Brothers, Zack and Woody (portrayed by real-life brothers Chris and Pat Petersen) are young karate students who embark on a weekend camping trip with their grandfather J.J. (Charles Lane). Along the way they meet a new friend, Carol Forbinger (Sally Boyden) and her parents (Rick Lenz and Sharon Clark). When the Forbinger family encounters a tough-talking backwoods mother (Ann Sothern) and her two bumbling sons (Joe Spinell and John Davis Chandler) who decide to hold Carol captive believing they can collect a sizable ransom, the "karate kids" must find a way to use their martial arts skills to rescue the Forbinger girl with a little help from their grandfather and some new friends they meet along the way.
Very low budget movie that was rated PG mainly due to some of the language the kids use.
The movie was made in 1980 however many people believe it was actually made around 1976 and just didn't get released until 1980.
The movie has not been properly preserved so the prints are turning red as the color fades.
It's directed like a TV movie and even has the worst porn music streaming in the background. Speaking of porn, the movie features Joe Spinell who was married to a porn star and has a lot of strange deaths attached to him -- including his own.
Joe was in a few mob backed horror movies but never really went anywhere despite being best friends with Sly Stallone. He wound up dying on his couch in a dump in Queens, NY at age 52.
Back to the movie. I guess this film is in the public domain in that there are tons of versions of it.
It's watchable but not especially good.
And BTW, as an aside....who puts a billiard table out doors????? You'll see that and more in this move.