Wow! Such a good movie.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

The real story of these 2 boxing legends would take a TV series a few years to give it justice.This Starrz movie released in 2002 tries it in 106 minutes with a so so cast and a poor choice for the actor,Leonard Roberts as Joe Louis,who doesn't have the screen presence to portray such a legendary figure.However the story of these two men is so compelling that we should be happy for at least this effort by Starrz and enjoy it as such.Til Schweiger as Max Schmeling is a bit more believable since less is known by most about him.He was vilified as a "Nazi"and so this film tries to redefine that image of him and rightly so.Not shown in this film is the fact he helped paid for Joes funeral and although he is shown helping a Jewish neighbor in the film,the story is more compelling then shown.In total the film is a good start but the fact the IRS hounded Joe till his death is indeed a story for our times.Nether Joe or Max with without sin,but they were both heros and deserve to be remembered.

This is an excellent film that deals with historical issues throughout the war years as well as the lives of these two great sports men. It also portrays the themes of love, friendship and triumph over adversity- not just the boxing matches! I really enjoyed it so the statement that its just for boxing fans is completely irrelevant. The story itself is very emotional. it really draws you into the plot and forces you to empathise with the characters as they live through the injustices of the second world war and also face such issues as racism and a stereotypical view of people at the time. I also really loved the fact that it remains historically correct when it examines the lives of both Max Schmeling and Joe Lewis. I'm sure there is a certain degree of sensationalising done for the film but it pretty much retells an accurate story. Overall a great film.

I was surprised at the low overall rating this movie got. It won a Best Editing award, and the fine photography, editing, and one of the best jobs of musical scoring I have ever heard, alone, make it very watchable. Shot mostly on location in Berlin, check out the production design. Better than many feature films completed on ten times the budget. The interiors and exteriors of Harlem nightclubs and Third Reich headquarters never looked more accurate or better lit. I agree that there is some mis-casting, and while the acting isn't Oscar caliber, it isn't bad either. As far as being a movie for boxing fans only--no. I have no interest whatsoever in sports, and found the story compelling. The wider influence that sports has on society is an interesting context. Max Snelling getting big corporate sponsorship just months after honing a reputation as one of the worlds most hated personas--brings to mind parallels in todays celebrity-driven scene.

This could have been a great movie. All the elements where there. But this just ended up being too rushed with mediocre acting and uninspiring scenes. And there were a few things that just never happened. Like Schmeling going off on those MP's, oh please. Yes, the Allied occupation authorities did get on Max's case about building without a permit but anybody who's read Max's bio (highly recommended!) would know the issue was resolved peacefully. Max's wife somehow becomes an ego-centric Nazi b*** and the relationship between the movie's namesakes seems cold. Max appears to pity Louis more than he respects him. The extras in the film are notoriously bad, especially the 6'2" (!) Marciano who appears to be TALLER than Louis! And what about Max's experience as a paratrooper in Crete? They spend all of one minute on that. Scenes just flash by. Err, read "Max Schmeling: An Autobigraphy".