Outlaw Johnny Black: reviews

What the critics say average 6.2 from 24 outlets

• 9.0 MovieWebOlly Dyche Outlaw Johnny Black is a stylistic homage that's also one of the funniest and most entertaining movies of 2023. Read
• 8.8 Shadows on the WallRich Cline 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. Read
• 8.5 J.B. SpinsJoe Bendel It is still a spoof, but it is not excessively spoofy. Indeed, it takes care of business so well, it might be the best Western since The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Read
• 8.0 Common Sense MediaMonique Jones Outlaw Johnny Black thoroughly entertains while presenting a story that has some heft and offering surprisingly thoughtful characterization in its title character. Read
• 8.0 Film AuthorityEddie Harrison Michael Jai White does for the Western what his Black Dynamite did for 70’s blacksploitation; an outrageous parody that offers genuine wit, surprising depth, and plenty of affection for the action/comedy genre itself. Read
• 7.5 United Press InternationalFred Topel White still can kick in his cowboy leathers. The film blends White's brand of martial arts with traditional western shootouts and horseback riding. Read
• 7.5 AMovieGuy.comLeo Brady Following up on the success of Black Dynamite, White steps into the Wild West, in a combo of a western and blaxploitation, with a bit of gunslinging, and plenty of laughs in his exciting new hit Outlaw Johnny Black. Read
• 7.0 VarietyJoe Leydon The new film nonetheless provides more than a few good laughs, even when it seems to be taking horse opera clichés a tad too respectfully, and showcases a fine cast of actors dedicated to both the silliness and the seriousness of the enterprise. Read
• 7.0 Matt's Movie ReviewsMatthew Pejkovic Outlaw Johnny Black succeeds as a comedy western during a time when such a thing is a rare commodity. Read
• 6.3 Roger EbertRendy Jones As he impresses by nailing each facet of the Western genre on the page and behind the screen, White’s strongest suit is his consistent straying from any cynical territory. He doesn’t try to aim for the same traits that made “Black Dynamite” a hit, nor does he try to be as outrageous as other Western parodies. Read
• 6.3 Mark Reviews MoviesMark Dujsik When Outlaw Johnny Black has good-humored fun with the clichés and conventions of the Western, it is quite a bit of fun. Read
• 6.0 Paste MagazineMatt Donato I’m not sure White ever cracks his own film’s code, but you can tell he’s passionate about whatever Outlaw Johnny Black becomes. That conveyance elevates what could have been an even messier modern Western with throwback appeal. Read
• 6.0 Film ObsessiveDon Shanahan With a clenched fist and a tongue in its cheek, White and company are here to emulate and embellish the best and worst qualities of westerns by making a cool one of their own. Read
• 6.0 The Baltimore BeatDominic Griffin There’s an earnestness on display and an unmistakable passion that carries through even the toughest, least entertaining of its passages. Read
• 6.0 The Newnan Times-HeraldJonathan W. Hickman 'Outlaw Johnny Black' is a thoughtful and fun film that will hopefully lead White to bigger and better things. Read
• 6.0 Punch Drunk CriticsTravis Hopson The style is closer to Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles, which managed to be funny, topical, and critical of the genre while being respectful of it. Read
• 5.0 New York TimesBrandon Yu Outlaw Johnny Black struggles to establish a consistent comedic rhythm. Read
• 5.0 Spectrum CultureAnthony Greene A herculean effort to pull from classic comedy westerns falls flat. Read
• 5.0 Flickering MythRobert Kojder There is plenty of apparent, visible fat to trim here that would allow for the more intriguing and actual funny parts to shine more, including Michael Jai White’s physical performance, who generally always delivers on the action front. Read
• 5.0 Wherever I LookAustin Estrada Michael Jai White’s Outlaw Johnny Black is a good silly 90-minute western trapped in a 2-hour middling movie. Read
• 4.0 48 HillsDennis Harvey Yet while it appears a good time was had on set by all, the material isn’t there for viewers to share that sentiment. Read
• 4.0 MovieJawnClayton Hayes It’s when you start evaluating Outlaw as a comedy that the comparison to Black Dynamite really becomes unfavorable. Read
• 3.8 The InlanderChase Hutchinson Where Black Dynamite will forever remain one of the greatest American comedies, Outlaw Johnny Black is only occasionally amusing. Even if you're willing to saddle up, the film is far too bumpy of a ride. Read
• 3.0 Los Angeles TimesSarah-Tai Black While its ramshackle editing could be unintentionally humorous, and the obvious dialogue almost veers toward the inadvertently enjoyable, it’s the movie’s insistence on punching down that renders it more of a nightmare than a fever dream. Read