The Great White Hype (1996) User Reviews

Perception vs. Substance.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 21 August 2017]

Money corrupts and absolute money corrupts absolutely. Some of the lines go something like this. "I get my brains beat out and what I got for it? Two Rolls Royces!" "Well, that ain't bad." "But you got EIGHT!" It's a boxing satire in which opportunistic promoter Samuel L. Jackson, as a loud and beturbaned fakir, living in a gilded palace and surrounded by double-D trophies, decides that revenue is falling because nobody wants to pay to see two black guys beating each other up in the ring. The solution? Find some white guy who doesn't have a chance and match them up in Las Vegas.

The white guy is Peter Berg, Golden Gloves champ from some years ago who has gone on to a career in heavy metal in Cleveland without ever having fought professionally. Being a rock star isn't as bad as it might be. After a set, back in his crowded dressing room, his assistants usher groupies in one at a time for his appraisal. He shakes his head twice and nods on the third try, and she goes down on him while Jackson makes his pitch.

It's pretty amusing. Flagrant hypocrisy often is. Molière did it better in "Tartuffe" but this is no slouch. I laughed out loud, sometimes at business that was going on in the background. The non-Irish Berg enters the ring wearing a kilt, accompanied by "Danny Boy" on the pipes and a couple of dwarfs dressed as leprechauns. He's a Buddhist who is only fighting to relieve the "homeless situation in America and the United States as well." There are a lot of B stories and some of them are lost in the shuffle. Jon Lovitz disappears half way through. Some of the pauses for laughter are too long, suggesting the movie isn't quite as funny as its makers thought it might be. And it does go over the top with aimless slapstick at times.

Yet it IS funny from time to time and if you can put up with a lot of noise and rushing around it's worth catching. None of the performances can be faulted.

Funny, Boxing Insider type Movie

[lambiepie-2 · 6/10 · 25 November 2003]

First of all, this movie is funny. Even if you're not an insider to the world of boxing, this film makes many references you'll recognize and goes over the top with it and with some of the flamboyant people who have graced the sport.

Then there is the whole idea of finding a white boxer, besides the obligatory "Rocky" that is, that people can get behind to breathe new life into the sport.

Here you have every stereotype of that world thrown in from the promoters to the media personnel who made boxing what it is today -- Hype.

Here is a promoter who is keeping his client from fighting the one guy who can actually beat him (hence ruin their meal tickets), to come up with someone else to make Hype and recover funds he already spent that he can't pay the boxing champ. That among other things. Samuel L. Jackson is fun to watch as is Jeff Goldblum and Jamie Fox and Damon Wayons as the over-hyped champ. Rounding this out is the usual bottom feeders played well by Jon Lovitz and Corbin Bernsen. This movie can be uneven at times, but overall its entertainment, and a sarcastic view into the boxing promotion world like no other. Two stars out of four.

The Irish stallion

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 5 December 2006]

Reginald Hudlin's "The Great White Hype" is a satire about what's wrong in boxing. The sport has had its share of bad luck, as it seems to attract a criminal element to what should be a competition between two men in the ring. The film starts with a promise to make justice to the material that Ron Shelton, one of the best writers/directors that has done his share about sports, co-wrote, but it feels as though something is missing, especially the anti-climactic conclusion.

The best thing in the film is Samuel L. Jackson, an immensely talented actor who feels right at home portraying these low lives that only he can give them life and even make them likable. We wouldn't miss a movie in which this actor play because he always delivers, as is the case with his cunning character, the Reverend Fred Sultan. He is a boxing promoter who likes to cheat on his boxers, which is what he does to the actual champion, James, the Grim Reaper, Roper. Instead of paying him the money he owes him, he buys him another Rolls Royce.

Reverend Sultan comes up with a great idea for his protégé Roper. He has heard the way the champ was defeated in his early years by Terry Conklin, a man that now has a career as a singer. Promising Terry a lot of money if he agrees, Sultan cons him into fighting Roper again and he creates a hype around the fight, the main attraction being, a black boxer, who is a champion, fighting an unknown white man. The racial implications play into the minds of the fans.

Everything leading up to the match plays well. The only problem is the figure of Mitchell Kane, a sports commentator, who has been critical of the sleazy Reverend. Sultan takes care of that bringing him on board his team. On the other hand, loyal Sol, who has been with the Reverend for a while, gets fired.

