Thrilla In Manila

Released: 2008 (British TV)
MPAA rating: None
Run time: 1:25


Whether you love boxing, hate boxing or simply don't care, this is a very compelling story of two driven, possibly obsessed, men on a collision course with history. "Thrilla in Manila", the all-time great fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, has so much more to it that just a heavyweight fight for the title. This documentary details all of the pre-history and subtext of what many believe to be the greatest fight in boxing history. On the one hand, you have Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay and stripped of his license to fight when he refused to be drafted in the Vietnam War on religious grounds. On the other, you have Joe Frazier, who helped Ali out with some money while he was out of boxing and did every thing he could to help Ali get that license back. The tables turn when Ali is allowed to return, Frazier is the heavyweight champ, and Ali shows the brash confidence and fight-promoting genius that makes him "The Greatest". Unfortunately for Frazier, he is the target of Ali's trash-talking, being called an Uncle Tom, despite being raised in the mean streets of the blackest part of Philadelphia. Frazier took it all very personally and, to this day, does not forgive Ali for the things he said. This all builds up to a huge fight in Manila after two previous fights where each came away with a victory. This would be the one to decide who was the greatest of all time. The documentary does a great job capturing all of the drama and subtext of this fight and is a riveting film as it heads toward the fight itself with many of the key figures discussing what they saw and lived. The documentary is very "Frazier-centric" and tells the story mostly from his point of view, so Ali does not come off very well. I don't think any bit of it is inaccurate, but you can certainly tell who the filmmakers thought the "villain" of this story is. I really enjoyed this film and somewhat remember this fight when I was a kid and boxing was still a worldwide event. For a piece of sports, political and, oddly, race history, check it out.


Grade: A

Trailer: