Passing away on March 19th at the age of 86, the world has lost a giant in the world of martial arts and action cinema. No matter what some think of his politics or personal beliefs, there is no denying the cultural impact Chuck Norris has had on the world. While recently he may be better known as the subject of “Chuck Norris Facts”, numerous jokes based on absurd facts about Norris, we shouldn’t overlook his actual achievements.
Sure, his film career may not have reached the heights of an Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone, but this doesn’t mean that he didn’t have star power. Similarly to the likes of Jean Claude Van Damme, Norris’ films gave his fans exactly what they expected, with him featuring in several stellar action vehicles during his career.
For this list, I’m strictly focusing on Norris’ movies rather than his television work. This isn’t to downplay the impact his series Walker Texas Ranger (1993) had on the public at the time of its release, but if I started factoring in television appearances this list could go on forever.
The following films are listed in chronological order from when they were released rather than from what I think is the best. These are just five of my favorites, and I am sure others may disagree at the exclusion of what they think are Norris’ best.
An Eye for an Eye (1981)
This was Norris’ first collaboration with director Steve Carver, and was something of a change of pace for Norris, being more of an action movie than just simply focusing on martial arts. This probably disappointed fans at the time, with there being as much gunplay as fight scenes during the film, it is now probably one of Norris’ more accessible films.
We don’t expect Norris to knock it out of the park in terms of acting, but he had certainly improved by this point in his career. Sure, he was never going to win any acting awards but he applies himself well and is wholly convincing in the films action scenes.
Carver brings a grittiness to the action, shooting proceedings in a no bullshit manner. The shooting style actually helps cover up some of the more ridiculous aspects of the film i.e. Professor Toru Tanaka’s seemingly superhuman henchman.
The supporting cast also raises An Eye for an Eye above previous Norris’ movies. Christopher Lee is his usual classy self as the film’s villain. Sure, he may not be a physical threat to Norris’, but he brings a level of intelligence and villainy to his role that makes him a viable threat. Anyway, he has the deadly Tanaka to back him up, so he doesn’t need martial arts skills to face off against Norris’. There is also the always welcome Richard Roundtree as Norris’ by the book boss. It is quite amusing to see Roundtree playing such a role considering he made his career playing renegade private eye Shaft, someone who made a career out of breaking the rules. We also have Mako, who is on hand to assist Norris’ in his takedown of Lee’s criminal mastermind, with him even getting to go mano-a-mano against the much larger Tanaka. Sure, the fight goes as expected but it is still a highlight.
It wouldn’t feel right not to mention the recently passed Matt Clark who appears as a friend of Norris’ character. This isn’t the most memorable of roles for Clark but it is certainly better than his other film role of that year where he found himself appearing in the woeful The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981).
Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
With terrific action scenes, a charismatic villain turn from David Carradine and an excellent music score from Francesco De Masi, Lone Wolf McQuade easily goes down as one of Norris’ best.
This marked Norris’ second film with director Steve Carver, with Carver once again changing up Norris’ image. While An Eye for an Eye still had him quite clear cut, it had him playing a different kind of role to what he played in the likes of A Force of One (1979) or The Octagon (1980). Here he is once again a lawman, but unlike An Eye for an Eye, he is a hard drinking, grubby looking Texas Ranger which was quite a change for Norris at the time.
Carver was clearly inspired by Westerns, specifically Spaghetti Westerns in how he shoots the action. Adding to this is setting the film in El Paso, a perfect location for the film’s various action scenes. The action and locations are expertly captured by director of photography Roger Shearman, making this one of Chuck Norris’ best looking movies.
Like his later films such as Missing in Action (1984) and Delta Force (1986), there is as much firepower as there is martial arts, but this isn’t a bad thing as all the action in the film is extremely well done, especially the explosion filled finale which is capped off by a memorable showdown between Norris and Carradine, whose different fighting styles make for an exciting face off.
The film also gave Norris the opportunity to play something of a romantic hero this time round, with him and the lovely Barbara Carrera sharing decent chemistry. You also have Penitentiary (1979) leading man Leon Issac Kennedy showing up as an FBI Agent who puts bureaucracy aside to assist Norris. Then there’s legends like L.Q. Jones and R.G. Armstrong who just adds to the Western vibe the film is going for.
