Silent Rage (1982) User Reviews

Not your daddy's Chuck Norris movie!

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 25 February 2008]

Yes, I know that Chuck Norris is predictable. He hardly ever says anything and he just kicks butt. We that is true for this movie also, but there are some extras that make this an unusual movie for Norris. First, Sheriff Chuck has a girlfriend, Toni Kalem, and they spend as much time as possible in bed giving us a great view of her ample chest. Now, that is not typical Norris behavior! When Norris visits a biker bar, we get to see some of his typical style as he cleans the place out. You knew that was going to happen, but, before he does, his Deputy, Stephen "Flounder" Furst (Animal House) gets an eyeful from one of the biker chicks, Lillette Zoe Raley, in her only movie. What a shame! We also see some action from the other biker mommas (Linda Tatum and Kathleen Lee) before Norris arrives. I've never seen so much action in a Norris film. All of this is just titillation as the real story is the mad scientist and his partner (Steven Keats and William Finley) develop a serum that resuscitates a dead man and causes his wounds to heal immediately, Bullets, falls from second stories, cars, fire - nothing stops this guy. Well, you know who will eventually stop him, or does he? This is the only film in which I have seen Ron Silver in a humane role. He was the third doctor who tried to stop his boss. I actually was starting to like him, but, fortunately, he gets killed off before that happens. That was close! If you want Norris action with a little sci-fi craziness, then this is the flick.

A Chuck Norris vehicle where the killer is the real star.

[WisdomsHammer · 6/10 · 28 February 2010]

It could be argued that this movie ripped off Halloween, and I'd have to agree, but at least there's an explanation behind the seemingly indestructible nature of the killer in this movie.

The bulk of this movie is hard to watch. Too much of Norris trying to act and not enough of the fighting that made him famous. Chuck's deputy sidekick is one unfunny joke after another. The love scenes were awkward. I didn't even enjoy the gratuitous Norris vs. bikers fight.

The killer's scenes, on the other hand, were mesmerizing. The movie starts with his failed struggle to maintain his sanity. We witness his descent into madness and homicidal rage and then his transformation into one of the most terrifying "monsters" I've ever seen on film.

Think of it as a typically bad Chuck Norris movie where the killer steals the show and makes the movie slightly better than bad. Bonus: A musical score that at moments was surprisingly effective.

Chuck faces the bogeyman.

[lost-in-limbo · 5/10 · 24 July 2007]

A young, unstable man hacks to death the lady and man he lives with, and Texan Sheriff Dan Stevens comes face to face with the killer, to only see him gunned down by his men after he tries to escape when captured. At the hospital, he's pronounced dead, but secretly he's used in an experiment by some surgeons working on a formula to help the body genetically heal in quick succession. They thought they could control him and this development would bring them success, but now this homicidal murderer is an unstoppable killing machine and Sheriff Stevens and his rookie Deputy are on the trail.

Norris' fans might dig it, but others might find this cheap-jack b-film a boring chore. I thought it was fair. Anyhow who's the man, Chuck's the man. Not much of an actor though, but we know. He gets by with that golden blonde hair and legendary chop-suey who-ha…. And not forgetting that distinguishable fuzz above the lip. The premise is like an over-extended episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger" meets John Carpenter's "Halloween (1977)". Actually a lot scenes and filming techniques closely resemble "Halloween" and even its first sequel, but the main difference it's headed by Norrissssssss. The far-fetched concept isn't bad with slasher tones, a lady in peril get-up and a mad scientist theme, but it throws so much in that there seems to be too much useless filler (like the corny romance sequences, biker trouble (nice work in the bar Chuck, but we already know how good you are), scientific moral dilemmas and non-effective comic humour) interrupting what could've been more fun. Silly it is to begin with, but do we want to see Norris romancing, or kicking ass? These redundant acts only slowed it up and got in the way on the main story. What outweighs the film is the weakly lacking script with many clumsy dialogues. Norris even gets time to share some heart-warming advice. Director Michael Millar starts off pretty slowly, but in the second half demonstrates well-shot camera placement and steady pockets of poignant tension. The atmospheric synthesizer score seemed to work. Chuck gets his hands dirty with some gusty scuffles involving the super-human killing machine, like the modest, if unspectacular showdown with him using his jump-kicks (in slow-motion of course) and sudden close-ups to show that focuses on his face. Norris' chimes in with a stoic performance, but goes gusty when the action calls. Brian Libby's menacingly towering figure is effective. Ron Silver sticks out as the humane doctor, while William Finley goes all-smarmy as deceitfully mad doctor looking for that Nobel Prize award. Stephen Furst as the overweight, downright clueless deputy was there for the laughs, but where were they. Toni Kalem looks all-sweet as Norris old flame.

