Critic Reviews

Ali is a fully rounded, colorfully compelling portrait of a controversial and complex public figure. [13 - 26 Sep 2021, p.17]

Burns has captured that humanity as well as the greatness, in a way that rumbles with the sheer scope of Ali's legacy and impressively comes out on top.

"Muhammad Ali" more than qualifies for as a heavyweight, but it also floats as well as it stings. ... Whether you know everything or next to nothing about the boxer Burns' seven-plus hour treatment contains enough magic to hold your attention and then some.

This is an exhaustive look at the legend’s life that will easily draw in long-term fans of Ali as well as those who might only have seen footage of him on YouTube, making it a must-watch for sports fans and documentary lovers alike.

With a steady hand, the series details the ins and outs of Ali’s unparalleled boxing career, his significance as an unapologetic Black Muslim, and his singular place in history as a lightning rod who never shied away from the storm. ... But it’s hard to begrudge the directors too much for rushing at the end when the rest of the series is so thoughtful and thorough, bringing fresh insight to a story so many think they already know.

It’s a mark of Ali’s richness as a subject that the filmmakers have gathered such a varied and impressive array of talking heads. ... The documentary doesn’t sugarcoat Ali. ... One of the documentary’s many virtues is offering a series of mini-portraits of the Ali-adjacent. Frazier’s is a standout.

Even though Muhammad Ali is getting the “Ken Burns treatment,” the docuseries Muhammad Ali is reverent but unafraid of digging into what made Ali tick and the people who influenced the most.

Muhammad Ali is absorbing, insightful, and easy to watch—everything one would expect from a Ken Burns production about a true American hero. In Muhammad Ali terms though, this series is closer to the mid-’70s than the mid-’60s Ali. It’s more dogged than spry.

At close to eight hours over four parts, the film at times feels overly long, with considerable time and attention is paid to Ali’s boxing matches. The final chapter feels both truncated and sad. ... But overall, the documentary makes abundantly clear why Ali became the most famous man in the world, and why, when he died in 2016, he was widely loved.