Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)

Michael Jai White is Outlaw Johnny Black, a man on a mission of vengeance.

As a child, he watched bank robber Brett Clayton gun down his preacher father.

Now, 25 years later, Johnny has followed Clayton and his gang to Chayenne, anticipating that they’re about to rob another bank.

And he has a bullet with Brett Clayton’s name carved in it, just ready to even the score.

While waiting, he rushes to the defense of an Indian boy who’s being beaten up. A melee breaks out. Johnny shoots the hat off a lawman rushing to respond.

Next thing he knows, he’s standing on a gallows, a noose around his neck, accused of “improper white woman eye contact,” killing said lawman and various other offenses.

He’s rescued and winds up in Hope Springs, Okla., borrowing a dead preacher’s identity along the way.

But things get pretty complicated in Hope Springs too. Seems the dead preacher had a fiancée named Bessie Lee (Erica Ash) whom he never met, but wrote to frequently.

And Bessie Lee has a lovely sister Jessie Lee (Anika Noni Rose), who’s locked in a battle with a land-grabbing white man. She believes the pen is mightier than Johnny’s guns.

And then the real preacher (Byron Minns) shows up — riding a goat and wearing a strange bird costume — but very much alive.

Review:

Part Spaghetti Western, part Blaxplotation film, mostly comedy, with Francesco De Masi’s score for “Kill Them All and Come Back Alone” playing at key moments, this is two hours of pure fun.

As the end credits are about to roll, former Western stars Fred Williamson and Jim Brown look down on the celebrating residents of Hope Springs, Okla., from a balcony.

“Boy done good,” Williamson says of Johnny Black. “Sure did,” the late Jim Brown chimes in.

Hell, yes, he did.

In fact, we get standout performances from all four leads — director Michael Jai White plus Byron Minns, Anika Noni Rose and Erica Ash, who sadly died of cancer in 2024.

Okay, some of the nods to the Spaghetti West are borrowed (Terence Hill’s slap-slap-draw scene from “My Name is Nobody”) or expected (a hidden item in the Bible slipped to our jailed hero).

But there are plenty of unexpected laughs too. And if the film seems to drag a bit as things turn more serious and the runtime approaches two hours, it all comes to a riotous conclusion.

In addition to the aforementioned cameos, Jill Scott, Michael Madsen, Russel Peters and Rigan Michado make brief appearances.

Directed by:
Michael Jai White

Cast:
Michael Jai White … Johnny Black
Anika Noni Rose … Jessie Lee
Erica Ash … Bessie Lee
Byron Minns … The Rev. Percy
Chris Browning … Brett Clayton
Barry Bostwick … Tom Sheally
Randy Couture … Bill Bassett
Kevin Chapman … U.S. Marshal Cove
Kym Whitley … Sister Betty
Tommy Davidson … Clancy
Buddy Lewis … Deacon Fry
Gary Anthony Williams … Mayor Williams
Tony Baker … Sheriff Yarbrough
Eme Ikwuakr … Elmer
Jalyn Hall … Young Johnny Black
Donald Cerrone … Crackshot Bob
Jill Scott … Maw Belle
Roger Yuan … Lee

Runtime: 130 min.

Memorable lines:

Witness to the melee between Johnny and bullies harassing a young Indian boy: “That’s when I went and fetched the sheriff. Lot of good that did. He shot the sheriff dead before he could draw. Poor Cecil.”
Johnny Black, from his jail cell: “I reckon his hat must be named Cecil. ‘Cause that’s the only damn thing I shot.”

Hangman: “Do you have any final words or prayers?”
Johnny Black: “Me and the Lord ain’t on the best of terms. Besides I wouldn’t waste my words on a town that would hang a man for killin’ a hat.”

Young Johnny Black to his preacher father, after a sermon about forgiveness: “What about justice? If we keep forgivin’ the wicked, won’t they just keep being wicked.”

Johnny Black, as the reverend starts talking about his fiancée: “Now, you know, Bessie’s a fat woman’s name.”
Rev. Percy, laughing, then passing Johnny a photograph: “That right? Well, here is Bessie. Take a look her.”
Johnny: “Well, color me corrected. You a lucky man.”

Bessie Lee, meeting Johnny, impersonating Percy: “Oh. Well, I must say, you’re far more rugged than I imagined.” She places her hands on his chest. “My word, you’re as hard as a horse.”

Johnny Black, after putting a bullet into the leg of Crackshot Bob, who was target shooting in the middle of town: “You do that again, I’m goin’ to shoot your nuts off. Alphabetically.”
Crackshot Bob: “But I’m Crackshot Bob.”
Johnny Black: “Well, now, you’re just shot.”

Bessie Lee, showing up outside Johnny’s room: “I brought you something for you to put in your mouth this morning. Everybody loves my hot buns. So I thought I’d come over here and give you some. Figured it’s been a long time since you had any.”

Jessie Lee, questioning Johnny’s use of his six-gun: “Didn’t the Bible say to turn the other cheek?”
Johnny Black, still pretending to be a preacher: “I don’t know. I mean, probably. I mean ‘yeah.’ But it also said you can hit a bully with a slingshot. And this here (six-gun) is mine.”

Johnny Black to Rev. Percy: “It’d be sad to shoot you. But I’d get over it faster than you’d imagine.”

Jessie Lee: “How’d you get past my booby traps?”
Johnny Lee, giving her a good look over: “Practice.”

Johnny Black: “I spent my whole life walking around holdin’ onto hot coals that was burnin’ nobody but me. Once I turned ’em loose, seemed kinda silly to pick ’em back up.”

Byron Minns as the Rev. Percy, deciding it’s time to take flight in his Native American Eagle costume in Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)

Erica Ash as Bessie Lee, delivering her hot buns to Johnny Black’s room in Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)

Anika Noni Rose, defiant in the face of Tom Sheally’s threats to burn the town of Hope Springs in Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)

Michael Jai White as Johnny Black, ready to defend the good residents of Hope Springs in Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)