VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Scott LeBrun It's easy to see why "The Legend of Billie Jean" would have a following almost 30 years after it was released. It's firmly on the side of its youthful protagonists, with most of the adults and upper class characters treated with a degree of contempt. A more even hand would have helped, but as it is, our young actors are good enough that one does still root for them up to a point. In fact, solid acting right down the line helps to sell this material."Supergirl" star Helen Slater is sexy Texan Billie Jean Davy, living with her younger brother Binx (an engaging Christian Slater, making his film debut) and mom in Corpus Christi. A run in with obnoxious rich jerk Hubie (Barry Tubb) causes Hubie to steal Binx's treasured scooter and ruin it. Billie Jean goes to Hubies' store owner father Mr. Pyatt (Richard Bradford) to ask for the $608 to repair the scooter, but circumstances get out of control, and Billie Jean and Binx become fugitives from the law, convinced that the authorities will never buy their side of the story. They become rebel heroes to kids everywhere, and Billie Jean is inspired to cut her hair short, Joan of Arc style.Helen Slater is quite good as the reluctant pop culture icon. Co-star Keith Gordon is fun as the slightly eccentric young man who becomes sympathetic to her cause. Bradford is perfectly slimy as the unrepentant elder. Martha Gehman and Yeardley Smith offer solid support as the gal pals who join the Davys on the road. Peter Coyote is good as the understanding cop, ditto Dean Stockwell as Gordons' attorney father. Look for John M. Jackson ('JAG') and Caroline Williams ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2") in small roles.Also helping to make this palatable is the catchy rock & pop soundtrack, featuring that irresistible kick ass theme song belted out by Pat Benatar.The movie does have something to say about the way that people can and will cynically capitalize on fads, and how justice isn't something that should just be reserved for adults. It's a fairly intriguing melodrama that provides a striking amount of catharsis at the end.Seven out of 10.

Woodyanders Feisty lower-class teenager Billie Jean (a strong and charismatic performance by Helen Slater) and her brother Binx Davy (a solid and likable Christian Slater in his film debut) become celebrity fugitives after a dispute between affluent jerk Hubie (a perfectly obnoxious turn by Barry Tubb) and his no-count father Mr. Pyatt (a splendidly slimy portrayal by Richard Bradford) about Hubie trashing Binx's scooter gets out of hand.Director Matthew Robbins keeps the engrossing story moving along at a quick pace, vividly captures the humid atmosphere of rural Texas, and manages to prevent the potentially campy story from degenerating into totally laughable kitsch. The astute script by Rick Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner offers a pointed and powerful social commentary on how the rich exploit and push around the poor and disenfranchised, the way the media can mold someone into a martyr, and the basic necessity to see that justice gets served after something wrong goes initially unpunished. This film further benefits from fine acting by a tip-top cast: Yeardley Smith as excitable third wheel Putter, Keith Gordon as the helpful Floyd, Martha Gehman as loyal gal pal Ophelia, Peter Coyote as sympathetic cop Lt. Ringwald, and Dean Stockwell as Flloyd's estranged bigwig politician father Muldaur. However, it's Slater who really keeps this picture on track: She looks absolutely stunning with close-cropped hair and brings a fierce conviction and winning sense of pure integrity to the character of Bille Jean that makes her real easy to root for and side with as she becomes a symbol of defiant rebellion and female empowerment to the adolescent public at large. Jeffrey L. Kimball's slick cinematography provides a neat polished look. Craig Safan's moody score and the pumping rock soundtrack both hit the stirring spot. A super cool movie that's deserving of its avid fan following.

moonspinner55 Teenage siblings in Texas are wanted by the police after one of the kids shoots and wounds an auto mechanic--this following a sexual proposition on Billie Jean (who is nearly raped) and the beating of her brother by a group of peers, which the cops have shrugged off. Teen-rebellion with a low-budget, candy-coated sheen. Screenwriters Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner occasionally have tongue in cheek, and display a curious penchant for oddball character names like Binx and Putter, but too often fall back on melodrama (which helps to derail the entire final reel). Despite constantly flashing her bright, nice-girl smile playing Billie Jean, Helen Slater is a fairly convincing rabble-rouser until the script gives her too much to handle. The film has a misshapen feel, with yahoo comedic moments targeted at the drive-in crowds. Far from being a teenage variant of "The Sugarland Express", which may have been fascinating, the movie instead takes the low road. It is unambitious and amateurish--and seems perfectly satisfied with being both. ** from ****

zardoz-13 "Corvette Summer" director Matthew Robbins wrote and helmed Helen Slater's second big-screen movie, the above-average road epic "The Legend of Billie Jean," about a blonde Texas teenager from a trailer park who becomes a highly-sought after fugitive after several guys stole her motor scooter from her little brother and vandalized it. Fifteen-year old Christian Slater plays Binx, the brother of Billie Jean (Helen Slater of "Supergirl") in this 1980s era who embarks on a journey of hardship as they dodge the law. When Billie Jean confronts the villainously mustached Pyatt (Richard Bradford of "The Milagro Beanfield War") whose reckless son Hubie (Barry Tubb of "Top Gun") damaged their scooter, she has to ward off a rape attempt. It seems that Pyatt is willing to pay Billie for the damages if she will accompany him upstairs. Fleeing from him, she descends from the room above the store and finds Binx has removed a revolver from Pyatt's cash register. Pyatt threatens Binx and Binx shoots him in the shoulder by accident. The entire state of Texas scrambles after Billie Jean, and she manages to not only elude them but recreate herself as a media icon by cutting her hair and emerging as look-alike Joan of Arc. She gets the idea one evening while watching the Otto Preminger classic movie "Saint Joan" (1957) with Jean Seberg cast as Joan. There is a wonderful scene when Detective Ringwald (Peter Coyote of "Sphere") is informed by one of his men that they have captured Billie. Actually, they have captured a quartet of girls with shorn coifs claiming to be the fugitive in a riff on the Kirk Douglas slave saga "Spartacus." Robbins co-scripted the Spielberg chase thriller "The Sugarland Express" and comparisons between the two are inevitable. The kids take a hostage, Lloyd (Keith Gordon of "Christine") who uses his videotape camera to shoots videos of Billie proclaiming her slogan "Fair is Fair." Actually, "The Legend of Billie Jean" is more than fair, and Helen Slater is delectable as the eponymous heroine. Rock star Pat Benatar hated this movie, but her song "Invincible" appears in it and adds to its message about wronged youth. Richard Bradford makes an evil villain who exploits Billie. A memorable moment occurs near the conclusion when Billie sets fire to Pyatt's canvas tent store selling posters of Billie Jean. In this instance, a towering statue of Billie Jean catches fire in a riff of "Saint Joan." The ending with our heroine and her brother in the snow-swept north is amusing. Binx spots a snow scooter reminiscent of the motor scooter that they were riding at the outset of the film. Yeardley Smith is fun to watch as Billie's friend who has her first period in the station wagon that they use to elude a carbine wielding truck driver. Clocking in a 96 minutes, "The Legend of Billie Jean" qualifies as entertaining with strong performances.