Warner Bros. Billy Jack summary

Warner Bros. please! Have you ever read such pitiful dribble in all your life? A better back cover summary would be: "Watch the super ego that is Tom Caughlin as he acts out his Messiah complex while eventually whopping hillbilly asses with some sweet ass Hapkido moves. Beware of horrific hippy songs and awful "improvised" street theater by an annoying pre WKRP in Cincinnati Howard Hessman and a group of assholes called The Committee."

Billy Jack is a film like no other - it's car wreck entertainment. You can't look away as much as your brain revolts against the bizarre images on the screen. Part revenge exploitation flick, part American Indian spirituality mumbo jumbo, part hippie amateur night - Billy Jack is a complete jumbled mess.

Tom Laughlin and wife Delores Taylor, to their credit, wrote/directed/edited and acted in this super cult hit. When various film companies tried to squash their vision they sued, threatened to burn the soundtrack and basically fought like hell to bring their vision to as many theater goers as possible. The film became a massive hit as Laughlin promoted himself AS Billy Jack - this peaceful counter culture icon who was down with the hippie cause but willing to beat major ass if necessary. Feeling on top of the world he made a sequel which nobody saw and a third Billy Jack flick that didn't see the light of day.

The Billy Jack character - a Native American former Green Beret - first appeared in the superb biker film Born Losers. In Born Losers Laughlin brutally disposes of the most colorful collection of biker sleazes to ever grace the silver screen. In Billy Jack he protects wild Mustangs and a "Progressive" school - The Freedom School - from a town full of white, hillbilly bigots. See, the Freedom school houses children of all races teaching - gulp - therapeutic role playing games, heart felt hippie songs, the theater and yoga! When the mixed group of hippies and non whites cruise into town to get an ice pop all hell breaks loose. Bernard, the son of the towns big wig, gets his kicks by pouring flour over the heads of the Native American children, making them "white" so they may be served ice cream. When Billy Jack arrives rubbing his face as if he's about to explode we know shit is about to hit the fan. Billy Jack whups Bernard and another punk before calmly removing his boots and socks so that he may do battle with the townfolks! Yes! And indeed Laughlin, when he actually does fight, is an exciting presence. Kicking dudes in the jaw and sweeping legs in a truly thrilling scene before getting blasted in the head himself by the numerous hicks.

This is where Billy Jack drives me crazy. You get all settled in for a Hillbilly, Hapkido ass kicking good time when you are inexplicably subject to these fucking hippies singing awful songs, assholes performing ridiculous skits about parents and the man, and Billy Jack being talked out of taking the whole town down with him. When Bernard rapes Jack's main squeeze all we get is Jack karate chopping Bernard's windpipe into oblivion and a couple of shot deputies! The pay off in no way justifies the brutal going ons in that school from hell!