The Legend of Johnny Lingo (2003)

Captivating movie !

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

If you're looking for a clean cut family film with lots of symbolic undertones (good messages) then "Legend" could serve the purpose. It offers good location filming, some very good actors amongst what seems like a mostly amateur cast. The real star of this piece is most certainly the music score by respected composer Kevin Kiner. Mr Kiner's written several moving pieces all treated to unexpectedly lush orchestral arrangements. Some good ethnic pop songs also help to set the scene.Director of photography is the highly regarded New Zealander Allen Guilford and features some very good looking locations. The film is directed and edited by first time feature director Stephen Ramirez. It won't please hard bitten audiences but anyone looking for the style of matinée movie from yesteryear should be fairly well pleased (although the girls unpleasant drunkard father could be seen as a tad unsettling for some). This movie is an extended version of an earlier short film (Johnny Lingo 1969) from a story by Pat Mcgerr. Seen better - but sure seen worse! (just off the cuff, the promo posters don't particularly suit this version)

The leads and the supporting characters that get the most screen time are solid (a couple of them appeared in "Whale Rider", where they were outstanding, so you know that they were capable of more than they were given here) -- the shortcomings are primarily in the script, I think. Some of the supporting cast are a bit wooden, and the script is often a little cliched, but it's very sweet and the locations are beautiful.It's a very gentle film with its heart in the right place, so I would recommend it for younger kids, and I think that most adults won't mind watching it with their kids. If you're a softie like my wife, you'll actually enjoy it...

On a hunch I decided to see what I knew was destined to be a much overlooked flick entitled "The Legend of Johnny Lingo". This turned out to be the finest movie I've personally seen in the past decade. The movie lacks foul language. It also lacks blatant sex. Further, it will not be classified as an action movie ... and yet ... well, as a teaser I will just say that it is perhaps best described as a human corollary of that old "Ugly Duckling" story. Take your date or the entire family too. Even though it won't, in my humble opinion THIS movie should receive the highest awards ever bestowed upon the industry and it's actors.Bottom line: DON'T MISS THIS ONE! 'NUF SAID!the humble recluse ...

I saw this movie on opening day with about 20 other people (total in the theater); I took my kids & wife to see it today (theater filled this time). It is a nice update to the old campy movie. Although inexpensively done it is well acted, funny, interesting, compelling and fun. It is still campy, however. The central message (that we can influence the self-esteem of others by the way we treat them, whether good or bad) has been expanded nicely. There are a few BIG plot holes and silly movie mistakes (nobody but the main characters seem to age; how did all the cows get there in the end? etc.) but overall it is quite enjoyable. It didn't move me to tears but it was moving; the ending, though contrived, is quite satisfying. And best of all, my favorite line from the old movie ("Mahana, you ugly! get down from that tree") is also in this version. Hey, it won't win any awards, but it was good enough just the same. A definite 7 or 7.5 out of 10.