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Visitors Review

mattling@aol.com 2013-05-15 20:18:12

Something for everyone

I loved the film! It is something I can bring my kid brothers to andthe best action I have seen in kids film since ninja turtles (the firstone). Great Cast- all of the actors really played their roll well. I wouldhave liked to have seen more of bucky, because he was really funny butyou will never miss it. Kelly Perine is great comic relief. He is justone funny dude.The music is a great throw back to rockabilly era. Nice selecion verydifferent. Over all great family action movie. Never a dip in the action or story,no one wanted to stop and get pop corn and there was even a few momentsthat made us all jump. This movie needs to blow up so more people cansee it. It is a fun movie.

mdcowboy 2013-05-15 06:12:03

Great cult movie!

*This review contains spoilers*This is fun movie that I knew would be great before I even watched it.I mean, come on, this movie is classified (not on IMDb) as a "kung-fuzombie" movie. That practically guarantees this movie to be a goodtime!If you don't take this movie too seriously, you'll have a goodtime. It tells the tale of a dude named Johnny, who lives in a boringlittle town, practicing kung-fu that he learned watching oldchopsockies, while managing his gas station/museum with the help of hisUFO-obsessed friend, Eddie. When Eddie finds a piece of a cursed spearin the desert, a Chinese demon inside possesses him. Now, he goesthrough the town, infecting others and making them into his slaves.Only Johnny, with the help of his friend Mika, part of a long line ofwarriors trained to fight the demon, and the use of the other part ofthe spear, hidden inside his father's guitar, can he kill the demon andrestore order. Yeah, that's a really convoluted plot, but well-choreographed fightscenes, good special FX, and nice acting make this a fun, action-packedindie movie that plays out well. B+

frugle mom 2013-05-14 22:42:18

Do not waste your time...

This movie really sucked if you are over 7 years old... you might be able to get your kids to watch it, just because there is martial arts in it... It could ahve been a decent movie but they really midded it on most all levels... and man did it suck

yoshiee 2013-05-14 08:05:20

Insulting...

I can sum up the movie in a couple words. Terrible acting, sub-parfight scenes, and ridiculous cliché plot. Is this suppose to be a crossbetween a kung fu film and a zombie one? That is the worst idea ever.Insulting to real martial arts films. Not even deserving of a title asa parody... it wasn't funny at all. I consider it to be more of anabomination of poop and urine. It seemed like I was watching an amateuraudition tape for a low-quality zombie movie whose plot was written bya very imaginative 8 year old. It is deemed more worthy of being onYouTube than on DVD.You're better off downloading it, or better yet, don't watch it at all.I find staring at a brick wall more exciting than this 'movie'.D+ for effort though.

MichaelC 2013-04-12 17:05:55

Despite what others say, this movie was not bad

I actually liked the Adventures of Johnny Tao. It was a martial arts movie with a twist to it. There's a little bit of zombie/demon action (a bit hoky), there's some rock and roll, and there's some traditional Asian martial arts.I found the fighting scenes to be quite good. The fighters moved with speed and skill, and it didn't look fake although there are some scenes where you know wires are used. However, there were some scenes where you say WOW! because that was real kung fu.The actors are A and B actors, but overall the acting was good. I especially liked Jenny (Lindsay Parker) as I found her to be attractive and a good actress. (her facial expressions convey her emotions of the scene, and I think the good actors do this. Another actress that does this is Hayden Panettiere or Heroes.) I hope to see Lindsay in more movies or other shows.PROS:Not a bloody or gory movieGreat fight scenesComic relief by the police manGood acting and filmworkDecent storyCONS:Special effects seem low budget (demon eyes and demon explosion)Corny at some points (Jenny bringing Johnny a jacket before the final fight because she thought he would look good in it.)Overall, it was a good movie for a movie where I had no expectations. It won't win an Oscar, but it's not as bad as the other reviews had said.Using my rating scale of:-Awesome-Good-OK-Bad-Horrible, don't waste your timeI would rate it between Good and OK.

