Outlaw Johnny Black
| Outlaw Johnny Black | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Michael Jai White |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Keith L. Smith |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Michael Bearden |
Production company | Jaigantic Studios |
| Distributed by | Samuel Goldwyn Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 135 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $319,848 |
Outlaw Johnny Black is a 2023 American western comedy film directed by Michael Jai White and co-written with Byron Keith Minns. It is a spiritual sequel to Black Dynamite that once again stars White and Minns. It was released theatrically on September 15, 2023, and received mixed reviews from film critics.
Premise[edit]
Johnny Black is a saint turned sinner, who is hell-bent on avenging his father's death. Johnny Black vows to gun down Brett Clayton and becomes a wanted man in the process, all while posing as a preacher in a small mining town that's been taken over by a notorious land baron.
Cast[edit]
- Michael Jai White as Outlaw Johnny Black
- Anika Noni Rose as Jessie Lee
- Erica Ash as Bessie Lee
- Byron Keith Minns as Reverend Percy
- Chris Browning as Brett Clayton
- Barry Bostwick as Tom Sheally
- Randy Couture as Bill Basset
- Kevin Chapman as U.S. Marshal Cove
- Kym Whitley as Sister Betty
- Tommy Davidson as Clancy
- Buddy Lewis as Deacon Fry
- Gary Anthony Williams as Mayor Williams
- Tony Baker as Sherriff Yarbrough
- Eme Ikwuakor as Elmer
- Jalyn Hall as Young Johnny Black
- Donald Cerrone as Crackshot Bob
- Jill Scott as Maw Belle
- Roger Yuan as Lee
- Tomm Voss as Kane
- Michael Madsen as Dutch
- Josh Barnett as Bobo
- Glynn Turman as Bullseye Black
- Paul Sloan as Eddie
- Heath Freeman as Jed Clayton
- Russell Peters as Big Chief
Release[edit]
Outlaw Johnny Black was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films on September 15, 2023.[1] In the United States and Canada it opened to $178,176 in 307 theaters, and grossed a total of $319,848.[2]
Reception[edit]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 65% of 31 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10.[3] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 54 out of 100, based on five critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[4]
Joe Leydon of Variety wrote that the film was "not nearly as free-wheeling and fleet-footed as Black Dynamite, the 2009 satirical comedy that cast White as a Shaft-like action hero, the new film nonetheless provides more than a few good laughs, even when it seems to be taking horse opera clichés a tad too respectfully, and showcases a fine cast of actors dedicated to both the silliness and the seriousness of the enterprise".[5] RogerEbert.com's Rendy Jones gave the film a score of two and half out of four and wrote, "Though it takes too long to get his gun out, Outlaw Johnny Black is a well-crafted and funny Spaghetti Western comedy with a refreshing goofiness and a delightful lead".[6]
Sarah-Tai Black writing for Los Angeles Times said, "Overall, Outlaw Johnny Black mostly seems unsure of how to navigate its Monty Python-inspired parodic impulses alongside its clear reverence for the genre. Instead, White has offered a jumbled array of all-too-well-trod tropes and stereotypes that, all in all, can’t seem to hit the mark in terms of finding the sweet spot of being "so bad it’s good"."[7] Writing for The New York Times, Brandon Yu felt the film "struggles to establish a comedic rhythm" and went on to say "the laughs are lost within an overly long, meandering plot and scenes that miss visual polish or comedic concision".[8]
References[edit]
- ^ Tyrrell, Caitlin (September 14, 2023). "Michael Jai White Is A Force To Reckon With In Outlaw Johnny Black Clip [Exclusive]". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ "Outlaw Johnny Black - Weekend". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ "Outlaw Johnny Black". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ "Outlaw Johnny Black". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (September 14, 2023). "Outlaw Johnny Black Review: An Amusing Homage to Spaghetti Western and Blaxploitation Elements". Variety. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ Jones, Rendy (September 15, 2023). "Outlaw Johnny Black movie review (2023)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ Black, Sarah-Tai (September 16, 2023). "Review: Jumbled Western parody Outlaw Johnny Black doesn't know which horse to ride in on". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ Yu, Brandon (September 14, 2023). "Outlaw Johnny Black Review: Vengeance Is on His Mind". The New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
