Stylish, electric, but lacking facts • AIPT

In late October 1970, all eyes were on the city of Atlanta. It was here that Muhammad Ali’s first fight took place after his exile for refusing to serve in the army during the Vietnam War. That same night, one of the city’s most notorious robberies took place, with victims that included a who’s who of the criminal underworld of the time. Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist draws inspiration from the event.

The series takes you back in time with its intricate costumes, soulful soundtrack, and authentic locations. The camerawork has a slick style and attitude that matches the number of hustlers doing their thing. There’s an electric energy, especially during fight night, that keeps you drawn to whatever’s happening on screen. The story walks a fine line, carefully balancing humor with more serious themes and situations, resulting in an entertaining experience.

However, Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is too ambitious for its own good. The show tries to be many different things at every turn, such as a well-planned and dangerous heist, a tale of bloody revenge, and a mismatched buddy cop comedy to name a few. Rushing through the different genres can make it feel disjointed, which distracts from the social commentary it is trying to convey.

Furthermore, the real events are treated so Hollywood-style that several aspects are completely made up. If you listened to the podcast on which the show is based, the adventures of the robbers are not true. It is a compelling story, but it lacks facts. The series tells you that at least from the beginning and part of the podcast consists of theories.

The cast is an ensemble of talented actors who bring the star power of Kevin Hart, whose Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams is the sucker who must clear his name, to Don Cheadle and his code-wielding detective investigating the heist, J.D. Hudson. But Samuel L. Jackson steals every scene he’s in. Frank Moten, the head of the Black Mafia, is a charming and cool-headed gangster. The one-on-one scenes Jackson has with some of his co-stars are a joy to watch for their mind games and sharp humor.

Unfortunately, with such a large ensemble cast, some characters get the short end of the stick. Not only is Vivian Thomas, played by Taraji P. Henson, the victim of some cringe-worthy circumstances to prove how despicable some of the villains really are, her subplots during the second half feel like busywork to give her something to do while the main storyline comes to a conclusion.

You can’t talk about characters without mentioning Atlanta itself. Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is a love letter to the city that covers the event that put it on the map. Everyone talks about their visions of the future and its great potential, because it’s in the heart of every resident on the show. It’s a great retelling of how Atlanta would be set on the path to becoming the vibrant and thriving Black Mecca it is today.

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is a fun and interesting attraction inspired by true crimes and containing more fiction than fact.

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist review

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is a fun and interesting attraction inspired by true crimes that are more fiction than fact.

Stylish antique furniture with electrical energy.

Samuel L. Jackson is charming and menacing as the cold-blooded gangster Frank Moten.

A fitting tribute to Atlanta and how the city became the Mecca of the Black City.

The pace at which the genre changes can feel disjointed.

While the Hollywood interpretation of events makes for compelling television, much of it is also fictional.