A neat nailbiter and an unexpected flick for Norris

[davidemartin · 29 April 2001]

I liked it. With Norris you expect lots of martial arts and/or guns versus normal criminals and terrorists. But then you run across this flick! This is as close to a supernatural flick as you can come without any actual suernatural elements. The mute killer is one scary guy, far more terrifying than Jason Vorhees or Michael Meyers. Oh, and like all good Frankensteinian critters, he's still there at the end, waiting for a sequel that will never get made. As most people are used to seeing Stephen Furst doing comedy, it's really disturbing to see him die in a flick.

An Experiment in Dumb

[Jonny_Numb · 2/10 · 20 July 2007]

Wow. Where do I begin? "Silent Rage" is awful, awful stuff, barely valid even as a campy, so-bad-it's-good time. Chuck Norris is stiff as a board (though maybe it's the tight blue jeans) as the sheriff of a small Texas town where a bug-faced psychopath strikes, killing 2 residents of a boardinghouse; after an ineptly-shot and unexciting chase, the psycho is gunned down...but still alive. Scientists at a local institute/monkey farm (including Ron Silver and De Palma vet William Finley) repeatedly inject him with an experimental serum that revives him as an indestructible killing machine in a silver jumpsuit. Their reasoning? Well, because they can...and it's cool and stuff. "We're scientists, not moralists!" one belligerent egghead posits. While the premise has some camp value, Joseph Fraley's terrible script isn't as ambitious as it is juvenile--right down to the obnoxious, overweight deputy (Stephen Furst), the pointless sequence where Norris takes on a dozen biker badasses single-handedly, the tacked-on romantic subplot, and scenes that shamelessly borrow from the first two "Halloween" films. Though "Silent Rage" builds some suspense in its last act, with the killer stalking various characters through the institution, director Michael Miller shoots the climactic showdown as a repetitive series of extreme close-ups and long shots of unexciting stunt work that goes on far too long (another absurdity is the scene's complete lack of musical score), with a "surprise" ending that is anything but. Why this wasn't given the MST3K treatment is beyond me.

Appreciation where it is due

[go_titans · 7/10 · 15 March 2006]

This movie is pretty much how everyone describes it (a B-grade flick), but there is one worthy element that I feel most people have missed. Brian Libby's character creation was nothing short of brilliant. During the first half of the movie this might not be so noticeable, but towards the end, and especially during the final fight sequence, his movements and mannerisms are highly original and unique. The director would have told him to play the part of a man that has become almost zombie-like, and who has the ability to recover quickly and suddenly, and then left the rest up to the imagination of Brian. Well Brian certainly rose to the occasion, and his work in that last portion of the movie alone should have earned him an award. So yeah, the movie overall might be B-grade stuff, but Brian Libby deserves credit and recognition where it is due, and it is worth while seeing the film just for what he brings to the screen in that last half. I'll add an extra few points out of respect to Brian Libby, and give the film 7/10.

This time Chuck Norris confronting an ominous psycho-killer causing wreak havoc

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 26 July 2009]

At a little town from Texas a tough sheriff (Chuck Norris) and his helper (Stephen Furst) pitting a dangerous series killer with a supernatural force. The monstrous man is a Frankesntein-alike creation from scientits (Steven Keats, William Finley, Ron Silver) and acting similarly to Jason Vorhees and Michael Myers.

