Fifty-five years ago, Muhammed Ali came back to the boxing world to fight Jerry Quarry. But the night became infamous when a $1 million heist was conducted during the post-fight celebration. Based on a podcast with the same name, the latest Peacock original miniseries Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist seeks to tell the true story of that night in 1970.
The first episode of Fight Night brings the audience up to speed: Ali, having dodged the draft, has been out of the boxing world for three years. But because of his well-known draft-dodging status, the public has turned him into “the most hated man in America.” Detective J.D. Hudson is assigned to protect Ali — despite Hudson’s animosity toward Ali for dodging the draft. As the relationship develops between the two, hustler Chicken Man wants to create his own relationship with Black mafia boss Frank Moten. So Chicken Man throws a fight afterparty, intending to create “Black Vegas” in Atlanta. These are the conditions that lead to the armed robbery, set to happen later in the season.
This star-studded cast, including Kevin Hart (Chicken Man), Taraji P. Henson (Vivian Thomas), Samuel L. Jackson (Frank Moten), Don Cheadle (J.D. Hudson), and Terrence Howard (Cadillac Richie), among others, is the who’s who of Black Hollywood. While the intensity of the star-power could overwhelm the story, this cast list mirrors the “who’s who” nature of the Black history included in the story, and “Black Vegas” itself.
Even in the first episode, Jackson stands out — not just because his power as a criminal and villain shines through, but because his performance is transcendent of all other characters he’s played in the past. While it is sometimes difficult to remove well-known actors from their previous characters, Jackson’s Moten is created in real-time. His voice and demeanor truly take on the air of the Black mafia boss, allowing you to forget whatever Capital One commercial or Marvel movie you’ve seen with the actor.
Moreover, the intensity of the scenery, costuming, editing, and music transport the viewer back to the fight of the 70s. While some of the settings can come across as a bit cliche, campy, and almost comically over-the-top, at times, overall, the nostalgia — and reminiscence of movies from the 70s as well — assists the universe creation the actors begin.
Not only did the first episode hook into the story in an appealing and intriguing way, it also set the rest of the series up to be a poignant vision of life for the Black Atlanta community at the time. Just in the first episode, alongside the fight, the writers deal with war and peace, politics, racism, violence against Black people, and Black power. There can only be more where that came from.
All eight episodes of the mini-series fight are now streaming on Peacock.
Star-studded cast that doesn't overpower the story.
Fantastic scenery, costuming, and editing, that creates the aura of the 70s.
Very campy and kitschy, if you're not into that.
Intensely violent
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