2013-04-12 07:59:31

"Breath of the Dragon"

This review is from: Adventures of Johnny Tao (DVD) "Johnny Tao" is the dream project of writer/director Kenn Scott, best known for wearing the Raphael costume in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II - The Secret of the Ooze. According to the behind-the-scenes featurette, Scott envisioned a kung fu film that would combine comedy and martial arts to fill the void of quality action flicks geared towards kids. True to his aspirations, the movie certainly is modeled in the same vein as "Power Rangers" and the like, with the exception of including the occult as a plot point and featuring above-average (for a DTV production) martial arts. If you're sniffy about wanting blood and guts and bad language in your movies, leave this one behind, but if you're hip to the director's ideals, line up and you won't be too disappointed.The story: Johnny (Matthew Twining, Leeches) is an aspiring martial artist and struggling gas station owner with plans to sell his residency and start over somewhere else. Things take a change for the extreme when his weirdo roommate Eddie (Matt Mullins, Blood & Bone) uncovers one half of an ancient spear housing a sleeping demon and is turned into a lethal vessel with plans to take over the world by turning humans into zombie-ish slaves. With aid of a beautiful warrior descended from an ancient line of demon slayers (Chris Yen, Donnie's little sister), Matthew must find the weapon's other half to save his hometown from invasion."Johnny Tao" was produced for $1 million and apparently shot in and around the homesteads of the cast and crew, but despite these limitations, Kenn Scott has maximized his resources to craft a thoroughly respectable-looking little actioneer: the sets and production appear inexpensive without looking cheap, the acting is unsophisticated without being sophomoric, and the action isn't the greatest ever but nevertheless would be right at home in a small-time Hong Kong movie and absolutely beats the snot out of anything Van Damme or Seagal have performed in recent memory. Indeed, the fights are a glorious showcase for stars Twining, Mullins, and Yen: the wirework in the movie is a welcome addition, but these three really don't need it as they strut (and punch, kick, throw, and flip) their stuff in ways that ought to make Jet Li, Tony Jaa, and Jackie Chan nervous about their competition. From hand-to-foot battles, weapons dueling, and shopping cart attacks, the movie spares no expense in delivering high-octane fight scenes that ought to become the standard of DTV cinema.While the film's level of buffoonery is something you ought to contend with before buying it, be aware that the film's age appeal stops at about 12. You see, the cast also includes a blonde cutie for Johnny to love (Lindsay Parker, Flowers in the Attic), a mean biker bully (J.J. Perry, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation), a whiskery old man who spouts wise sayings (James Hong, Big Trouble in Little China), and a funny/dumb token black cop (Kelly Perine, Dog Gone); nobody among this ensemble really performs badly, but the characters come off as stale and overdone rather than archetypal. The rockabilly soundtrack, while cool in a weird way, also takes some getting used to. Some unintentional cartooniness comes of having Mullins' character speak with a distorted monster voice, and the occasional CGI effect could've been reproduced on any modern PC in the world. Even combined, these faults don't bring down the movie, but they definitely curb the film's ability to be taken seriously by anybody who's seen richer productions.Eventually, you've got to know yourself before purchasing this movie: do you value pure athleticism and creativity enough to overlook some kiddy aspects? "Johnny Tao" is certainly great for kids who dig the martial arts, but far from being "family entertainment", this one has the potential to alienate adults. Choose carefully.

Santa CLause 2013-04-01 18:29:43

Rented this thinking, it was rated a C

As rated a C it can't be that Bad... well I was wrong, it was horrible, I usually can handle muddling through to the end of a movie, I begged my kids to turn it off so that we do not have to suffer needlessly... but my 5 year old thought it was palatable... but then she has no idea that the word plot exists.Do your self a favor, BROOM this movie and find something better... because it will be about 75 minutes you will never be able to redeem.

2013-04-01 04:00:26

Horrible Knock-Off Filmed in Basically Back-Yard Locations

I usually never do film reviews, just military book reviews. But this movie was so lousy and was so amateur, yet had the big budget look on the cover and blog sites, so it suckered me into renting it. Obviously was made to take advantage of the genre. Some knock-offs can be funny and standout, but I WARN YOU, THIS BITES! Poor acting, poor script, poor locations (just the warehouse with empty boxes...freshly painted, and a gas station).....the only glimmer was the Asian girl. Hope she doesn't kill her career with another one of these $300 budget movies. It just makes me mad when I get suckered for $4 and a soar thumb from fast forwarding.....I think the previous reviewers who gave it multiple stars were from the same company that threw this thing together....it doesn't even rate 1.

eclecticvideo 2013-03-26 11:02:44

What a fun film

I really thought this movie was a lot of fun. It was very enjoyable andentertaining. The characters were kooky, funny, and lovable. The actionscenes were very well done without excessive violence (if I can saythat about a Kung Fu Action movie), and the comedy was a very smarttongue-in-cheek style. It's also a great wholesome family movie. I don't see why parents wouldnot love an action movie that's funny without any cursing or grosslanguage and the kids will love it even more. The filmmaker (KennScott) deserves a round of applause for a job well done. Thanks forthis movie.

