Johnny Tsunami

What’s the Story?

Adorable Brandon Baker stars as Hawaii native Johnny Kapahala, a well-adjusted teen whose passion for surfing was cultivated by his legendary wave-riding grandfather, known throughout the islands as Johnny Tsunami (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagama). The younger Johnny's dad decides to move the family to Vermont -- which turns out to be Hawaii's polar opposite in more ways than the obvious one. Johnny experiences extreme culture shock among his new group of prep-school peers, and he struggles to find a niche in his new home. With the help of new friend Sam (Lee Thompson Young), Johnny tries out the closest thing Vermont has to a surfboard and discovers that he's just as good at snowboarding as he was at riding the waves. But his new hobby causes quite a stir among his snobby classmates, who sneeringly remind him that in this neck of the woods, your scholastic status comes with a pre-determined set of interests, and boarding is out for him because, well, "Academy kids ski, public-schoolers board." As he grapples with the repercussions of his actions -- not the least of which is his father's disappointment that he's not trying to fit in with his elitist peers -- Johnny must decide whether it's worth putting it all on the line to change history in his new hometown.

Is It Any Good?

JOHNNY TSUNAMI's premise is by no means unique: An unexpected life change tests a teen's determination and sense of self when he's forced to find common ground with a new set of peers in an unfamiliar place. But add a dusting of Disney magic to that timeworn scenario and you get an entertaining, heartwarming movie that's practically popping with positive messages for kids.

Brimming over with positive messages about perseverance, friendship, forgiveness, and finding common ground with people who seem different from you, Johnny Tsunami has lots to offer kids in addition to the action-packed surfing and snowboarding scenes. Johnny's emotional growth will speak volumes to tweens who've experienced similar identity-testing situations. There's so much to love about this movie that parents will find themselves drawn in by the same magic that intoxicates their kids.