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In 1974, boxers Muhammad Ali and George Foreman came to the still-emerging and politically unstable African nation of Zaire for what Ali called the "Rumble in the Jungle," a highly publicized world he... read more read more...avyweight championship fight. Documentarian Leon Gast flew to Zaire to film both the fight and a music festival (featuring B.B. King, The Pointer Sisters, and Miriam Makeba) organized by promoter Don King. Gast's footage was shelved for 22 years due to legal and financial problems, but when it was finally released in 1996, When We Were Kings provided a vivid portrait of the controversial Ali. At 33, he was considered past his prime for the Zaire fight, and his refusal to serve in the U.S. military on moral grounds was still an issue in the minds of many. But here, Ali displays strength, skill, intelligence, and tremendous charm, making it clear how he became one of the most renowned figures in the world of sports. And, while George Foreman is best known today as a genial commercial pitchman, he's seen here as a strong, forbidding opponent, not especially articulate and seemingly unstoppable. The film also features interviews with several notable fight fans, including Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, and Spike Lee. A fascinating document of a great moment in sporting and cultural history, When We Were Kings received an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won a Special Jury Recognition Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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91% liked it

8,098 ratings

Critics

98% liked it

43 critics

PG, 1 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: Leon Gast

Release Date: October 25, 1996

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DVD Release Date: September 14, 1999

Stats: 551 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (551)

  • danperry17
    November 6, 2011
    danperry17
    Not exactly the movie I thought it would be: it's much more about the spectacle of the Rumble in the Jungle than it is about the boxing. Still a solid documentary, though, and one that puts its finger on what the rise and redemption of Muhammad Ali truly meant to American (counte... read morer?) culture, and that culture's place in the world.
  • rubystevens
    February 24, 2010
    rubystevens
    a terrific documentary about the famous 'rumble in the jungle' ali/foreman fight in zaire, 1974, with everyone from norman mailer to james brown along for the ride. a milestone in boxing and black history
  • Saxia
    August 8, 2008
    Saxia
    Great documentary about a legendary fight between Ali and Foreman in Zaire in 1947.
    Ali is charismatic, articulate, funny and one hell of a character.

    Great soundtrack: James Brown rules :)

    ... read more251924">
  • DrBenway
    July 27, 2008
    DrBenway
    Telling the story of the 1974 heavyweight title fight in Zaire between challenger Muhammad Ali and champion George Foreman, the legendary "Rumble in the Jungle," the film is way beyond the quality and substance of other boxing documentaries. Then again, it is not really about box... read moreing. At its core, it tells one of the oldest stories, that the power of the mind works its' will upon oneself and upon others, and how to use and overcome fear. Along the way, it touches on race, music, capitalism, dictatorship, voodoo and spectacle. It's a thrilling documentary.

    Included in the drama of a heavyweight title fight is also footage of a planned music festival that played out in Kinshasa before the "Rumble In The Jungle", starring James Brown, B.B. King, and a host of other top African American acts at the time. To say that their performances are electrifying may seem a bit cliche, but there's really no other word for it.

    Those unfamiliar with the Ali legacy, other than surface material and a movie starring Will Smith, would do well to start with this very personal look at times and events represented by a boxing match between Ali and George Foreman that was made possible by two other men with sheer forces of will including differing levels of sadism in them, promoter Don King and the dictator of Zaire, Mobutu Sese Suko.
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  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    January 11, 2008
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    One of the best documentaries ever made.
  • DrZeek
    July 18, 2007
    DrZeek
    Muhammad Ali: Bad, fast! Fast! Fast! Last night I cut the light off in my bedroom, hit the switch and was in the bed before the room was dark.

    A well made documentary about Muhammad Ali, focusing mainly on the Rumble in the Jungle, the fight of Ali against George Foreman in Zair... read moree.

    Although I would have liked to see a documentary encompassing Ali's life as a whole, including his early time as a boxer, when he was still Cassius Clay and his relationship with Malcolm X and other earlier parts of his career.

    Still, this isn't about that, this is about Ali's huge ego, how he talks, what happens for these two fighters as they make their way to Africa, what goes on there, the fight itself and the aftermath.

    It also helps that we are shown a lot of footage of Ali just talking. He is such a fun character to watch.

    We are also treated to a great soundtrack, featuring live performances from James Brown in Africa, as well as other good soul, rock, and African music.

    The interviews are interesting, taking place during and around the actual fight. We see a lot of coverage of many of the aspects in Africa.

    Well done feature that covers a lot of info concerning a particular time.

    Muhammad Ali: I done something new for this fight! I done rassled with a alligator! That's right, I have rassled with a alligator. I done tussled with a whale! I done handcuffed lightning, throwed thunder in jail! That's *bad*. Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I'm so mean, I make medicine sick!
  • mjgildea
    October 31, 2006
    mjgildea
    A really great documentary.
  • cacutshaw
    February 8, 2008
    cacutshaw
    I don't like boxing at all, not even a little, yet I found this doc completely engrossing and I still remember the Ali/Foreman fight as one of the greatest sports moments ever, however if I'd never seen this I wouldn't have cared less about it. Also, I like run on sentences.
  • chris92021
    February 17, 2012
    chris92021
    Excellent documentary that captured the essence of Muhammad Ali at his finest! All documentaries (especially sports documentaries) should strive for the level of excellence set by Leon Gast. This film showcased the popularity of Ali throughout the world and how Ali captivated aud... read moreiences with his skill and charisma. I almost felt bad for George Foreman but Ali cemented his legend by taking down the unstoppable Foreman with the "rope a dope." Usually sports documentaries lean toward the sappy side but When We Were Kings did not at all. It captured the essence of Ali, Zaire, and the people who just wanted to be near Ali's presence. Wonderful film and a must see for all boxing fans.
  • AlsoLovesMovies
    May 22, 2011
    AlsoLovesMovies
    Documentary showing the "Greatest" against an almost unstoppable George Foreman (who i think could`ve beaten Iron Mike in his prime-Forman i mean) and the many characters that accompanied Ali on his Rumble in the Jungle in Zaire,Africa. Afight that made Ali a bigger Legend in his... read more boxing career.

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Critic Reviews

Richard Corliss
August 4, 2008
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

If anyone deserves an award, it is Ali; his charisma makes the film. Full Review

Todd McCarthy
March 26, 2007
Todd McCarthy, Variety

Enormously entertaining. Full Review

Rita Kempley
March 26, 2007
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

No comedian was ever funnier, no fighter ever faster than Muhammad Ali, who is caught at the top of his game in Leon Gast's valentine, When We Were Kings. Full Review

Lawrence Van Gelder
May 20, 2003
Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times

When Muhammad Ali achieved victory in Kinshasa on Oct. 30, 1974, he did far more than win a prize fight. Full Review

Edward Guthmann
June 18, 2002
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

By portraying the young Ali as hero -- and moving beyond the media image of the poetry-spouting peacock -- Gast reminds us that Ali didn't follow the path of earlier black superstars or earn his strip... Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

With the odds seemingly stacked against him, and surrounded by press, performers, crooks, and charlatans of every stripe, Ali triumphed, and he did so by staying true to his vision and trusting in his... Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

By the time the fighters enter that ring, the excitement factor is almost uncontrollable. Full Review

Charles Taylor
January 1, 2000
Charles Taylor, Salon.com

Anyone who sees it and still thinks that the sport is two guys beating each other up just ain't paying attention. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

There is a palpable tension, as the two men step into the ring, that is not lessened because we know the outcome. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

You don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy this.... All you need is an appreciation of recent history and a desire to learn more about an event that had far more importance in the world's eyes than an... Full Review

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