The plot of THE GREAT WHITE HYPE touches some potentially stingy issues like the race relations in contemporary America and some plot elements and characters have a striking resemblance to some real life personalities and situations (Don King, Mike Tyson). The movie therefore had the potential of being a serious exploration of the subject or truly devastating satire. It had more potential in the form of Ron Shelton, screenwriter who had used his inside knowledge of US professional sports to make some remarkable films in the past. Unfortunately, he was paired by not-so-talented co-writer Tony Hendra and the script was given to Reginald Hudlin, director whose skills in making comedy could recently be seen in SERVING SARA. Not even such charismatic actors like Samuel L. Jackson can rescue a film which is populated by dislikeable characters the audience couldn't care less about. The promising premise is ruined by humour that panders to the racist stereotypes. Most of the jokes aren't particularly funny and the biggest one happens in the end. When the film abruptly ends the audience would feel just like those boxing fans who had expected spectacle and saw twenty seconds of one-sided "fight". Then they would realise that the biggest joke in THE GREAT WHITE HYPE was on them.