Damon Wayans has some good opportunities to show what a talented actor he really is. He knows he can defeat Terry Conklin. In the process of waiting for the fight he begins eating and puts on weight. Others in the film are, Jamie Foxx, who has a small, but effective role as the manager of another black boxer who wants to fight Roper. Peter Berg is clearly out of his league in the film as Terry Conklin a man who wants to eradicate the homelessness in America with the ten million dollars he has been promised. Jeff Goldblum, a good actor, is not convincing as Mitchell Kane. The beautiful Salli Richardson appears as Bambi, an intelligent young woman who clearly understands what's going on.

Likeable enough comedy slugfest

[Leigh L. · 2 November 1999]

Okay, it's not the best film ever made, but it's an affable little number which'll certainly keep you entertained for an hour and a half. The storyline always seems secondary and the satire's never quite as punchy (ahaha... ha) as it should be, but there are some great comedy moments and a host of memorable characters (Damon Wayans' drawling pot-bellied champ, Peter Berg's peabrained challenger, Jeff Goldblum's rambling TV crusader, John Rhys-Davies' sweaty, foul-mouthed trainer) - and Sam Jackson's permanent big grin is all too infectious. Genuinely funny comedies aren't that easy to come by these days, so this one could definitely be a contender, give it a shot at the title, stick it up your ring etc. I'll get me coat.

All about the Jackson hype

[FlashCallahan · 3/10 · 15 March 2017]

When the champions promoter, Rev. Sultan, decides something new is needed to boost the attraction of boxing, he searches and finds the only man to ever beat the champ.

The problem is that he isn't a boxer anymore and he's white.

However, once Rev. Sultan convinces him to fight, he goes into heavy training while the current champ takes it easy and falls out of shape....

I'm guessing this film was only made to give the then relatively fresh Jackson trope a starring vehicle. After all, he was amazing in Pulp Fiction, DHWAV, and Fresh, but as a supporting role, rather than charge of a film.

And the result is one of the most confusing things I have seen in a long time, and very boring to boot.

So what we have here is Jackson showcasing his trademark yell in the guise of Don King, supported by a who's who of b-list actors, and a then quite famous Damon Wayans in a fat prosthetic.

The film is a mix of Rocky III and The Naked Gun, but without the laughs or the thrill of decent pugilism. It doesn't have a message to give, other than if your greedy and try to take from the best, you will lose.

There is some sub plot involving why a Black fighter is being usurped by Berg, but all that consists of is Jamie Foxx mugging, and Jackson laughing a lot.

Goldblum is as great as always, but again, it's all about selling out, the wonderful message this film has.

Be a sell out, become rich and arrogant, and you'll be famous.

Only in America....

Severely underrated for its time!

[SeriousJest · 7/10 · 17 September 2019]

IMO, this movie was severely underrated for its time. It was purposefully cheesy, but precisely insightful (even prescient) about a wide array of problems within boxing, as well as about the use of racist rhetoric and promotion to fuel sales. Today, we have seen the explosion of the internet and social media take these concepts to a new, terrifying level.

The entire cast was excellent, leaning into the cheesiness of their roles and script, but doing so in a very funny way. Three standouts for me: Jackson's performance as the devious yet charismatic master promoter was delightful; Peter Berg is great as an idealist whose good heart but dim wits get used as the center-piece for one of the very things he hates most; and Salli Richardson-Whitfield is absolutely stunning both in her beauty and in her commanding presence despite her male-dominated environment.

The Great White Hype is Just That **

[edwagreen · 4/10 · 27 June 2009]

The film is about 1:21 and that's probably not helping it either.

If this is supposed to be a takeoff on "The Great White Hope" of 1970 fame, forget it.

Samuel L. Jackson stars with that amazing wig as a Reverend promoter up to his neck in disgrace.

Everyone seems to want a piece of the action. John Lovitz is there as well as a reporter, played by Jeff Goldblum who goes over to Jackson's side for a piece of the action.

Jackson has the idea that they can make more money by having a white fighter in the ring against their champ. They get a rock and roll singer who has not lost a bout.

The film tries to show that while they all think that racism is not involved, it certainly is. We also have another black challenger who is constantly looking to challenge the champ and when he belts him in the end, Jackson immediately seizes this as an opportunity to promote their slugging to a future fight.

The whole thing is rather silly at best.

Tailor Made for 80's and 90's Boxing Fans

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 17 September 2020]

"The Great White Hype" soundtrack was the first soundtrack I ever bought. I think it's one of only two or three I've ever purchased. But never mind the soundtrack we're talking about the movie.