This Chuck Norris vehicle contains action-packed, thrills, chills and lots of blood and violence. The comic relief at charge of Stephen Furst as silly and botcher police telling stupid things , furthermore imitating Taxi Driver's Robert De Niro. Chuck Norris demonstrates his qualities as action hero in violent fights against some nasty punkies at a saloon by means of punches, kicks , slaps and leaps. Peter Bernstein's screeching musical score is composed by synthesizer . The motion picture was regularly directed by Michael Miller. This is an inferior Norris film in spite of it , he was on his best period with his various hits, such as ¨The Octagon¨, ¨An eye for an eye¨, ¨Forced vengeance¨, ¨Lone Wolf MacQuade¨, and ¨Missing in action¨ among others. Rating : Average but entertaining. The picture will appeal to Chuck Norris fans.

Silent Rage (7/10)

[skybrick736 · 7/10 · 17 December 2015]

Not often can two strongly defined movie genres come together and present such a wild mash-up and fun viewing experience. Silent Rage effectively connected Chuck Norris's kung fu action talent in combination to the typical 1980's exploitation of evil, horrific serial killers. The unexplainable madness of Brian Libby's murderous character is similarly crafted to what Michael Myers was in Halloween. There are a lot of comparable features Silent Rage has with Halloween without being a direct rip-off at all. In fact, Michael Miller as the director, attained a great outcome with suspenseful storytelling, humorous dialogue, and exciting sequences that were all his own. Silent Rage may come off outdated and downright silly at certain points but there is also a great deal of entertainment provided.

Chuck Norris meets Jason Voorhees...as well as Dr. Frankenstein!!

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 3 February 2020]

By 1982, Chuck Norris had made several very successful martial arts films. So, it wasn't any surprise that the powers that be wanted to try something different...and "Silent Rage" certainly is different! Try to imagine the studio merging two of the hottest genres of that time....a Chuck Norris martial arts flick AND a slasher horror film! Yes, in many ways, the film is like Chuck Norris versus Jason from "Friday the 13th"....with a little bit of "Frankenstein" tossed in as well! Hmmm...perhaps not "Frankenstein" since it's the 1980s...let's just say "Reanimator" instead.

When the film begins, a severely mentally ill guy loses it and goes on a killing rampage...killing a husband and wife with an axe before law enforcement arrives. Naturally, the Sheriff is played by Chuck Norris and this maniac taxes his considerable skills. After FINALLY subduing the man and cuffing him, this guy then breaks the cuffs and tries to start up the killing once again!! This time, cops shoot the suspect many, many times.

In the next scene, doctors are working frantically to try to save the killer's life. When that fails, the doctor in charge decides to play god...administering a drug on the guy which somehow has amazing curative powers. It cures everything very quickly...except for his brain, which is still bent on murder. Soon, he's even able to sneak out of the hospital and his murder spree begins all over again...with one exception. This time, wounds heal almost instantly....making the killer practically invincible. Is Chuck up for the rematch??

Overall, this is among the least intellectually taxing of Chuck Norris' films. This isn't necessarily a complaint...more an observation that it's pretty much non-stop killing and action and the plot isn't exactly deep or believable. In other words, it's a film you best enjoy by turning off your brain....which isn't surprising since it's really mostly a slasher flick. It's no dumber than a typical slasher film...but really no better either. One bad cliche I hated in the film was when the killer was trying to kill a deputy...and the lady seeing there just stood there and did nothing...even though the cop's gun fell on the floor right near her! If this wasn't bad enough, later when Sheriff Chuck was fighting the maniac, she stood by and did nothing to help other than to tell him to 'watch out'!



By the way, if you do watch this film, after the second killing spree, there are two bodies in the house...one of which is pinned to a door. Later, when the door is opened, watch carefully....you can see the man's eyes move as the door swings open!!

Also by the way, I watched this on the Roku channel, Tubi...and Tubi unintentionally did something very funny. Whenever commercials are about to start, a message in the top left corner of the screen says 'break coming in 5'....and at that exact moment, the serial killer snapped a guy's neck. Talk about interesting timing.

No mad slasher ever faced an opponent as formidable as Chuck Norris.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 14 July 2012]

This Chuck Norris vehicle was a little different for its time, taking inspiration not only from the slasher films of the time but classic Dr. Frankenstein type stories.

