Shadows on the Wall | Outlaw Johnny Black

Outlaw Johnny Black

dir Michael Jai White
scr Michael Jai White, Byron Keith Minns
prd Donovan de Boer, Grant Gilmore, Michael Jai White
with Michael Jai White, Anika Noni Rose, Erica Ash, Byron Keith Minns, Chris Browning, Barry Bostwick, Randy Couture, Glynn Turman, Kevin Chapman, Kym Whitley, Tommy Davidson, Buddy Lewis
release US 15.Sep.23
23/US 2h17

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A Western epic made in 1970s Blaxploitation style, this movie uses elements of comedy and farce to create a madcap tangle of plot threads. Actor-filmmaker Michael Jai White deploys the familiar tropes, from rousing sermons to messy bar brawls, plus lots of gunfights and a plot that centres around revenge and corruption. The film also cleverly explores racist attitudes and the power of reconciliation, while never getting heavy-handed.

In the old West, Johnny (White) is set on avenging his father's death at the hands of vicious criminal Brett (Browning). But Johnny keeps getting arrested for doing the right thing. Along the road, Johnny befriends Reverend Percy (Minns), who is captured by Native Americans. So Johnny assumes his identity, meeting his new congregation and prospective bride Bessie (Ash). Meanwhile, oil baron Tom (Bostwick) sends goons to kill the new preacher and steal the church's land. Then Bessie's sister Jessie (Rose) turns up in town, falling for Johnny. And everyone is heading for a showdown.

Flashbacks reveal grisly events Johnny witnessed as a boy, as well as the trail of cold-blooded destruction the trigger-happy Brett leaves across the Wild West. The plot splinters down a range of sideroads involving various forms of lawlessness, plus several goofy slapstick sequences and a couple of amusingly knotted romances. Then there are the religious counterpoints as Johnny hears the forgiveness sermon of his preacher father (Turman) coming out of his own mouth.

The cast mixes comedy and drama smoothly, keeping the audience engaged to the story's gyrations. White is hugely engaging as Johnny, a good guy who isn't afraid to get nasty when he needs to. His chemistry with Minns has a superb rough edge, reluctant friends who need each other. And Rose and Ash make the most of their relatively slim roles, diving into the physical mayhem and romantic silliness. While Bostwick is terrific as the standard villain, Browning adds a blast of vile ugliness to his bad guy.

The generally goofy tone includes multiple direct references to Blazing Saddles, including the central racism theme. Action is strikingly choreographed to be gritty and witty, so watching this unfold is a lot of fun, while the underlying meaning gives it some bite, even if the messages are delivered as full-on sermons. But the real point of this seems to be to playfully poke fun at and pay homage to a couple of time-honoured movie genres. And that's what leaves us smiling.

themes, language, violence 9.Sep.23

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