TGWH was funny and entertaining especially if you are a boxing fan. It's particularly funny if you can see certain personalities in the various characters. Reverend Fred Sultan (Samuel L. Jackson) was a Don King type of promoter who was fleecing his fighters. James "The Grim Reaper" Roper (Damon Wayans) was a Mike Tyson type of fighter, almost too dominant. Terry Conklin (Peter Berg) was pretty much every white heavyweight in the 80's and 90's. And all of the rest of the characters, from the entourage, to the challenger, to the various other boxing industry characters--they were all lampoons of the real deal.

As a boxing fan, and as a fan of all of the actors in this movie, I enjoyed it.

Weak comedy with wasted talent ........

[merklekranz · 3/10 · 29 February 2012]

Weak boxing comedy with mostly caricatures rather than characters, The film comes across more like an idea for a script, with the actors just trying to make it funny. Unfortunately the talent of Samuel L Jackson, John Lovitz, Jeff Goldblum, and Damon Wayans is mostly wasted. This definitely is not a "black comedy", although there are plenty of misfiring "Black" jokes. As for the spectacle heavyweight fight, it is almost a non event, and the buildup not much better. I maybe chuckled twice, and most of the attempts at humor seem forced. Also, there are several scenes that are interminable, and lose any comedic impact they might have had. In short, "The Great White Hype" was a huge disappointment as a comedy and as a boxing movie. - MERK

Nice, entertaining and humorous

[xizor81 · 7/10 · 24 July 2000]

This film is surprising to say the least. It makes you go through all kinds of thoughts and then laugh in your face. I like that! Samuel Jackson and Jeff Goldblum shine in this movie that I recommend to anyone vaguely interested in the world of boxing.

With this cast it should be ten times better!

[kergillian · 5/10 · 28 April 2001]

A *major* disappointment, especially considering the great cast (Jeff Goldblum aside. I *hate* Goldblum - he's a one-dimensional actor who plays the same bloody character every film he makes and it's not even a good character!!) Samuel Jackson, Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Jon Lovitz (okay, he's also one-dimensional, but *his* character's *funny*!!) and Corbin Bernson...this should be an ace in the hole! But a poor script and worse shooting makes this film hit ground zero pretty fast. It's sloppy, it's long-winded, it shouldn't be shorter, it just needs to be put together more strongly. For example: the Goldblum interview scenes are all horrific. They should be canned or completely redone (preferably with a better actor;).

And it's a comedy yet it's decidedly un-funny. Wayans elicits a laugh or two, and Foxx is amusing...but these two guys should be good for non-stop laughs! And Jackson is almost *too* smooth for this role. He's also much too brilliant an actor...he's poorly suited for a role that's not nearly as competent as he is.

All in all: I actually liked this better the second time I saw it (which isn't saying that much). It's more amusing than I remember it to be. But that's still not enough. It's hardly a keeper - with this kind of cast (oh, by the way - nice cameo by Method Man but someone shoot Brian Setzer PLEASE!!!) it could be SO SO SO much better! 5/10.

An Excellent Story of Modern Boxing

[Tiger_Mark · 9/10 · 16 October 2001]

I have to admit that when I rented this movie, I was expecting a dumb comedy that would fail to show the reality of boxing. However, this film is a very funny film that also has a rather keen insight into the current state of boxing. Samuel L. Jackson plays a "Don King" type guy that is stuck with the problem of having a champ that might be too good. No one wants to pay to see the guy, because there are no quality fighters out there to challenge him. So, Jackson goes about creating a contender for the champ. What is the one thing you need to get people in the arena to watch? Well, a white challenger of course, experience not necessary. Surely many white Americans will pay to see one of their own knock down the overly cocky, black champ. Berg plays the "Great White Hope." The beauty of this film is the comedic way that it shows the real life corruption in boxing today. Fights are fixed, promotions are staged and very rarely do you have the best fighting the best. Moreover, we as viewers fall into the same trap that boxing fans do. Here you have an unqualified contender, that has no prayer of beating the champ. However, as we see the hype done by these snake oil salesmen, we start to believe that Berg's character actually has a chance to win. If you are a boxing fan, you will love this film, because it is real. Even if you are not a boxing fan, you will enjoy it. Very funny film and great acting performances. Believe the hype!

Expected better

[SKG-2 · 7/10 · 1 April 1999]

With the talents of Reginald Hudlin, Ron Shelton, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeff Goldblum combined for one movie, you expect a lot better, but this really doesn't deliver the goods. Certainly, Jackson has a ball sending up Don King, as does Goldblum doing Howard Cosell, but it fizzles out near the end.

A mediocre comedy which misses the satire mark.

