Billy Jack is a 1971 psychological action-drama film directed by Tom Laughlin. The movie revolves around Billy Jack, a former Green Beret and hapkido expert who protects a freedom school run by a group of hippies in the California desert. The freedom school is a refuge for young runaways, and one of its main goals is to promote peace and teach nonviolent conflict resolution.
When local townspeople begin threatening the school and its students, Billy Jack steps in to protect them. He uses his martial arts skills to fight off bullies and protect the students. However, things take a turn for the worse when a group of wild horses that the school has been caring for are rounded up by a local rancher to be slaughtered for dog food.
Billy Jack and the students band together to free the horses, resulting in a violent confrontation with the rancher and his hired thugs. During the struggle, Billy Jack demonstrates his fighting skills, taking on several men at once using his hapkido techniques.
The climax of the movie sees Billy Jack facing off against the sheriff and his deputies as they close in on the freedom school. In a powerful speech before the final showdown, Billy Jack voices his frustration with the violence and corruption he sees around him and appeals to the townspeople to take responsibility for their actions.
Ultimately, Billy Jack is able to protect the freedom school and its students, and the wild horses are saved from slaughter. The film ends with Billy Jack riding off into the sunset, leaving the town behind him.
Overall, Billy Jack is a powerful and thought-provoking film that explores themes of social justice, peace, and nonviolence. It was a hit with audiences in the early 1970s and has since become a cult classic.