The Black Mamba was released by
Nike online on February 19, 2011.
Critical reception Kevin Jagernauth, of
IndieWire, said the short film was "OK", elaborating "it fits very comfortably into the grindhouse wheelhouse for Rodriguez, so if you've worn out your
Machete DVD this is probably worth a quick spin". Chris Yuscavage, of
Vibe, gave a mixed review, praising Rodriguez's metahumor, but criticizing Bruce Willis' minor role and Bryant's "manufactured" stage name of "The Black Mamba". Germain Lussier, of
/Film, gave the short film a negative review, saying it was "not as fun as I thought it was going to be. I think having Rodriguez as one of the main parts of the film and making the whole thing a pitch/fantasy is the only thing that makes it work. The cameo appearances are funny and the idea of a super-villain collecting shoes is kind of interesting, but overall the action was stale and the basketball itself was boring. Seeing a new film by Rodriguez is cool, and his visual style within the film is hugely apparent, but, for my money,
The Black Mamba can't hold a candle to the real highlight of the
NBA All-Star Weekend: the
Slam Dunk Contest". William Goodman, of
CBS News, was more positive of the film, calling it "pretty slick". ==References==