[=G= · 5/10 · 7 December 2001]

"The Great White Hype" is a wacky, raucous, and mediocre comedy which pokes fun at what is doubtless pound-for-pound America's most corrupt sport. The film shows the connection between hype and the Pay Per View take in a major boxing event. However, it fails to carve out the players' real personas with sufficient clarity to make the film good satire and deliver a KO blow to the sports bad guys while giving the good guys a spot. A lukewarm watch for the public at large, "...Hype" will be most enjoyed by boxing fans.

Too Many Low Blows

[ccthemovieman-1 · 2/10 · 4 April 2007]

This is ridiculously profane film with a lot of guys who like to say mother-f-this, mother-f- that, over and over. Some of that is tolerable but this is way over the line. Along with that is a nasty, angry tone to the film. It's supposed to be a comedy, but I found few laughs.

I did enjoy the digs at the pro boxing scene these days, which is and has been in a sorry state for the last several decades. There's a special dig at promoters, and we all know Don King was the motivation for Laurence Fishburne's role here.

I couldn't finish the film, to be frank. There are too many other good movies to waste time watching - and listening - to this. It's a shame, because this film certainly had a good cast.

Black celebrities in boxing.

[IrockGswift · 27 February 2003]

There were many known faces in this movie. Range from Samuel l. Jackson to Jamie Foxx all participated in the in and outskirts of boxing. There were some stereotypes that black boxers can beat white boxers,and there never was a white heavyweight champion. This movie didn't get much recognition but if anyone who seen this movie can't deny that it wasn't funny,and each actor had a humorous part. This movie should have been a made for TV flick instead of releasing it in the theaters, because families could sit in the living room after dinner and get a good nights laugh.

No laughs, yet inadvertently tells the inside truth about professional boxing

[angelsunchained · 7/10 · 2 March 2024]

I did not chuckle once during this whole film. The so called laughs seemed aimed at pre-schoolers or adults with the same mentality. If anything, the humor is sadistic, such as watching real boxing matches where the "white" fighters are shown being brutally knocked out; very funny, unless you're a sadistic psycho.

The "funny" part is that the movie shows the ugly truth about professional boxing world, which does hype up.great mismatches for the sake of a buck or should say hundreds of millions of buck. Peter Berg steals the movie and it seems a bite strange that he really never crossed over to becoming a big movie star. Anyhow, decent film if you don't take it too seriously.

The Great White Hype (1996)

[fntstcplnt · 5/10 · 23 April 2020]

Directed by Reginald Hudlin. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Berg, Damon Wayans, Jon Lovitz, Jamie Foxx, Michael Jace, John Rhys-Davies, Corbin Bernsen, Cheech Marin, Salli Richardson, Rocky Caroll. (R)

Disappointed by the low profits of the latest heavyweight title bout, fight promoter Jackson (clearly inspired by Don King) decides to "play the race card" and promote a clash between black champ Wayans and little-known white boxer Berg, an amateur who hasn't stepped into the ring in years. Uneven sports satire certainly has its moments, especially in the early-going, with a good grasp on the boxing world and shady behind-the-scenes practices, but the momentum is too often derailed by sitcom-level hack jokes and trying to tackle too many undernourished side characters and sub-plots--Lovitz all but disappears in the second half, Marin is given only a couple of wisecracks to work with, and Jace and Foxx simply pop up at random intervals throughout. No faulting the cast, though it's surprising with all that comedic talent on hand that the funniest portrayal belongs to Berg, playing the "great white hope" as a none-too-bright alt-rocker obsessed with fixing a homeless situation he does not even comprehend. Co-written by Ron Shelton (with Tony Hendra), though he greatly disliked what became of the project.

49/100

Not all that bad

[marstano · 5/10 · 8 December 2001]

This movie has a lot of fun making fun of both the boxing world and itself. It's not really much of a movie, but it has moments. I recommend it as one of those movies that, if you're channel-surfing on cable and you happen to come across it, and there's really nothing else on, then watch it. It's not a complete waste of time, but it's not a movie that you should run out and rent.

Unfunny Comedy

[filmbuff1970 · 1/10 · 24 May 2002]

This is the pits.there is not one funny scene in the whole movie.This movie has a great cast given nothing to do.i could not believe just how rotten it was.easily samuel l jackson worst movie.though he was the only good thing in the movie.its still a 1 out of 10

Very sharp boxing satire!

