Thriller in Manila

Play trailer

Thriller in Manila

2008

1h 31m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

Tomatometer

4 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

The intense rivalry between American heavyweight boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier is examined in this documentary. Smarting from his earlier defeat by Frazier, Ali fueled a bitter feud in the media, leading up to 1975's "Thrilla in Manila," the much-hyped Philippines-set rematch of the two titans. The film depicts the landmark fight, which lasted 14 rounds, and also reveals what was happening outside of the ring as Ali and Frazier relentlessly pummeled each other.

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Unavoidably fascinating, especially for fight fans, due to the participation of Frazier and other survivors of the era.

Jan 30, 2009

Full Review

Andy Dehnart

Reality Blurred

It fails to answer the intriguing question posed at the beginning about why Ali has been so elevated by history and Frazier mostly forgotten.

Apr 2, 2020

Full Review

Simon Gallagher

What Culture

Whether it is due to the almost-pantomime way that Ali is vilified throughout, without suitable riposte, or the quasi-grotesque manner in which Frazier comes across on screen, the overall resolution is one of melancholy and not, sadly, of triumph.

Rated: 3/5

May 3, 2014

Full Review

Cathleen Roundtree

Boxoffice Magazine

Perhaps Thriller in Manila will set the record straight.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 20, 2009

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

One of boxing's best documentaries is the story of one of the sport's greatest rivalries. The Ali-Frazier battles went beyond the inherent emotions of the fight game; they represented the socio/racial/political struggle that defined what America was experiencing in the 1970s. The film chastises Ali for his viscious verbal attacks on Frazier and touches on how the Nation of Islam may have exploited the self-proclaimed "Greatest," for financial and political gain. Watching this film you can't help but root for Frazier who not only lost two of the three fights with Ali but failed to win the respect of a nation that poured its adulation on Ali. Whether you like boxing or not, this is a documentary worthy of your time.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A fascinating glimpse into one of boxing's greatest bouts. Thriller in Manila deconstructs the mystique of Ali while showcasing the latter day struggles of Frazier.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An interesting documentary for anyone who has any amount of interest in boxing. I've always considered myself a big Muhammed Ali fan, so watching this movie allowed me to see things from a different perspective. Since I wasn't alive for the actual fight, this recount was really intriguing for me to see just how dramatic it was. I never thought of Frazier as more than a big strong oaf that Ali conquered, but this movie drew a lot of sympathy for him from me when it showed how he was just a humble fighter with a huge love for the sport. Overall it's a real eye-opener for anyone who's interested in the politics of boxing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

SevÃ¤rd och mÃ¥ngtydig dokumentÃ¤r om rivaliteten mellan Joe Frazier och Muhammad Ali. GÃ¥r vÃ¤ldigt lÃ¥ngt i att problematisera Ali-myten utan att mytologisera Frazier. Kanske fÃ¶r lÃ¥ngt?

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Documentary of Ali's matchup with Frazier in Manila, back in the mid 70's. Buildup, background and good commentary.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

(Watched Tue 11 Nov 2008)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

John Dower

Director

John Dower

Producer

John Smithson

Executive Producer

Elinor Day

Executive Producer

Andrew MacKenzie

Executive Producer

Ben Bartlett

Original Music

View more photos

Synopsis

The intense rivalry between American heavyweight boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier is examined in this documentary. Smarting from his earlier defeat by Frazier, Ali fueled a bitter feud in the media, leading up to 1975's "Thrilla in Manila," the much-hyped Philippines-set rematch of the two titans. The film depicts the landmark fight, which lasted 14 rounds, and also reveals what was happening outside of the ring as Ali and Frazier relentlessly pummeled each other.

Director: John Dower
Producer: John Dower
Production Co: Darlow Smithson Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Jun 2, 2009
Runtime: 1h 31m