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Johnny Tsunami

(Rated TV-G, Drama, Starring Brandon Baker, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagama, Yuji Okumoto, Where to watch: Disney Channel)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Surfing, boarding, and strong lessons for kids.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Lots of strong messages about friendship, forgiveness, and finding common ground with people who are different from yourself. A father and son overcome their rocky relationship and learn to accept each other as they are, and the main character shares an enviable bond with his grandfather, who teaches him to be true to himself and face challenges head-on.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    One teen fistfight ends in a slightly bloodied nose. There are plenty of dramatic spills on the snowy slopes and one fall down a treacherous mountainside, but no one suffers lasting effects.
  • Sexy stuff:

    There's a developing crush between the main character and a girl he likes, but it never gets physical.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Johnny Tsunami

Parents need to know that there's no sex, violence, or language to worry about in this fun made-for-TV movie. Instead, it's full of positive messages about friendship, perseverance, and overcoming differences. It also explores the pressures of divisive attitudes and how kids are affected by -- and can rise above -- the idea that it's best for people to keep to "their own kind." And even younger kids, who may miss out on some of the finer thematic points, will enjoy the action-packed surfing and snowboarding scenes.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about peer relationships. Kids: Do you think this movie does a good job showing how tweens and teens relate to each other? Have you had any similar experiences? What situations have you been in that compare to Johnny's? How did you handle them? Would you have done anything different if you were in his shoes? If so, what?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    oldie but goodie

    I miss DC mocies like this. I loooove Johnny Tsunami!

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