Mjeteconer Just perfect...

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Aiden Melton The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

gavin6942 Ex-Green Beret hapkido expert saves wild horses from being slaughtered for dog food and helps protect a desert "freedom school" for runaways.Why this movie matters: Before "Billy Jack", movies contained at most brief references to martial arts, with fights portrayed by actors who had little training. With "Billy Jack", Han Bong Soo introduced authentic hapkido techniques to Western audiences. So there's that.But the film is bogged down by a weird hippie school and politics that nobody seems to understand (what is "violent pacifism"?). Interestingly, Delores Taylor received a Golden Globe nomination as Most Promising Newcoming Actress. And yet, aside from the "Billy Jack" films, that promise was not followed through on.

fullbug I'm not a fan of the hippie movement. Mostly drug abuse, promiscuous sex, and bad personal hygiene. But there was also a message of peace, self expression, and an awareness of racism and political corruption in the early 70's. This low budget film gives viewers a glimpse into this aspect (from a small town local perspective).But that passive (peaceful) mentality gets thrown out the window for Billy Jack when local punks, a spoiled rich kid, and a crooked police deputy push things too far. Tom Laughlin plays a quick-tempered green beret Vietnam vet that puts his martial arts skills to work on these corrupt antagonizing locals.Again, this is a low budget early 70's film. So Rambo it is not, but it does give you quite a bit of satisfaction seeing Billy Jack whoop some tail to those who had it coming.

Dalbert Pringle Talk about sending out a screwy message!This film actually seemed to suggest that a good, swift kick in the groin would bring about "peace and love". And that a gun in hand was far better than any old constitution when it came to enforcing justice.Seen today, Billy Jack's politics are, to say the least, highly questionable and its "so-called" message of peace looks downright ludicrous, considering the serious amount of violence that takes place in the story.Set in and around the town of Prescott, Arizona, actor Tom Laughlin starred, directed, and co-wrote this 1971, grass-roots hit, which by 1973 had grossed well-over $40 million. (Its budget was only $800,000)Billy Jack predates all of the Bruce Lee/Kung Fu movies and character Billy Jack's wardrobe of black t-shirt, denim jeans and jacket, and black hat with bead-work became an instant fashion trend amongst all the hippy-dippy youth of the day.Anyways, as Billy Jack's crude, little story goes -Half-breed, Cherokee, and karate expert, Billy Jack goes well out of his way to protect a hippie-themed freedom school for runaways that has recently come under fire (figuratively speaking) by the bigoted, reactionary townspeople of Prescott.Yep. Billy Jack's story really was as plain and simple as all of that.This film was actually credited with helping to raise the level of awareness regarding the discrimination of Native Americans.Billy Jack's memorable opening, title sequence, depicting the slaughter of wild mustangs, introduced the hit song "One Tin Soldier" by Coven.Lyrics excerpt - "You won't hear any trumpets blowing, Come the Judgment Day, On the bloody morning after, One tin soldier rides away."

LCShackley I was a high school sophomore when this movie came out. It was one of the iconic movies of the period, but I managed to miss it until 2013 when I caught it on cable TV. All I knew about its content was what I learned from the Paul Simon SNL parody "Billy Paul" which ran a few years after the film's release. I had the impression that it was a sort of violent revenge film along the lines of "Death Wish."Instead, it's a 2-hour reminder of how truly awful the hippie era was, full of pretension, naiveté, new-ageism, and horrid folk songs that make you want to pull a Belushi with the guitar player. The plot itself takes about 60 minutes to unravel; the rest is filler, featuring "music" or improvised comedy by the 60s troupe "The Committee" (including Howard Hesseman under a stage name). The clichés flow freely, and the characters are all cardboard cutouts, but at least things are livened up by a few good fight scenes featuring the "pacifist" Billy Jack. It's the kind of movie you'd expect when a husband/wife team writes a script, then give themselves the starring roles and the director's chair. With any luck, this film will cure any nostalgia you may still have for the late 60s/early 70s.