The Great White Hype

1996 "If you can't find the perfect contender....make one."
5.5| 1h31m| R| en
Details

When the champ's promoter, Rev. Sultan, decides something new is needed to boost the marketability of the boxing matches, 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 confident champ takes it easy and falls out of shape.

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Reviews

Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!
SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen
Micransix Crappy film
ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre
edwagreen 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.
ccthemovieman-1 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.
jotix100 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.
IrockGswift 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.