Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

       View All       Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

      The Great White Hype

      R Released May 3, 1996 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy List
      42% 24 Reviews Tomatometer 35% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score Boxing promoter the Rev. Fred Sultan (Samuel L. Jackson) decides the best way to revive public interest in his top client's matches is to create a white challenger to his black champion, James "The Grim Reaper" Roper (Damon Wayans). With no white boxers available, he creates one out of dim grunge rocker Terry Conklin (Peter Berg), who once defeated Roper at an amateur match. But while Conklin trains hard, Roper slacks off, endangering Sultan's carefully staged comeback. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Oct 10 Buy Now

      Where to Watch

      The Great White Hype

      Fandango at Home Prime Video Apple TV

      Rent The Great White Hype on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

      Audience Reviews

      View All (165) audience reviews
      Audience Member This surprisingly humorous satire targets racism, specifically in professional boxing, and showcases how it has been packaged and sold back to the population to divide, entertain, and enflame emotions, all with the goal of making the biggest profit for whoever is doing the selling. Peter Berg and Jamie Foxx probably got the most laughs from me but the quality of this cast definitely was a surprise. This won't be a memorable film or one I'd likely rewatch but the short run time made for quick and diverting comedy that definitely, and sadly, did not feel over 25 years old. Samuel L. Jackson Binge: Jackson and the costume department must have had a blast here, with his outfits and hair styles what I will likely most remember about this movie. His character, the stereotypical bombastic and unaplogetically self serving boxing promoter, also looked pretty fun to play and is a role it is easy to imagine Jackson taking to quite easily and excelling at. SLJ January #22 Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member a very good boxing movie with sam u l Jackeon Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member One of my all time favorite movies of any genre, definitely top 5 sports movie of all time. Yes, it is a satire, and it works every step of the way. Knockout performances by the entire cast; pun unintended. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member A very relevant film to share that has a shout out to Dolemite. GOOGLE: No fear SM radio program Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review william s Foxx steals a one note,one joke dark comedy that gets old quick. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member boxing fans can appreciate this comedy. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

      Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

      More Like This

      View All Best Movies to Stream at Home
      75% 69% White Men Can't Jump 87% 87% My Cousin Vinny 15% 85% Grandma's Boy 96% 79% The Full Monty 72% 65% Tin Cup Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

      Movie News & Guides

      View All Movie News & Guides

      This movie is featured in the following articles.

      Know Your Critic: Christina Newland, Film Critic for The i Newspaper

      Photos

      View All The Great White Hype photos

      The Great White Hype

      The Great White Hype (1996) The Great White Hype (1996) The Great White Hype (1996) The Great White Hype (1996) The Great White Hype (1996) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (24) Critics Reviews
      Chris Peachment Daily Telegraph (UK) There is some fly dialogue, but it's not a knockout. Nov 28, 2017 Full Review Dan Fienberg Zap2it.com The joke is often funny and the actors all look like they're having fun, but it's still a one-joke movie that falls short of its potential Rated: 2/5 Sep 10, 2005 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times It starts out well, as a wicked satire on professional boxing, and then loses its energy, tires of juggling its characters and ends so abruptly at 91 minutes that it feels like the last reel is missing. Rated: 2/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Justin Brown Medium Popcorn Not the worst but very far from being a serviceable film. I doubt there was really a script for this based on the ramblings of the actors in every scene. Rated: 1/4 Feb 24, 2022 Full Review Brandon Collins Medium Popcorn This was one of the worst sports movies I have seen. This was so joyless I almost wish I had just read the Wikipedia page instead of spending 90 minutes watching this... Rated: 1/4 Feb 24, 2022 Full Review Tom Long Santa Cruz Sentinel A knock out, no question. Dec 6, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Boxing promoter the Rev. Fred Sultan (Samuel L. Jackson) decides the best way to revive public interest in his top client's matches is to create a white challenger to his black champion, James "The Grim Reaper" Roper (Damon Wayans). With no white boxers available, he creates one out of dim grunge rocker Terry Conklin (Peter Berg), who once defeated Roper at an amateur match. But while Conklin trains hard, Roper slacks off, endangering Sultan's carefully staged comeback.
      Director
      Reginald Hudlin
      Screenwriter
      Tony Hendra, Ron Shelton
      Distributor
      Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
      Production Co
      Fred Berner Films, Twentieth Century Fox
      Rating
      R
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 3, 1996, Wide
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Oct 9, 2017
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $7.8M
      Sound Mix
      Surround
      Most Popular at Home Now