Adventures of Johnny Tao (2008)
Johnny Dow struggles to make a living at his small town gas station by charging motorists to see the electric guitar used by his late father a one-hit, rock and roll wonder. Legend has it the guitar was carved in the shape of a dragon's head and made in part from an ancient spear his father found in the crater of a shooting star. When Johnny's friend Eddie stumbles upon the other half of the spear he releases an ancient demon hungry for power and destruction. Mika a beautiful Chinese warrior who holds the secret to fighting Eddie and his army of kung fu, sugar-craving warriors reveals to Johnny that the only way to stop the evil spirit is to use the first half of the spear - the dragon on Johnny's guitar! Together Johnny and Mika set out to fight Eddie and his army, reunite the two halves of the spear, restore peace to the town and - of course - save the world!
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Reviews
Thanks for the memories!
It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
Blistering performances.
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
I saw this movie last year and loved it. It was an unexpected mix of eastern spirituality, morality play, slapstick and love. Great family fare or for those who love the real action of martial arts that are not computer generated. The story moved along engaging your heqrt and mind while amusing. Although the majority of the cast is not widely known their talent speaks for themselves. All the technical components are there in spades. Wonderful music, lightening that enhances the martial arts and direction with a deft and knowing eye. In the end it is a simple story of good over evil but told from a unique and intriguing manner.
I really thought this movie was a lot of fun. It was very enjoyable and entertaining. The characters were kooky, funny, and lovable. The action scenes were very well done without excessive violence (if I can say that about a Kung Fu Action movie), and the comedy was a very smart tongue-in-cheek style. It's also a great wholesome family movie. I don't see why parents would not love an action movie that's funny without any cursing or gross language and the kids will love it even more. The filmmaker (Kenn Scott) deserves a round of applause for a job well done. Thanks for this movie.
If you're waking up in the morning and tired of watching bad re-runs of Power Rangers...this is a good alternative. The imaginative tale of Kung Fu, Comedy, Demons & Rock-Billy is fused quite well. The story begins with an ancient Chinese Demon trapped for centuries and released in a small soon to be ghost town. Johnny Tao is young kid dealing with pressures of taking care of his brother and struggling in an economically crushed town. The only thing keeping him going is watching/studying classic Kung Fu films. Now you have Demons running a mock...so what is a teen too do?....Kick some ass.This mixer keeps the movie going and enjoyable to watch. Recommend checking it out with your kids.
I liked the simplicity and clarity of the story, the story-telling, and the fight sequences. In an age where it seems like every film is computer generated and you're never sure if your watching the actors or a computer geek in Silicone Valley's work, it was refreshing to see a film that went back to the basics. I liked the characters and cared about their plight, the story kept moving and had a number of surprises, and I wasn't bombarded with images my children couldn't watch. There needs to be more films like this. I simply enjoyed watching this film and hope more film-makers go back to the basics. This is a perfect example of the fact that it is the "steak" we want, not the "sizzle". Johnny Tao is a really nice piece of steak.