Directed by Muta’Ali Muhammad and written by Stuart Cosgrove, the story of how Cassius Clay fought his way to become World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali. Starring: Jim Lampley, Attallah Shabazz, Dee Dee Sharp, Thomas Hauser, Jerry Izenberg and Robert Lipsyte.
First and foremost, the story of Muhammad Ali will always be fascinating, the heights that he achieved, how he got there and what he stood for along the way is endlessly impressive. So, any documentary following that rise is immediately going to have a strong foundation. However, since there are so many facets to his life, choosing to give an overview rather than focus on one specific aspect, is generally going to be limiting. That’s basically the issue here, it’s a solid look at his life through boxing, friendship, press and religion but doesn’t have the time for a deep dive into everything.
There are also elements where it can feel a touch too obvious, it’s shaping its voice around the idea of viewers having no prior knowledge which isn’t entirely necessary. The way that it moves can tend to give big chunks to different topics rather than weaving them all together. It slips into almost entirely focusing on the fights before rounding out its last fifteen minutes with the religious side of Ali’s life. Although his friendship with Malcom X is always interesting to explore, so it’s nice to see it given healthy mention in Cassius X: Becoming Ali.
Stylistically, it’s along the same lines, it’s creating something that’s middle of the road, covering all its bases. It can feel hectic in its opening, almost like the highlights intro to a television show. It ticks the boxes for this type of documentary, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially for such an interesting topic. What that instead means is that it simply doesn’t have the space to elevate itself or add a unique spin. However, it’s a great mix of talking heads and they’re edited together well to give a consistent range of different perspectives.
Cassius X: Becoming Ali is a solid and interesting look at the rise of Muhammad Ali, and what that meant to the public and the people around him. Its impact is likely going to depend on how familiar you are with the subject, it will probably work best for those with purely a basic knowledge about Ali’s career. That said, it’s not to be overlooked, it’s worth watching and is a story that will forever be fascinating.
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