ABBC 2013-03-25 17:59:07

not sure what was dumber about this movie

the fact that it could have been a decent movie, or that it sucked s bad... well I think it was that it sucked so stinking bad... the actors were not that horrible, it was probablt that the plot and direction was just lame.

beyond_eibon 2013-03-25 04:49:17

Perfect for you Saturday Mornings

If you're waking up in the morning and tired of watching bad re-runs ofPower Rangers...this is a good alternative. The imaginative tale ofKung Fu, Comedy, Demons & Rock-Billy is fused quite well. The story begins with an ancient Chinese Demon trapped for centuriesand released in a small soon to be ghost town. Johnny Tao is young kiddealing with pressures of taking care of his brother and struggling inan economically crushed town. The only thing keeping him going iswatching/studying classic Kung Fu films. Now you have Demons running amock...so what is a teen too do?....Kick some ass.This mixer keeps the movie going and enjoyable to watch. Recommendchecking it out with your kids.

2013-03-24 16:26:21

Never Judge a Book....

...As the saying goes. This movie is one good reason for it. I was curious about it when I saw it in the rental place and this is one of those times where curiousity did NOT kill this cat. I actually enjoyed the movie. I enjoyed it so much, that I've seen it 3 times now (with the same rented DVD)!Simple, direct to the point story that's good for the whole family. Lots of cool action and acceptable special effects. It's a coming of age where our young hero was thrown in the midst of the whole good vs. evil battle and he actually did ok. Hey, it's his first mission and he's on his own (sorta)!They so need to make a series! Now, I'm buying this! :-D

Kaylee Green 2013-03-24 06:19:51

Yes, this film is clean. But Clean Does Not Equal Good.

This is a film that that is bent on making it into the long list of'Terrible Dragon Movies' and it takes to its task with a dedicationthat's admirable. The actors are sometimes slightly bearable. The plotis ridiculous. There is absolutely no humor involved.The film starts off with a prologue of two Chinese guys (we do not havethe luxury of names) in tacky costumes whacking at each other withweapons and saying grand, helpful things for the sake of expositionsuch as, 'Demon, you are strong. But I still have the dragon spear!',followed by holding the spear up so we can see he is telling the truthand does, indeed, still have the dragon spear. One time during the fight, the bad guy says 'After I kill you I willfeast on your flesh' and the good guy says 'You have bad taste!' in acocky, self-confident tone so the film's entire fanbase can cackledelightedly at how daring he is, while, apart from those two people,everyone else can hold their heads and moan.The two warriors both die after the dragon spear gets lost and the goodguy gives his blessing to a little baby he just left out in the desertnearby, perhaps to watch the battle and cheer him on. (Wooo! Go Daddy!) Cut to 900 years later. Johnny Tao is a supposedly eighteen year oldwith the most annoying frizzy hair I have ever seen, who lives in thesleepy town of Dry Springs, manning the petrol station which is goingout of business, just like the rest of the town. Johnny has a friend named Eddie. Eddie is a UFO searcher. Thisoccupation is not mentioned again for the rest of the film, it ismerely an excuse for Eddie to be using a metal detector so he can findthe blade of the dragon spear.So Eddie digs it up and is immediately cursed by the spirit of thedemon. Eddie's eyes turn flame-red, and he starts wearing a pair ofblack goggles. Why? Probably to cut costs. All that red-eye stuff mustbe pretty expensive. Evil Eddie also enjoys pulling grotesque faces,saying 'Feed me' every eight seconds in a deep, synthesized voice, andstomping around town, turning the local people into zombie followers sothey can eat food for him. That's right, all the bad guy wants to do iseat. Feel the fear.This is where Mika comes in. She is a supposedly eighteen-year-oldChinese girl. She rides into town and assesses the situation. She meetsup with Johnny, Lenny and Jenny (?) to tell them what's going on andwhy they need to find the dragon spear. When Mika is giving vitalexposition, the film helpfully provides us with a spooky sound effectthe whole way through so we can't actually hear what she's saying.This is the turning point for the film. This is where things- (*gasp*could it be...?) yes, they actually GET WORSE.Extras run around with digitally red eyes, stealing food and makingsnarling noises. Actually I'm not sure that these people are evenextras, they're probably just random locals who wandered onto the setby mistake and were too polite to ask if they could leave. Somehow, Johnny ends up in a gorilla suit wearing a pink graduationhat, fighting the bad guys in the shop. Why? Because the movie thinksseeing a guy in a gorilla suit punching people is FUNNY. HA HA HA HA HAHA HA HA HA HELP ME I'M DYING FROM LAUGHTER.Our film is then interrupted for a short documentary on lizards. Maybethe director thought that things were getting a little too violent andexciting, so he decided to let us rest for a while by letting us lookat a lizard on a tree.Lenny calls for backup and a girl police officer by the name of Angelaarrives to help. She is easily the best character in the film. However,the movie gets her recruited into the zombie-clan within five minutesand then she disappears. I think it was at this point I lost allpatience with the film.In between some scenes, we cut to a shot of the moon, perhaps to assurethe viewers that there is no need to worry, it is indeed stillnighttime. Evil Eddie's gang then all go to the Wise Dragon fortune cookiewarehouse to eat all the fortune cookies. Johnny arrives at thewarehouse and fights one (1) zombie and wins, because then Evil Eddie'svoice can growl out of the shadows in an amused tone, 'Your kung-fu isimpressive', so the viewers can quake with fear at how powerful EvilEddie must be. Needless to say, Johnny wins the day with his 'dragonflight' move in the Wise Dragon warehouse so he can reclaim the dragonspear and Eddie returns to normal. The whole town returns to normal,and business thrives because of the publicity.Here's how the whole thing SHOULD'VE begun and ended:Director: I have this really great idea for a film about a dragon spearand a guitar and lots of red-eyed zombies- Studio Executive: Thankyou,next.Or, even better:Director: I- Studio Executive: Thankyou, next.I can honestly say that the title is the most exciting part of thefilm. But, I suppose, when someone makes a film THIS bad, all thestudio can do is make up a really cool name for it and hope thatsomebody buys it by mistake. I mean, obviously the director had a small budget (i.e: ten dollars),but that does not excuse him from anything except special effects. Youdo not need a huge budget to write good dialogue, or to think of agood, original story.

