Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali

PG-13

2021

1 hr. 36 min.

Documentary

History

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94%

18 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

For three pivotal years, Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X forged a brotherhood that would not only change both men but change the world. Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali tells the extraordinary story behind the friendship -- and the ultimate falling out -- of two of the most iconic figures of the 20th century. Few people understand the bond these men shared. In this new feature-length documentary from producer Kenya Barris, director Marcus A. Clarke offers a fresh perspective by using insider voices and never-before-seen footage to chart this most complex of friendships, tracing the near simultaneous and symbiotic rise of the charismatic and outspoken Olympic champion who charmed the nation, and the ex-con-turned intellectual revolutionary who railed against oppression. Through interviews with those closest to them -- Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, Ali's brother Rahman and daughters Maryum and Hana -- and cultural luminaries such as Cornel West and Al Sharpton, the film illuminates their meeting, bonding, and eventual falling out over discord within the leadership of the Nation of Islam.

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Sarah M

This movie uses an impersonator of Muhammad Ali instead of actual Muhammad Ali for quotes. I've outlined some of the ways it has been ruled false in the Supreme Court even if it did release: Hey there, I am Muhammad Ali's actual granddaughter of his only child who decided to have kids at the time that this documentary was made. Natural body actual name Muhammed Ali has a child named or Orajamello (Ali-Abdul) Simpson and a daughter. I am a child of the daughter. This documentary was created by a family that was hostaging us and tying us to the floor and beating us with guns to film this documentary and it has been proven in the supreme court as false and based in many falsities. As the real family behind the scenes, the people filming this documentary were beating us with guns and tying us to the behind the scenes of the set while trying to poke us with needles as it produced. We did not want Netflix to face violence trying to break down the set that we were hostaged on. This documentary uses quotes from Cassius Clay, who is an impersonator of Muhammad Ali. My uncle OJ Simpson also has one impersonator. By the time of this documentary releasing because it filmed in the late 1990s and 2000s, so by the time that it releases both Cassius Clay and the impersonator of my uncle are in prison programs where they are set to never interact with society again. Malcolm X was actually Muhammad Ali‘s cousin who went on all of these journeys with us as a family to try to stop these people from publishing false information and falsified stories about both Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X as cousins and friends. Neither of the men support the nation of Islam like that and that was also a place where we would often find Cassius Clay at and have to break down what he was saying claiming to be Muhammad Ali. That is actually how far is this documentary is however as the Ali family, we are still dealing with the ramifications of people in our family having impersonators such as dealing with things like documentaries that were made when we were hostage and being beaten by guns by the people claiming these claims about these two people. That is how false this video/documentary is.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/04/22

Full Review

Audience Member

I enjoyed watching this biography of Muhamad Ali and Malcom X and how they connected as friends & Blood brothers in the 60's during a time of uprising for the Black community.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Edward H

Struggles to justify its premise, stretches the connection.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/24/21

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dave d

Just when the story gets spicy, it gets kneecapped. No doubt this is a fascinating bio doc on a certain time in these two gentlemen's lives which changed both paths forever. Then when the viewer wants to know why one person was saying horrible untrue things about the other boom nothing. This is scratching the surface on something very special, but it comes up short. Totally worth watching if you're a history buff, are in search of the truth, or just want to see a fast paced good film. Final Score: 7.3/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Marcus A. Clarke

Director

Malcolm X

Self

Muhammad Ali

Self

John F. Kennedy

Self

Ilyasah Shabazz

Self

Rahman Ali

Self

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Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali: Trailer 1

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Carlos Aguilar

indieWire

"Blood Brothers" is worthwhile for the introspective investigation of lives so often, in the public eye, devoid of the tangled humanity that all interpersonal relationships carry.

Rated: B-

Sep 18, 2021

Full Review

Lisa Kennedy

Variety

The result is thought-provoking, resonant, often touching.

Sep 10, 2021

Full Review

Sheila O'Malley

RogerEbert.com

[An] informative and engaging documentary.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 10, 2021

Full Review

Brin-Jonathan Butler

Bloomberg News

Clarke’s Blood Brothers: Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, on the other hand, devotes its attention to perhaps the most complicated chapter and relationship of Ali’s life...

Aug 26, 2022

Full Review

Eileen Jones

The Jacobin

When black-and-white photos of the pair grace the screen, it practically vibrates with energy.

Oct 1, 2021

Full Review

Jane Freebury

The Canberra Times (Australia)

Fascinating to consider what might have been, yet this powerful doco throws more light on the political evolution of Muhammad Ali in his search for a mentor and role model

Rated: 4/5

Sep 26, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

For three pivotal years, Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X forged a brotherhood that would not only change both men but change the world. Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali tells the extraordinary story behind the friendship -- and the ultimate falling out -- of two of the most iconic figures of the 20th century. Few people understand the bond these men shared. In this new feature-length documentary from producer Kenya Barris, director Marcus A. Clarke offers a fresh perspective by using insider voices and never-before-seen footage to chart this most complex of friendships, tracing the near simultaneous and symbiotic rise of the charismatic and outspoken Olympic champion who charmed the nation, and the ex-con-turned intellectual revolutionary who railed against oppression. Through interviews with those closest to them -- Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, Ali's brother Rahman and daughters Maryum and Hana -- and cultural luminaries such as Cornel West and Al Sharpton, the film illuminates their meeting, bonding, and eventual falling out over discord within the leadership of the Nation of Islam.

Director: Marcus A. Clarke
Executive Producer: Erynn Sampson, Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Simon George, Marcus A. Clarke
Production Co: Lightbox, Khalabo Ink Society
Rating: PG-13 (Disturbing Images|Thematic Elements|Some Strong Language)
Genre: Documentary, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 9, 2021
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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