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The Legend of Johnny Lingo (2003)
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Reviews Counted: 14
Fresh: 2
Rotten:12
Average Rating: 4.6/10
Theatrical Release:Aug 29, 2003 Limited
Synopsis: When a fierce storm strikes Malio Island, the islanders ask their gods for a miracle. What they receive is an ornate canoe complete with a little baby boy. All that accompanies the child is a... When a fierce storm strikes Malio Island, the islanders ask their gods for a miracle. What they receive is an ornate canoe complete with a little baby boy. All that accompanies the child is a beautiful carved hair comb. The Malio chief decides that the baby boy is a gift from the gods and declares that the baby will be raised as his son. He names the boy Tama and pronounces him the future chief of Malio Island. The chief's wife is extremely jealous of the boy, who has taken the place of their son, Pua, and she begins to spread her resentful poison. As she gossips with the other women, the chief's wife claims that the child came from the god of mischief and blames Tama for all the misfortunes that befall the island. Soon the islanders follow her lead, and the boy is blamed for illnesses, failed crops, and no fish. The chief denounces the boy, and soon Tama is passed from family to family, finally ending up in the poorest house on the island. It is here that Tama comes to know Mahana and her father. Mahana is despised by her father and the islanders -- they all see her as troublesome and undesirable. Tama, however, finds that she is a true gem and the two outcasts form a strong bond. When Tama finally has the means to escape the island, he leaves with a promise to one day return for Mahana. That promise is where is adventure begins... -- © Innovation Film Group [More]
Starring: Joe Folau, Kayte Ferguson, Rawiri Paratene, George Henare
Starring: Joe Folau, Kayte Ferguson, Rawiri Paratene, George Henare
Director: Steven Ramirez
Director: Steven Ramirez
Screenwriter: Riwia Brown, John Garbett
Studio: Innovation Film Group
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Reviews for The Legend of Johnny Lingo
The whole affair comes off as an after-school special filmed in the rainforest.
There’s no adventure or fun anywhere in Johnny Lingo, which is odd because this is kid friendly fare.
Those who want a similarly-themed film need look no further than 'Whale Rider,' just as rich visually and in spirit—and a superior movie in every aspect.
Beyond-hackneyed dialogue helps Ramirez convey the (mistaken?) impression that none of his featured players can act. Throw in a dramatic arc that's practically a flat line and you'll know how long 91 minutes can feel.
Despite being longer, bigger, and more expensive, the new Legend of Johnny Lingo does little to improve on the first.
[The film] manages to overcome its weaknesses -- and its ancestry as a famously cornball Brigham Young University-produced short -- with gentle humor and sweetness.
It's not a bad film, and it has a certain sweetness to it. It's just so unnecessary, that's all.
So poorly constructed that at times it feels like a series of barely connected skits, only some of which work.
As a travelogue, it's inspiring. As a movie, it's a bit hokey, but okay, with some nice messages for the children.
This exotic little New Zealand film about an outcast island boy is full of surprises that will make even the grumpiest viewer crack a smile.
The movie's G rating, and its message that even the roughest of edges can be smoothed away to reveal a wonderful person, make for ideal family entertainment, as long as you can get past the corniness.
A good-natured but somewhat slack family film...rather stilted and didactic, like a Disney live-action feature from the fifties or sixties.
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