And, yeah, Foreman has done white well since this bout and Ali, well, he's barely functional.In this "documentary," they also interviewed Liberal celebrities - George Plimpton, Norman Mailer and Spike Lee - with Mailer the most interesting. Plimpton thought witchdoctors were "profound!" Wow, how's that for an Ivy- League-educated man? He was impressed by a chant done by a 'Succcubus." So much for higher education.Despite the liberal leanings throughout this film, I found interesting all the way through, even if I just marbled at the stupidity of some of these people. Since this ran 94 minutes, however, a few more tacking on actual fight footage would have been nice to see.