Any fan of Norris’ later exploits as Walker Texas Ranger will find a lot to enjoy here, with both sharing many similarities. Such similarities actually saw director Steve Carver and his production partner take the producers of Walker Texas Ranger to court. Inexplicably, the Supreme Court failed to find any similarities between the two which is frankly laughable, as Lone Wolf McQuade could almost be seen as a dry run for what was to come later.
Missing in Action (1984)
While it may not have been critically acclaimed, Missing in Action is arguably one of Norris’ most popular films. Sure, it could be argued that it’s pretty much a B movie take on Rambo, but it also allows Norris to do what he does best. It is certainly more exploitative than the likes of An Eye for an Eye or Lone Wolf McQuade, which isn’t really surprising coming from Cannon Films.
Claims of the film being xenophobic are certainly valid, with the typical racial stereotypes being prevalent throughout the whole film. However, Missing in Action isn’t the only action film of the era that is guilty of this, and I have seen worse. Obviously, for a film like this, you need to make certain allowances.
With this in mind, there are still enough elements here that make Missing in Action a worthwhile film in Norris’ filmography. So worthwhile in fact, that Cannon decided to release this film first, instead of the prequel Missing in Action II: The Beginning (1985) which they felt was the lesser of the two films.
I would have to agree, with director Joseph Zito giving the film a level of energy that is lacking from Lance Hool’s prequel. Zito’s impressive handling of the action rises the film above other similar Rambo knock offs, and while Norris essentially plays Norris, he does get some great supporting performances from James Hong and especially M. Emmet Walsh who pretty much steals the movie once he appears.
Code of Silence (1985)
Code of Silence is a definite standout in Norris’ filmography, with it having a higher level of quality than the majority of films on his filmography. This is down to the realistic approach director Andrew Davis brings to the film, with this gritty tale of police corruption being far removed from mindless action vehicles like Invasion USA.
Initially written as a Dirty Harry sequel, Code of Silence gives Norris the opportunity to play a real human being for a change. Sure, he still kicks ass, but his character doesn’t feel as unstoppable as those he played in Lone Wolf McQuade or Missing in Action. Norris’ Sergeant Eddie Cusack actually feels like he has bitten off more than he can chew, especially when he finds himself ostracized by his fellow officers when he refuses to cover up an unlawful shooting by a corrupt cop in his department.
Shooting the film in Chicago is a masterstroke, with the real life locations giving the film a sense of realism. With Andrew Davis being a Chicago native, he clearly knows the right locations to include in the film, with him making Chicago almost a character in itself. Thematically, Code of Silence is very similar to Davis’ later Above the Law (1988), another martial arts infused actioner, this time with Steven Seagal. Both deal with police corruption and have a level of depth that would be missing in either of the lead actors’ later works.
Additionally, both films feature the always excellent Henry Silva as their main antagonist. While he may not pose as much as a physical threat as some of Norris’ other villains, he brings a great deal of personality to the role and is wholly convincing as a deadly mob boss.
Best of all is an early role for the late, great Dennis Farina who stars as Norris’ buddy and fellow cop. Interestingly, Farina was still actually a Chicago cop during the production of the movie eventually becoming an actor full time the following year when cast in the Michael Mann produced Crime Story (1986).
Code of Silence went on to become a considerable success and paved the way for Davis to work on several of the best action thrillers to come from Hollywood in the late 80s and 90s. As well as the previously mentioned Above the Law, he would go on to direct the extremely underrated The Package (1989), Under Siege (1992) and blockbuster The Fugitive (1993) to name a few.
It’s interesting to think how Norris’ career would fare if he made more grounded action movies such as this. Follow up movies like Hero and the Terror (1988) and The Hitman (1991) did somewhat emulate the feel of Code of Silence but didn’t come close in terms of quality.
The Delta Force (1986)
The Delta Force could be seen as a bit of wish fulfillment. Inspired by the real life hijacking of TWA Flight 847, but rather than meeting some of the hijackers’ demands as had happened in reality, instead Chuck and his Delta Force buddies make the hijackers pay for their evil deeds.
Obviously I’m not making light of the real life hijacking, rather I’m poking fun at the fictionalized Hollywood treatment of it. Of course, Delta Force isn’t a full on retelling of the tale, with it only being an inspiration to the filmmakers. This is purely a work of fiction, and as a work of fiction it is easily one of Norris’ most entertaining movies, with it personally tying with Code of Silence in top tier Norris vehicles.
