After the world (okay Twitter) praised Prime Video’s new movie about Michael Jordan’s Nike partnership that changed the shoe game forever, titled “Air“, for weeks … I finally decided to give it a shot. And boy do I regret it.
The film is directed by Ben Affleck and supposedly reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand.
It’s of course also supposed to be an inspirational story that follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time. But what it really is — is just a boring retelling of what should have been a great story.
Full “Air” Jordan Movie Review
“Air” On Prime May Be The Most Boring Retelling Of A Great Story
“Air” was so freaking boring, I immediately regretted turning it on. Especially since I’ve been on this foolish “if you start it, you must finish it” journey, in an attempt to take film criticism more seriously. So I couldn’t just turn it back off. Ugh!
About 10 to 15 mins in, I already knew “Air” wasn’t for me, even though it featured the talented Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, and Marlon Wayans. Despite what seemed like a promising Black supporting cast, for a film about a famous Black athlete and his family, “Air” still felt incredibly white.
It focused entirely on the business deal that turned Nike into the shoe ‘legend’ it is today. Instead of the man and his mother who made it happen. And while this marketing major doesn’t mind “the business side of things”, this retelling felt incredibly dull and lackluster. “Air” was approximately three blinks, and one yawn, away from becoming ‘background noise’ for me.
It barely kept my attention and I had to force myself to not scroll on my phone the entire time.
Then there was this awkward moment in the film, where someone “slides” a folder across the table — and it doesn’t make it all the way. I can’t tell if that was done purposely, or if it was just a terrible part of the script. But it made me cringe!
They could have easily walked over to the Jordan family and handed them the folder. Had I not been so f*cking bored, I probably would have been offended. I take it as disrespect when someone doesn’t hand something directly to me.
To make things a bit weirder, we never see the face of the actor who plays Michael Jordan.
Again, I’m not sure if that was done on purpose and was just an important part of the story itself. As Michael’s mom could have purposely hid him from cameras and the deal, to keep her teenage son out of the press?
But it was super weird that a story based on Michael Jordan refused to show the actor’s face.
Yet, had it actually felt like there would be dire consequences if the deal didn’t work out, then maybe, just maybe I would have been fully invested in this story. But the only “drama” in this sports drama, came a little too late — in the form of a great monologue given by Viola Davis in the third act as she convinced a bunch of white Nike reps that her Black son should have a piece of the pie. And even that joyous moment was short-lived.
To be honest, the most exciting thing about the “Air” Jordan movie was hearing Tucker’s voice again. “Air” is uneventful, and almost as boring as the “Little Women” remake. This story would have been much better as a book!
