Billy Jack

 From the opening music (the well-known folk song "One Tin Soldier"), I knew this movie would make me cry. Not just your typical, hollywood tear-jerker, this (eventually) Indy film will break your heart. The students at the freedom school act with endearing candor, and the townspeople with realistic indecision. The conflict, optimistically, comes down to one or two downward-spiraling sociopaths.

Tom Laughlin carries the film with incredible charisma and even carefully controlled sex-appeal. Although Delores Taylor's narration lacks emotion, her character emerges slowly with humor, intelligence, and the kind of quiet strength almost impossible to create on screen.

Although critics have found this film thematically confused, I saw it rather as humanly nuanced. The contrast of violence and peace seem much more practical than a purely hippie-driven peace-out (which would frankly nauseate), or a purely violent martial-arts film.

Be aware that this film does not move gently. No punches at the audience are pulled. Although the decency remains within FCC boundaries (it contains little swearing, if any), the plot and image blows are not padded. This serves to make the film realistically (and laudably) painful, but not necessarily suitable for younger children.

The sequels may disappoint, but this film certainly doesn't. Even the tomatometer calls it fresh. This film is a must-see, especially considering all of the pop-culture references to it, in everything from Pinky and the Brain to Yes Man.