Michael Jordan to the Max (2000)

67% of critics liked it
(27 reviews)
77% of users liked it
(2,986 ratings)

Michael Jordan was the most famous, most honored, and probably the greatest professional basketball player of his generation, an athlete whose intelligence, charisma, and dazzling on-court skill helped earn his game a new level of popularity and won Jordan a record six NBA title rings. Michael… More Michael Jordan was the most famous, most honored, and probably the greatest professional basketball player of his generation, an athlete whose intelligence, charisma, and dazzling on-court skill helped earn his game a new level of popularity and won Jordan a record six NBA title rings. Michael Jordan to the Max, shot and initially released in the high-definition IMAX film format, takes a documentary look at Jordan's life and career, focusing primarily on the 1999 NBA playoffs, in which Jordan and the Chicago Bulls achieved their sixth professional championship under his leadership, shortly before announcing his final retirement from the court. Along the way, we're offered glimpses of Jordan's early days growing up in North Carolina, his rise to fame, and his successful off-court careers in business and advertising. Michael Jordan to the Max was financed in part by mvp.com, an internet company which Jordan helped to found. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: G, 46 min.
Directed By: Jim Stern, Dan Kempf
Written By: Jonathan Hock
Genres: Documentary, Sports & Fitness, Special Interest

In Theaters: May 5, 2000 Limited
On DVD: Feb 13, 2001
Studio: Giant Screen Sport

Critic Reviews

Robert Koehler, Variety
An honorific but unmoving portrait of the Chicago Bulls' No. 23.
Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Unlike Michael Jordan, this large-format movie demonstrates mostly unrealized potential.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Michael Jordan, sports icon, gets another buffing. Michael Jordan, person, remains private and just a little bit richer.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Michael to the Max is, aside from the IMAX process, the kind of routine documentary a local TV station might air on a Sunday afternoon when a ballgame is rained out.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
In this authorized look at a great athlete, we are confronted by a man who has no weaknesses and no imperfections.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Essentially just a promotional film for Jordan as a product. It plays like a commercial for itself.
Mike Scott, Times-Picayune
A fantastic portrayal of His Airness' on-court heroics -- not to mention visually stunning
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
What's the difference between documentary and hagiography? Directors James Stern and Don Kempf don't seem to have given the matter much thought.
Linda Cook, Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)
Michael Jordan is one of the few athletes big enough to deserve a film such as "Michael Jordan to the Max."
Mike Ross, Jam! Movies
Recommended viewing for any kid who's ever dreamed of the big leagues.
Bob Thompson, Jam! Movies
Jordan was born to be an admired all-star. But as the film so eloquently shows, he worked hard to be the classy superstar that he turned out to be.
Chris Gore, Film Threat
I was mesmerized by the awesome heroics Jordan displayed and seeing them on the giant IMAX screen gave me chills.
Dan Marcucci and Nancy Serougi, Broomfield Enterprise
Felt like one big highlight reel
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
IMAX is a format where the sheer scale overpowers its flaws.
Herb Lash, Big Movie Zone
The filmmakers give us what we always want when it comes to MJ: images of a man caught in the act of being superhuman.
Dwayne E. Leslie, Boxoffice Magazine
This triumphant story of an extremely positive role model is a rewarding treat.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jason O

Great documentary about the last season (or playoffs) of the Bulls and the greatest and my favorite athlete of all time in any sport by a long shot, Michael Jordan. I only wish it'd been longer!
Nate Z

[font=Arial][color=darkred]IMAX's next trip is an NBA's dream of promotion but also an indication of what exactly they're missing -- that is a basketball God. 'Jordan to the MAX' is basically a pat documentary featuring Jordan's upbringing and his dreams.… More
[font=Arial][color=darkred]IMAX's next trip is an NBA's dream of promotion but also an indication of what exactly they're missing -- that is a basketball God. 'Jordan to the MAX' is basically a pat documentary featuring Jordan's upbringing and his dreams. It's all the typical uplifting never-stop-trying stuff that's routinely handed out to the kids. What makes this documentary worthwhile though is the format it's presented in. Seeing Jordan do his numerous acrobatics in slo-mo on IMAX's 50 foot screen makes him seem even more immortal then he already is considered to be. You can see the grace and overwhelming talent he posseses in every flexing of muscle and bead of sweat. It's quite impressive and worth the remaining dull moments.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: B-[/color][/font]