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Created Jun 21, 2009 09:49AM PST • Edited May 27, 2010 10:08PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Perfect 5.0

   Forget Rambo, Dirty Harry, Buford Pusser, Paul Kersey, and even Frank Martin (Jason Statham’s “Transporter” character)….there is only Billy Jack!

   Written, produced, directed by and starring Tom Laughlin as Native American lawman, Billy Jack, this movie fires on all cylinders resulting in one of the best films I’ve ever had the privelage to see. The 1970s may arguably be the golden age of cinema. From horror to drama, all genres of film were respected to the max with such movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Rocky, Walking Tall, Gone in 60 Seconds, Halloween, Smokey and the Bandit, Death Race 2000, The Exorcist, etc.. However, there are so many films that have gone unnoticed due to lack of marketing and fanbase. It’s not necessarily that the movies are bad, it’s just that no one really knows about them. Billy Jack is one of those movies.

   Billy Jack, the film, tells the story of how Native Americans and the rest of the “free souls” are being persecuted in the land of the free. A group of children and teens attending a special school run by a female pacifist named Jean are being harassed and assaulted by the townspeople and police. With the law, the money and the power on the townspeoples’ side, what do the Native Americans and kids posess that can level the playing field? One man….the original army of one…..Billy Jack. A half Indian, half caucasian, ex-Green Beret that despises war and the selfish, careless ways of the white man. He wants nothing more than peace, love and harmony for every man, woman and child but when everyone else has nothing but hate and pain to offer him and those he loves, he has no problem returning the favor, ten fold.

   Billy Jack doesn’t have superpowers, he doesn’t carry an arsenal of weapons that never run out of ammo and he doesn’t drive a beefed up car. He’s a regular man that is put through all of the same situations that other action heroes are subjected to. Only he approaches them with a much more unique style and at the end of the film, you might find yourself shedding a tear for our man in the hat. Laughlin and his wife Delores Taylor (who plays Jean in the film) wrote a perfect film at the perfect time. Following the Vietnam War and the birth of “hippies” in the late 60s, anyone that wished to express themselves freely and openly were considered “dangerous” to others and the United States of America. Many of these people were harassed, arrested and some were even assaulted physically by people claiming they represented the freedoms of the US. Billy Jack portrays these actions with numerous examples showing just how cruel and perverted our fellow man can really be.

4. Acting

   Really Great 4.5

   Delores Taylor, while not the most attractive woman, serves up a satisfying performance showing absolutely nothing but love and peace no matter what is done to her.

   Tom Laughlin also turns in a decent performance as the hardened Native American hero. His tough guy speeches before he lays the smackdown are not only memorable and at times humorous, they’re all delivered with meaning and purpose and not “just for the hell of it”.

   One of the best scenes of dialogue in the film involves Jean and BIlly, right before Billy heads out for a final showdown. Jean is pleading and begging Billy not to hurt anyone despite the disgusting act that was done to her. She tells Billy that they can just leave and go somewhere else where they don’t have to deal with the hate. Billy then replies

   “Oh, really? Tell me, where is that place? Where is it? In what remote corner of this country-no-entire goddamn planet is there a place were men really care about one another and really love each other? Now, you tell me were such a place is, and I promise you that I’ll never hurt another human being as long as I live.
   [shouts] Just one place!”

   While that line may not sound like Oscar material, I found it to be one of the most powerful lines I’ve heard in a film in a long time. Think about it, where in this world can people go where they don’t have to worry about dealing with the savagery of hate and greed? There isn’t.

   Aside from the lead actors, the supporting cast is equally great. The villains, good guys, kids, townspeople, everyone put forth a great effort. One scene proving this is the public meeting where the kids from the school come to speak with the city council. The entire scene was ad-libbed and adds to the realism of the film.

5. Male Stars Really Great 4.5

6. Female Stars Really Great 4.5

7. Female Costars Really Great 4.5

8. Male Costars Really Great 4.5

10. Film

    Perfect 5.0

    The movie is solid through and through. There are no holes in the plot, no lines of dialogue that shouldn’t be there, and no instances of boredom. Once the story starts to unravel, you’ll stick with it unless you have the mental capacity similar to that of Michael Bay. Billy Jack is not only an action movie, it’s a drama in many senses as well. While Laughlin did not recieve the proper credit he deserves for telling us this amazing story, I can say confidently that Billy Jack is my FAVORITE action movie of all time.

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

12. Play Perfect 5.0

13. Music Perfect 5.0

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 3.2

    No bloody special effects, no explosions galore, no wire work fight scenes and definitely no CGI, Billy Jack is as a raw a film as it’s plot. It may not have the body count of Total Recall, or the fights and gun battles of a Chuck Norris flick, but don’t forget that all those movies are lacking the depth, emotion and power that Billy Jack excels with.

    There are two scenes depicting sexual acts. The first is offensive but not graphic while the second doesn’t really show the act being committed, but it does show a naked underage girl.

17. Sex Lewd 4.0

18. Violence Fierce 2.0

19. Rudeness Profane 3.5

21. Reality

    Glib 1.5

    Billy Jack is not a character based on the real life events of one man…the story is based on events that not just the generations at the time of its release faced, but events that many future generations will be forced to deal with. We all face some type of persecution…be it racism, sexism, or some other stereotype, people are still hating each other. Wars are still being fought with no end in the near future and the hate will continue to grow and grow. Will there ever come a time when we can all rest easy and finally enjoy the company and love for each other without greed, jealousy, and hate?

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.5

23. Biological Glib 1.5

24. Physical Glib 1.5