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Johnny Tsunami

  • TV Movie
  • 1999
  • TV-G
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,794
1,845
Johnny Tsunami (1999)
DramaFamilySport

A Hawaiian teenage surfer shows off his skills when he takes to the snow slopes in Vermont.A Hawaiian teenage surfer shows off his skills when he takes to the snow slopes in Vermont.A Hawaiian teenage surfer shows off his skills when he takes to the snow slopes in Vermont.

  • Director
    • Steve Boyum
  • Writers
    • Ann Austen
    • Douglas Sloan
  • Stars
    • Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
    • Brandon Baker
    • Mary Page Keller
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    5.7K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,794
    1,845
    • Director
      • Steve Boyum
    • Writers
      • Ann Austen
      • Douglas Sloan
    • Stars
      • Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
      • Brandon Baker
      • Mary Page Keller
    • 18User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos14

    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)
    Johnny Tsunami (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
    Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
    • Johnny Tsunami
    Brandon Baker
    Brandon Baker
    • Johnny Kapahaala
    Mary Page Keller
    Mary Page Keller
    • Melanie
    Yuji Okumoto
    Yuji Okumoto
    • Pete
    Lee Thompson Young
    Lee Thompson Young
    • Sam Sterling
    Cylk Cozart
    • Sgt. Sterling
    Kirsten Storms
    Kirsten Storms
    • Emily
    Zachary Bostrom
    Zachary Bostrom
    • Brett
    • (as Zach Bostrom)
    Gregory Itzin
    Gregory Itzin
    • Headmaster Pritchard
    Taylor Moore
    • Jake
    Anthony DiFranco
    • Eddie
    Steve Van Wormer
    Steve Van Wormer
    • Randy
    Noah Bastian
    Noah Bastian
    • Aaron
    Gabriel Luque
    • Matt
    Anne Sward
    Anne Sward
    • Miss Arthur
    Margaret Aoki
    • Food Server
    Douglas Sloan
    Douglas Sloan
    • Ski Patroller
    Ray Bumatai
    • Mike
    • Director
      • Steve Boyum
    • Writers
      • Ann Austen
      • Douglas Sloan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is only 9 years older than Yuji Okumoto, who plays his son.
    • Goofs
      When Sam is teaching Johnny to snowboard, he is riding goofy (right foot forward). In later scenes where Johnny is performing more difficult jumps and turns, he is riding regular (left foot forward). This reveals the use of a stunt double.
    • Quotes

      Brett: Hey.

      [Brett waves at Johnny to come over]

      Johnny Kapahaala: Let me guess. No skys allowed?

      Brett: No. What you did yesterday, Getting massive air up off that jump to help Sam and that sky girl, mad props, dude, you're a real charger.

      Johnny Kapahaala: Oh, thanks bro, I didn't know you even saw that.

      [Sam throws the hat at Johnny]

      Johnny Kapahaala: Oh, what's this?

      Sam Sterling: Hey, now you're cool enough.

      [Johnny laughs]

      Brett: Going on a sky raid.

      Johnny Kapahaala: What's that?

      Sam Sterling: Well, it's the new powder on the back summit.

      Brett: The fastest runs on the hill man. You wanna come?

      Johnny Kapahaala: Can I get busted for that?

      Brett: Hey, only if they catch us. Urchins' motto, man: "Go big or go home!"

      Johnny Kapahaala: All right.

      Sam Sterling: All right, come on, all, let's go.

    • Connections
      Featured in MsMojo: Top 10 Best Disney Channel Movies of All Time (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Rolled
      Jeffries Fan Club

    User reviews18

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Skiers Versus Boarders
    Young Johnny Kapahala from Hawaii has two great loves in life, surfing and his grandfather, the latter teaching him all about the former. The grandfather is known throughout the Hawaiians Islands as the legendary Johnny Tsunami. And young Mr. Kapahala shows every indication of inheriting that name and all that goes with it.

    But Johnny's parents played by Yuji Okumoto and Mary Page Keller are going to be moving to Vermont where Johnny is going to get to go to a fashionable prep school because Okumoto is going to teach computer programming.

    The free and easy life of Hawaii contrasts with the snobbery he finds among all the young yuppies of the future. And while Johnny finds he's managed to adapt his surfing skills to snowboarding, the ruling elite in the school are skiers as headed by an especially snotty young preppie in Zachary Bostrum.

    It's a Disney Channel production so don't expect the best in the way of acting, but Johnny Tsunami has two very good things going for it. Nice location photography both in Hawaii and Vermont and very good chemistry between Brandon Baker and Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa as the junior and senior Tsunamis. Their scenes together are really something special.

    Johnny Tsunami proved to be one of the most popular of Disney features, warranting a sequel, Johnny Kapahala, Back on Board with most of the same cast. I've always maintained Hawaii is so beautiful it's almost impossible to make a bad picture there. At least I've seen very few of them.

    Look also for a good performance by Gregory Itzin as the headmaster of the prep school whose attitudes are most reflected by the student body.
    helpful•4
    0
    • bkoganbing
    • Apr 5, 2008

    FAQ1

    • Will this movie along with other 90's Disney channel originals be available on the Disney streaming service in November 2019?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 24, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • DisneyNOW
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Contracorriente
    • Filming locations
      • Utah, USA
    • Production companies
      • Film Roman Productions
      • Syracuse Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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