Long before King Richard earned him an Oscar, Will Smith delivered one of the most acclaimed performances of his career as boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
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Now, that film is getting a second life on Netflix.
Ali, director Michael Mann's sweeping 2001 biographical drama, recently arrived on the streaming service, giving sports fans another chance to revisit one of Hollywood's most ambitious boxing movies.
Rather than telling Ali's entire life story, the film focuses on one of the most remarkable decades in sports history. It follows Ali from his stunning upset of Sonny Liston in 1964 through his conversion to Islam, friendship with Malcolm X, refusal to serve in the Vietnam War, exile from boxing and eventual triumph over George Foreman in the iconic "Rumble in the Jungle."
Smith underwent a dramatic physical transformation for the role and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Jon Voight was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of legendary broadcaster Howard Cosell.
Despite earning strong reviews from critics, Ali struggled at the box office, bringing in about $87 million worldwide against a reported budget of more than $100 million. Over the years, however, the film has developed a loyal following, with many fans praising Mann's directing and Smith's committed performance.
The movie also features an impressive supporting cast that includes Jamie Foxx, Jeffrey Wright, Ron Silver and Mario Van Peebles.
If you're a fan of sports movies, boxing history or simply want to see one of Will Smith's finest dramatic performances, Ali is well worth adding to your watchlist now that it's streaming on Netflix. It may not have landed like a heavyweight champion at the box office, but more than two decades later, it's easy to see why many consider it an underrated gem.
