Johnny Mad Dog

{{Infobox film

| name = Johnny Mad Dog

| image = Johnny Mad Dog DVD cover.jpg

| alt =

| caption = DVD cover

| native_name =

| director = Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire

| screenplay = Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire

| based_on = {{Based on|Johnny chien méchant|Emmanuel Dongala}}

| producer = Benoit Jaubert
Mathieu Kassovitz

| starring = Christophe Minie
Daisy Victoria Vandy
Joseph Duo
Dagbeth Tweh
Careen Moore

| cinematography = Marc Koninckx

| editing = Stéphane Elmadjian

| music = Jackson Tennessee Fourgeaud

| production_companies = MNP Entreprise
Explicit Films
Scope Pictures
Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC)
Canal+

| distributor = TFM Distribution

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2008|5|20|Cannes|2008|11|26|France|2009|9|9|Belgium}}

| runtime = 94 minutes

| country = France
Belgium
Liberia

| language = English
Liberian Kreyol
Kru

| budget =

| gross = $213,139

}}

Johnny Mad Dog is a 2008 Franco–Liberian war film directed and written by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire. Based on the 2002 novel Johnny chien méchant by Congolese author Emmanuel Dongala, the plot follows a group of child soldiers fighting for the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels in 2003, during the Second Liberian Civil War.

The film stars Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Dagbeh Tweh, Barry Chernoh, Mohammed Sesay and Joseph Duo.Catsoulis, Jeannette. "[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/movies/21roundup-JOHNNYMADDOG_RVW.html Child Soldiers on an Adult Rampage]". New York Times, 20 January 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2022 It premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

Plot

File:Johnny Mad Dog.jpg

The teenage rebel Johnny Mad Dog leads the small group of younger boys commanded by the older General Never Die, who feeds them cocaine. The film follows the group's march towards the capital Monrovia in a gritty realistic manner as they move through a series of towns and villages, where they terrify and often execute the population. The soldiers are depicted as almost feral, committing acts of pillage and rape, with scant regard for even their own lives.Bradshaw, Peter. "Johnny Mad Dog". The Guardian, 22 October 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2010. They wear a variety of outlandish outfits – including butterfly wings and a wedding dress – and have nicknames such as No Good Advice, Captain Dust to Dust, and Chicken Hair."[http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/johnny_mad_dog Johnny Mad Dog] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608122008/http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/johnny_mad_dog |date=2009-06-08 }}". Sundance Institute. Retrieved 4 July 2010.

Production

The actors were mostly aged 10 to 15, including Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Dagbeh Tweh, Barry Chernoh, Mohammed Sesay, and Joseph Duo. All were unknowns when cast; some were themselves former child soldiers.Burke, Gavin. "[http://entertainment.ie/movie_reviews/Johnny-Mad-Dog/6639.htm Johnny Mad Dog] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105054816/http://entertainment.ie/movie_reviews/Johnny-Mad-Dog/6639.htm |date=2010-01-05 }}". entertainment.ie. Retrieved 4 July 2010.