[Sammy_Sam_Sam · 8/10 · 8 May 2007]

Reading through the reviews on here, I can only assume that the humour in this film was wasted on a lot of people. Boxing is one of the few sports that translates well into the movies, with there being a decent number of great films based around the sport. This is slightly different to most however, as it takes a very humorous, cynical approach. There are so many memorable scenes and lines in the movie, right from the opening scene it's spot-on and I really can't work out where this criticism of the direction stems from! The fight scenes are over quickly and are nothing like the real thing - obviously - it's a comedy, not a documentary (sigh).

Like I said, I can only assume that the biting satire has been wasted on some viewers who were clearly expecting something different from the film. Each to their own, the film seems to have missed it's audience, but a 5 or 6 out of ten it certainly isn't! For me, it's definitely one of the better comedies out there. It's sharp, funny and well worth watching. 8 out of 10.

Vastly underrated, hilarious film

[AlbinoAl · 9/10 · 21 February 2005]

I'd never heard of this film when I saw it but I was tempted by the likes of Samuel L. Jackson. I was not disappointed.

I am not a fan of boxing and know nothing about the sport but this film is more about corruption in sport and grubby business dealings, and is simply set in the world of boxing. That said, the idea could not be successfully transposed to another arena thanks to the flamboyant and corrupt nature of the boxing world.

Samuel L. Jackson is deliciously over the top and excellent support from comedy stalwarts like Jeff Goldblum, Jon Lovitz, Damon Wayans, John Rhys Davies, and the increasingly famous Jamie Foxx make this a riotous comedy. This is one of the most quotable films I've ever come across and if you're a fan of comedy you won't regret watching this, even if you don't like it as much as I do.

Smart Satirical Jest !

[elshikh4 · 8/10 · 22 March 2010]

The situation is perfect. It's one of the movies where there is nothing bad to refer to. It's about only one match, and how it exposes the contradictions of this world; which's here the community of boxing. I loved how the whole characters declare something moral while achieving their hidden, so materialistic, aims. In fact, the shown scene is for America when money is god, and 99 % of the Americans are so godly!

The casting is the movie's biggest hit; everyone was in the right place. The script is lissome, coming to its point without any elongation. The characters are made in a way that suits the desired in this drollery of a movie. It harmonies smartly, carrying out itself as enjoyable, being an enough compensation from director (Reginald Hudlin) for his previous, real bad, movie (Boomerang - 1992).

It was so good to an extent that forces you to ask why it was that short? Why the gifted supporting actors (Jon Lovitz, Cheech Marin, Jamie Foxx,..) didn't have more on-screen time with more material? Actually, it's not basically a comedy inasmuch as a satire; that could bother some I suppose, since the funniness wasn't as high as the sarcastic criticism, with comic actors around while not making many laughs. However, it said all what (Oliver Stone)'s surely heavier, louder, and longer movie (Any Given Sunday - 1999) stretched and overload, 3 years later, and in focused nice way as well.

(The Great White Hype) is a jest where the substance is itself the surface totally unlike the world it sneered at. It's only imperfect point is that some jests can't be used more than once. So, despite how I liked it, I may find nothing in it to be re-watched again, except for (Damon Wayans) running after the ice cream's van of course!

Finally, do I smell a point of view in the title about how the great hype is "white" in the first place?!

A Real Boxing Satire that Pulls No Comedy Punches

[oaklanddan · 8/10 · 23 August 2017]

All I'm going say about "The Great White Hype" is that Peter Berg as "Irish" Terry Conklin is a championship comedic performance. If the sight of him entering the ring with a dancing leprechaun doesn't make you laugh out loud, you really aren't capable of appreciating what a wonderful send up this movie is. Every hilarious scene has an exact parallel to the insanity of professional boxing. No small feat to make satire out of something that is already satire.

Very humorous tale of the intersection of sports and profits

[abraham-859-499417 · 8/10 · 5 March 2020]

A spoof on Heavyweight Boxer Mike Tyson, allegedly unscrupulous promoter Don King and the vulturous ways of promoters in the sport of boxing.

James 'The Grim Reaper' Roper (Wayans) is destroying his opponents. Ticket sales are down. Rev Fred Sultannnn (Jackson) needs ticket sales up so he can pay Roper the $10 million already owed.

He believes manufacturing a "race issue" will do that. So he finds a German retiree, remakes him into an Irish (a boxing nationality favorite) and avoids the real next contender.

Very entertaining. Strong language - Jackson is in it. Cheech Marin is excellent as a principle-less lackey of Sultan. Method Man does "I bring the pain."

Wayans is off the charts. "I came back to hit him with a left but his jorrhh was shattered. I'm the greatest of wallll time. I'm the greatest in the wurlll. That means all over the place. Even in China."