2013-03-24 02:41:20

The Tao Ain't Happening In This Movie

If you take this movie as a spoof and plot rip off of "The Forbidden Kingdom", and your 13 years old, than you just might get some enjoyment out of it. Though is not anywhere in the league of FK. The movie is a poorly written, acted, low budget, teen flick. The martial arts and special effects are mediocre. Save your money and buy FK.

John 2013-03-22 17:41:23

Not very good.

I was hopeful this would be one of those surprise hits that I missed. However it missed the mark as many of the direct-to-DVDs have done.

Angel Frost 2013-03-22 08:17:21

In my opinion action and comedy are very hard to mix well but this movie did a great job

I spend a lot of my time watching television and movies and a lot oftimes i cant think of what to watch. action, adventure, comedy, horror,suspense, or thriller. I love it when i get to watch a movie like thisone that has it all, and man they did a great job of mixing in just theright amount of each genre, especially the comedy. suddle enough not toturn the movie into a pure comedy but enough to make you laugh outloud. I also love the casting, i see a lot of greats in the cast list,no wonder it came out so well. I almost didn't want the movie to end.well maybe the writer/director will give us a sequel! This is adefinite must see movie.

mariannemu 2013-03-19 15:07:51

a small film that packs a big punch

I saw this movie last year and loved it. It was an unexpected mix ofeastern spirituality, morality play, slapstick and love. Great familyfare or for those who love the real action of martial arts that are notcomputer generated. The story moved along engaging your heqrt and mindwhile amusing. Although the majority of the cast is not widely knowntheir talent speaks for themselves. All the technical components arethere in spades. Wonderful music, lightening that enhances the martialarts and direction with a deft and knowing eye. In the end it is asimple story of good over evil but told from a unique and intriguingmanner.

Paul-2175 2013-03-19 10:47:16

Great Fight Sequences.

This film has some great fight sequences! I especially like the one inthe diner. Rivals anything I have seen.Mike Gunther and Marcus Younghave done a great job. Director Ken Scott keeps the film moving andmakes sure to keep the fun tone throughout. This film is outstanding ,especially because it was made independently. these fight sequencesmust have taken days to choreograph and it shows on screen, it's isamazing that they were able to pull it off with a modest budget. Thestory line is great - magic power is an electric guitar, Kung-fuDeamons and the old "good vs. Evil" all make this film easy to watch.It is definitely a popcorn movie and plain fun. Don't take it tooseriously and ENJOY!

2013-03-16 15:17:42

Matt is amazing. no question about it.

Matt Mullins is DEFINITELY amazing in this, you don't get no farther in personality differences than that of both of his characters, and matt pulled them off so well. all in all, good action, funny scenes, great acting, and good stunts. which just goes to show that Matthew Mullins truly is one of the best out there since he required no double.

2013-03-16 02:53:58

Hi-Impact Family Kung Fu

When I say Family Kung Fu, OI don't mean there is a lack of action because it abounds , and in good style... I mean, it lacks the needless evil and gore. It has a good pace and the scenes flow together very well unlike most lower budget movies. This is a fantastic rainy afternoon video for the whole family. While it is not a big budget action FX production with mega stars... I still have to give it my highest rating... Hey, all you low budget producers out there, THIS IS HOW IT IS DONE.