Where to Watch Outlaw Johnny Black
- Patrick WaiJuly 10, 2026Somewhere between Blazing Saddles and Black Dynamite rides Outlaw Johnny Black. It never quite reaches the comedic highs of the latter, but when it lands a joke, it absolutely plants the flag. The biggest surprise for me was Erica Ash as Bessie. She completely commits to the role and steals several scenes with fearless comedic timing. Her performance alone is worth the price of admission. The church sequence, where the entire cast plays off one another, had me laughing so hard I was practically on the floor. It’s one of those rare comedy scenes where every actor understands the assignment and keeps raising the bar without anyone trying to outshine the others. Michael Jai White continues to be one of those immensely likable filmmakers you can’t help rooting for. As a director and writer, he’s admittedly uneven. Some scenes linger a little too long, and a few of the dialogue exchanges could have been sharper. But when he finds the right rhythm, the comedy explodes. You can almost feel him grinning behind the camera. The movie also deserves credit for embracing complete absurdity. Casting Russell Peters as an Indian chief, throwing in a white actor as another Native American character, and filling the film with intentionally ridiculous choices all add to the playful spirit. It’s the kind of comedy that knows exactly how silly it is and invites you to laugh along with it. The supporting cast is packed with familiar faces, and everyone seems to be having a genuinely good time. That enthusiasm is contagious. Even during the slower stretches, the movie remains charming enough that you’re happy to stick around for the next joke. If you enjoy this style of humor, do yourself a favor and watch Black Dynamite if you haven’t already. It’s still the stronger and funnier film, but Outlaw Johnny Black proves there’s plenty of life left in Michael Jai White’s brand of affectionate genre spoofing. It’s messy, occasionally overlong, and could have used a tighter script, but it’s also funny, self-aware, and consistently entertaining. Sometimes that’s all a comedy needs.
- Ned PeyrouxOctober 18, 2025Michael Jai White, having come such a long way from his humble Tromaville beginnings, brings it home to old school basics, live action stunts, clown song and dance numbers, Shakespearean intrigue and romance. Only his second movie both written and directed by him, it speaks volumes of his decades long career experience working with top notch crews, regardless of big or small budget. Featuring one of Erika Ash’s final performances, this film is a modern classic gem not to be neglected from a list of must see movies of the 2020s.
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Outlaw Johnny Black was released on September 15, 2023.
Outlaw Johnny Black was directed by Michael Jai White.
Outlaw Johnny Black has a runtime of 2h 16m.
Outlaw Johnny Black was produced by Michael Jai White, Donovan De Boer, Byron Minns, Grant Gilmore.
Hell bent on avenging the death of his father, Johnny Black vows to gun down Brett Clayton and becomes a wanted man in the process while posing as a preacher in a small mining town that's been taken over by a notorious Land Baron.
The key characters in Outlaw Johnny Black are Outlaw Johnny Black (Michael Jai White), Jessie Lee (Anika Noni Rose), Bessie Lee (Erica Ash).
Outlaw Johnny Black is rated PG-13.
Outlaw Johnny Black is a Comedy, Western, Action film.
Outlaw Johnny Black has an audience rating of 8.9 out of 10.
Outlaw Johnny Black has made $300K at the box office.