It is also a standout in director Menahem Golan’s career. Better known as one of the owners of Cannon Films, Golan directed his fair share of movies throughout the years, with varying degrees of quality. Delta Force stands shoulders above everything else in his filmography as director.
Partly the reason it stands out is that it isn’t a typical Chuck Norris movie, with it having as much in common with disaster movies of the 70s as it does martial arts action films. Like those disaster movies, Delta Force has a cast list made up of some of Hollywood’s best character actors, with the likes of Robert Vaughn, Joey Bishop, Shelley Winters, Martin Balsam and best of all, screen legend George Kennedy.
What also raises Delta Force above the rest is that it isn’t just Norris leading the charge, with his co-star being veteran tough guy Lee Marvin. Marvin is as dependable as ever, being wholly convincing as the lead of the Delta Force. His role was initially earmarked for Charles Bronson, which could also have worked, but it wasn’t meant to be with Bronson dropping out. Personally, I couldn’t see Bronson willingly playing second fiddle to Norris at this point in his career.
Bad guy duties are carried out by the reliable Robert Forster. However, as good as Forster is, he is somewhat unconvincing as a Lebanese terrorist due to being put in brown face. Even so, he does what he can with the role, with his character not being a stereotypical villain. Well for the most part.
For the majority of the film, the action is focused more on gunplay and explosions, with the odd car chase thrown in for good measure. For the most part the action is plausible, that is until the end when Norris takes off on his own to hunt down Forster with the aid of a motorbike and its attached arsenal of rockets. The scene is frankly ridiculous, but this doesn’t matter as it gives Norris the opportunity to kick seven bails of shit out of Forster.
Notable Mentions
The Way of the Dragon (1972)
Although he isn’t the star, it didn’t feel right not including The Way of the Dragon, with the iconic fight between him and Bruce Lee rightly being considered one of the best fight scenes of all time.
The surrounding film may be somewhat rough around the edges, with the comedy falling flat on occasion, but with Bruce Lee starring, and at the helm, the action scenes more than make up for any of the film’s other drawbacks. The Rome location additionally give the film a different vibe from other Lee films, or even other Hong Kong films made at the time. What is especially impressive about the production is that Lee was able to make the film for a mere $130,000.
The Way of the Dragon was an important film for Norris, as although he had brief appearances previously in front of the camera, this was his first proper role. Only appearing in the last third of the film, Norris certainly makes an impression, with many considering his bout being the main reason for watching the movie. Whilst I would disagree with this, there is no denying how impressive their fight is. It’s also one of the only times you will see Norris defeated on screen. Still, out of the small handful of martial arts films Lee featured in, Norris is one of the only opponents that seemed to put him through his paces.
Invasion USA (1985)
Leaving credibility at the door, Invasion USA is the film that usually comes to mind for me when I speak of something being enjoyably ridiculous. Entertaining as hell, the plot of Invasion USA makes little in the way of sense, with it merely being a catalyst to put Norris into one violent confrontation after another.
Norris’ CIA Agent Matt Hunter always seems to show up just at the right time, such as when terrorists open fire on Christmas shoppers in a crowded mall. Pleasingly over the top, the ensuing shootout has Norris single-handedly take out an entire terrorist cell while barely breaking a sweat.
Once again teaming up with director Joseph Zito, I would argue that Invasion USA to be a more enjoyable film than Missing in Action. Sure, it’s over the top with paper thin characters, but it never seems to take itself too seriously, even if Norris seemed to think otherwise. My only reason for it’s inclusion in the notable mentions rather than the Top 5 is that Missing in Action overall is a better made film.
Having been involved in the script, Norris had actually seen this film as something of a wake up call. It would seem the cartoonish tone and excessive violence got in the way of any serious political commentary, with Invasion USA instead being a gleefully violent exploitation movie, and one of the more enjoyable Cannon movies of the 80s.
The script may be no great shakes, but that doesn’t stop veteran bad guy Richard Lynch from making an impression. Eagle eyed viewers should also look out for Billy Drago who Norris would later face off against in Delta Force II.
A sequel was planned but was ultimately turned down by Norris. In typical Cannon fashion, they forged ahead and just replaced him with another of their contract players, with Michael Dudikoff taking over as lead. Avenging Force (1986) maybe isn’t as over the top as Invasion USA, but director Sam Firstenberg certainly tries his hardest. Like Invasion USA, Avenging Force comes heartily recommended.
Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988)
Braddock is a notable film is Norris’ filmography, being the first to be directed by his brother Aaron. He had assisted his brother numerous times throughout the years as stunt man, fight choreographer, producer, but this was the first time he was calling the shots on set.
Norris replaced original director Joseph Zito who was meant to be returning to the franchise after helming the first movie. The usual “creative difficulties” reared their head, leading to Zito leaving the project. Jack Smight, who had directed Cannon films Number One with a Bullet (1987) was in line to take over before Aaron stepped in.
The script has some issues, but Aaron made an exciting debut that plays to his brother’s strengths as a performer. Once the action kicks in, Chuck gets several opportunities to kick ass with a fair assortment of gunplay and martial arts action. Adding in some much needed personal stakes for Braddock also makes the third movie a stand out.
Written by James Bruner and Chuck, there are some continuity issues, with the timeline contradicting what has come before, but it’s better not to dwell on such things. Also, as expected, it is best to overlook the politics of the film and just look at it as a simple action movie, which for the most part it is.
Tragedy befell the production of Braddock, with four people being killed in a helicopter crash during filming in the Philippines. Sadly, this wouldn’t be the only helicopter crash to happen during a Norris’ production.
Financially, Braddock would be the least successful of the Missing in Action trilogy, but that isn’t indicative of the film’s quality, with the third entry being superior to the previous movie. Chuck believed that it was the best of the series, which I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with. The original film merely beat it into the top five spot due to featuring the great M. Emmet Walsh.
Hero and the Terror (1988)
As mentioned, when speaking of Code of Silence, Hero and the Terror was another attempt from Norris to star in something more grounded and less over the top. While it doesn’t compare to Code of Silence, it does offer Norris the opportunity to star in something slightly different from his typical action fare. While there are several opportunities for Norris to show off his martial arts skills in the film, Hero and the Terror plays more like a horror/slasher movie. If I was to compare it to any of Norris’ previous films, it would have to be Silent Rage (1982), albeit with the sci-fi elements removed.
Instead, Norris is forced to go up against Jack O’Halloran who plays the deadly serial killer “The Terror”. The sheer size of Halloran makes him an imposing villain for Norris to go up against, and even with Norris skills, he is certainly put through the ringer.
There are definite pacing issues throughout the film, but it is admirable that Norris was still attempting to change up the type of films he starred in at this point in his career and made some alterations to the typical characters Norris had played up till this point. Norris’ Detective Danny O’Brien isn’t as unstoppable as previous Norris heroes, even showing his vulnerable side on occasion.
Director William Tannen would re-team with Norris years later on the straight to video actioner The Cutter (2005). Although it’s neither’s best work, it is still an enjoyable enough action thriller that pits Norris against fan favorite Daniel Bernhardt.
Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection (1990)
Paling considerably in comparison to its predecessor, Delta Force 2 still manages to be good entertainment due to its explosive action scenes and memorable supporting turns from the always great John P. Ryan and Billy Drago as the film’s main villain, a character so evil he makes Pablo Escobar look almost like a choirboy.
Whereas the first movie felt much more of an ensemble, with a roster of great character actors, the sequel focuses mostly on Chuck’s Colonel Scott McCoy, who ends up on a one man mission to eradicate the flow of cocaine to the United States. Completely ridiculous and over the top, the fun comes in how straight faced everything is played.
Other than featuring Norris in the lead, there isn’t much to connect the sequel to the earlier film, other than featuring a plethora of explosions, gunfire and bone crunching fight scenes. Sure, this isn’t intelligent cinema, but it’s got more than enough action to keep fans happy.
Unfortunately, similarly to Braddock, the production was struck by yet another helicopter accident which resulted in the deaths of 4 people and hospitalized many others, with co-star John P. Ryan amongst them. This obviously puts something of a dampener on the film, but I still felt as a straightforward Norris actioner that it was worth including, even with such a tragedy befalling it.
Closing
There you have it. The above list of films are clearly subjective. I’m sure many may disagree, or wonder why I have excluded some of their favorites. I’m sure some will wonder where classics like Top Dog (1995) or Forrest Warrior (1996) are. Joking aside, I had thought about including Expendables 2 (2012), as the film humorously plays up Norris’ image. Other than the inclusion of The Way of the Dragon, I ultimately decided to just focus on those films where Norris was the lead.
