The Trials Of Muhammad Ali (2013)
89%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 6 nominations
Director Bill Siegel doesn’t explore any new boundaries of the documentary with The Trials of Muhammad Ali, but his subject is so inherently fascinating that the movie proves gripping in spite of its familiar beats
The Trials of Muhammad Ali” is a knockout documentary that packs a punch with its exploration of the man behind the legend. While some critics may find it conventional, I found it to be a fascinating look at Ali’s life and the struggles he faced both inside and outside of the ring. It’s not always easy to watch, but it’s a riveting examination of a true icon who was willing to take a stand for what he believed in. Plus, who doesn’t love footage of the charismatic and abrasive Ali? It’s a must-watch for any boxing fan or anyone interested in American history.
Production Company(ies)
Claudie Ossard Productions, Union Générale Cinématographique Victoires Productions,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2013
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Apr 22, 2014
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography
Keyword(s)
documentary, biography, Muhammad Ali, Bill Siegel, Rachel Pikelny, Louis Farrakhan, Rahman Ali, Gordon B Davidson, Abdul Rahman Muhammad, Salim Muwakkil, Abdul Bey Muhammad, box office, gross USA, 1h 34m, Tomatometer, audience score, reviewed by Kevin Jagernauth, Joe Neumaier, Tom Long, Peter Sobczynski, Bruce Ingram, J.R Jones, Norman Wilner, Craig Schroeder, Bernard Boo, Sean Burns, Christopher Long, Christopher Campbell, directed by Bill Siegel, produced by Rachel Pikelny, MPAA rating, Vietnam War, conscientious objector, boxing, civil rights, social justice, political activism, Muslim, Nation of Islam, heavyweight champion, sports, history, cultural impact, American icon, anti-war movement, patriotism, freedom of religion, Supreme Court, legal battles, media coverage, celebrity, personal life, family, health, Parkinson’s disease, legacy, interviews, archival footage, newsreels, photographs, music, sound effects
Worldwide gross: $59,081
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $75,053
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,050
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,185
US/Canada gross: $59,081
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $75,053
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,704
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,980
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $3,786
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,820
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Rahman Ali – self
Gordon B. Davidson – self
Abdul Rahman Muhammad – self
Salim Muwakkil – self
Abdul Bey Muhammad – self
Bill Siegel – director
Rachel Pikelny – producer
Director(s)
Bill Siegel
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Rachel Pikelny
Film Festivals
Tribeca
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (37) | Rotten (5)
The Ali of this documentary entered the ring a phenom first, but came-of-age outside of it and grew into a man, second.
February 28, 2021 | Rating: A
Kevin Jagernauth
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
For kids who need an Ali primer, the terrific “Trials” is required watching.
February 28, 2021
Joe Neumaier
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
As with the best stories, “The Trials of Muhammad Ali” puts one man’s story within a greater context. This is Ali’s story, but it’s America’s story, too. Here, it’s well told.
December 19, 2013 | Rating: B+
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
The Trials of Muhammad Ali allows us a chance to see Muhammad Ali not as an icon but as a man willing to take a stand, even an unpopular one, for something that he believed in.
November 11, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Sobczynski
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
Conventional yet fascinating.
November 8, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Bruce Ingram
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Ali’s life has been recounted so many times that you’d think no one could come up with a fresh angle on it; documentary maker Bill Siegel succeeds, primarily by delving into the religious story, largely downplayed by the mainstream.
November 7, 2013
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
A solid if undistinguished documentary that’s content to show a series of incidents rather than dig into the cultural ramifications of Ali’s stand.
February 28, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Norman Wilner
NOW Toronto
Muhammad Ali was and still is charismatic. The Trials of Muhammad Ali is not.
February 25, 2021
Craig Schroeder
Battleship Pretension
A riveting, illuminating examination of a man who’s lauded for his triumphs in the squared circle, but in fact faced and overcame much, much more trying struggles outside of the ring.
April 10, 2019 | Rating: 8/10
Bernard Boo
Way Too Indie
A maddeningly incomplete portrait of the champ on the defensive, where he was never at his best.
April 28, 2015
Sean Burns
Philadelphia Weekly
It’s hard to go wrong with footage of the charismatic and abrasive Ali who is not always depicted as a saint
August 3, 2014 | Rating: 7/10
Christopher Long
Movie Metropolis
Works better as a history of events than a biographical film about Ali.
May 30, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Christopher Campbell
Nonfics…
Plot
The Trials of Muhammad Ali’ covers Ali’s toughest bout: his battle to overturn a five-year prison sentence for refusing US military service in Vietnam. Prior to becoming the most recognizable face on earth, Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali and found himself in the crosshairs of conflicts concerning race, religion, and wartime dissent. ‘Trials’ zeroes in on the most controversial years of Ali’s life, when an emerging sports superhero chooses faith and conscience over fame and fortune.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary features interviews with Louis Farrakhan, Rahman Ali, and other notable figures in Muhammad Ali’s life.
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