Billy Jack (DVD, 1999)

Billy Jack says it all for those who never lived through the historical 1960s. It comes to grip with some of the turbulence that was going on at that time. I lived through the 60s and the film tells it like it was back then. The actor that plays Billy Jack seems to have disappeared after that film but he was perfect for the part. Part Indian and part white he fights against all the prejudice aimed at Native Americans that was in real life around at that time but was also just starting to change. Most Native Americans were still looked down upon by many people. As the film goes on you can see the anger growing inside of the cool and quiet Billy as he sees some bullies picking on some of his people one day and then it suddenly explodes like a bomb. I loved the movie and long after it came out it has became a cult classic. Part of the film was made in Prescott Arizona and the people there still remember the film. A great movie to show your kids or grand kids on just what was going on back then in the raging sixties with the Vietnam War, the murder of President Kennedy and his brother Bobby and then of course Martin Luther King. I rated it 4 stars and I wish they made more like it.........

This movie is set up in the late 60's and early 70's. During those tumultous times, life was hard on everyone. But life was unbearable for those minorities that did not have political parties helping them. The American Indian has been trampled by the American governement for centuries. This movie shines a light on the hard life of an Indian reservation in the Southwest. A local businessman, Mr. Posner, basically owns the whole town, with a few exceptions. He wants to own and run everyone's lives in this small town. He even owns a deputy, but not the sheriff. Mr. Posner's only son, Bernard, is a spoiled rich brat who makes it a point to harass anyone that is not like him. He hates, with a passion, the young people who go to the Indian Reservation school. The school, run by Jean, teaches the young people about creativity as well as the normal curriculum. Jean opens her doors for all people. So the school is made up of Indians as well as outcasts of the local small town. Bernard makes it a habit to persecute these students. That is until he meets up with the school's and Jean's protector, Billy Jack. Billy Jack is the "Original Bad-Ass". He is an ex-marine who was fed up with Vietnam and when he came home, decided to return to his heritage. Billy Jack may be a half-breed but he is all hero when it comes to the school and Jean. Billy Jack defends the school, the young people and Jean. After a collusion with Mr. Posner, Billy Jack takes his revenge out on those that have hurt his extended family. Justice is served in the end. The song at the end of the movie, "One Tin Soldier", examplifies the troubled times in which we survived at the time. This is a movie no one should miss if you want to know about the 70's.

I saw the movie when it came out (I was young) and was most impressed with the violence and the sex, not necessarily in that order.

It stands up because of the fascinating character of Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin), who, long before Rambo, was a Vietnam vet coming home just to mind his own business, carry on and not make trouble.

True to his convictions, trouble brews, and the local bigoted town folk (big shot Stuart Posner and his horny son Bernard) give his kids a hard time and it just makes him go berserk.

Interesting difference between Rambo and Billy Jack is the sheriff in Billy Jack is sympathetic to the hippies and "Indians" in town, whereas the sheriff pushes Rambo (and pushes and pushes) into indiscretion and Rambo flees into the hills.

Billy Jack doesn't flee from anyone or anything, including death. Helps that he is a Hapkido master and slings a Winchester like The Rifleman. There is a great scene where he becomes one with a rattlesnake, letting the reptile strike at him again and again. A vision quest, if you like.

The weepiness of the "Freedom School" marm is tiresome, although she (Delores Taylor) pulls out a great performance as the peace-loving Jean.

In the original script, Billy is killed by a police sniper. They should have kept that in and let the Billy Jack epic end with this movie, for the sequels are eye rolling.

-claytonjohnmuir

Awesome movie!! Makes you think about many social issues and prejudices and think about where you stand and how you would react. Fun action movie, great if you like american indians, martial arts, heroes, tough guys, the sixties, hippies, etc. If you like any of these, you should see all four films in the series: Born Losers, Billy Jack, The Trial of Billy Jack, and Billy Jack Goes to Washington. Sure these are older movies, but well worth the time to see and think about. Things haven't changed as much as we expected them to in the last 40 plus years.

Good movie, a classic actually, great song, (One tin soldier). A little over-done on the storyline but very entertaining none the less.