So one could say this is part suspense, part sci-fi, and part horror as Norris plays a low key sheriff of a small Texas town. His nemesis this time is a man named John Kirby (Brian Libby), a disturbed sort who'd gone on a rampage and then been gunned down. However, interfering doctors decide to test their experimental rejuvenating serum on the guy, and turn him into a virtually indestructible monster.

Aside from one scene where Norris humiliates a gang of bikers, this doesn't play out like your usual Norris story, and as mentioned goes for scares more than it does action. Director Michael Miller, who'd previously done the cult classic "Jackson County Jail", handles the material with skill, and manages to create some honest-to-God tension, relying on the music score (composed by Peter Bernstein and Mark Goldenberg) as little as possible. There's one sequence at about the halfway point that will automatically have the viewer thinking of "Halloween", and Libby is genuinely creepy as the killer, having little in the way of dialogue. He's introduced in a striking opening sequence in which the sense of chaos and prowling camera greatly assist in the the mood and the sense of a mind deteriorating.

An interesting supporting cast certainly helps, although Toni Kalem is an unfortunately nondescript leading lady and the supposed comedy relief intended by the casting of Stephen Furst as Norris' deputy doesn't really work too well. Ron Silver is also stuck in a grating role as a one-note "voice of reason" type of guy, but excellent character players Steven Keats and William Finley are amusing to watch as the scientists doing things just as much for their own egos & gratification as any desire to help mankind.

"Silent Rage" is a good deal of fun and gets a lot out of its rural setting. The climactic fight is especially noteworthy the way it takes place without a music score to help drive it along. The movie may not appeal to Norris fans across the board, with its lack of emphasis on his fighting skills, but if they're looking for something a little off the beaten path, it does have its rewards.

Trivia note: none other than Katey Sagal sings the movies' love song.

Seven out of 10.

Not "Silent" enough....

[Mister-6 · 2/10 · 16 September 1999]

Chuck Norris and science fiction.

Two great things that DON'T go great together.

"Silent Rage" is basically story about a psycho (Libby) who is nearly killed by sheriff Norris then brought back to life by the local mad doctor (Silver) and made indestructible. The brand-new madman then goes on a tear, killing nearly all he gets his hands on. Everything leads to he and Norris going at it mano-a-mano.

The same old thing done the same old way, save for the "Frankenstein" slant, and for Furst playing Gabby Hayes to Norris' John Wayne.

In fact, the only "Rage" to be experienced here is the one you'll feel if you rent this and realize you could have watched something more entertaining.

Like, say, your clothes spinning around at the laundromat.

Two stars - one for Furst's comic relief and another for a scene where Norris clears out a bar full of bikers.

Now THAT'S entertainment.

The Human Terminator

[Carrigon · 9/10 · 20 November 1999]

I always liked this film and have wanted a sequel to it. Yes, it could have been better than it was, but it was fun to watch. Stephen Furst's character has to be the most pathetic deputy ever. There really wasn't much of a plot. But it was fun to watch this unkillable guy and no matter what you do to him, he just keeps on ticking like the energizer bunny. It's a fun movie.

Interesting premise. Underrated Norris vehicle.

[TOMASBBloodhound · 7/10 · 10 December 2017]

Silent Rage just might be worth your time. Though far from perfect, this film is a cut above the other Norris films made up to that point. Not only do we get to see him kick some tail, we also get some good comic relief from Stephen Furst. And at the heart of it all is a plot involving a genetically engineered psychopathic killer. In addition to some good fight scenes, there is slasher- style suspense and some atypical characters in the periphery.

Norris plays a small town Texas sheriff who in the process of responding to a domestic violence call, finds himself face to face with a homicidal maniac. The man known as John Kirby is a mental patient who completely snaps and kills a couple people he lives with. I don't recall his relationship with this family he attacks. They may be his relatives, or just someone he rents a room from. I would have liked to know more about that home situation. Anyway, Kirby won't let the deputies take him in without them having to unload their weapons into him, leaving him comatose. At the hospital a group of doctors attempts to revive Kirby using some kind of genetic formula. Not sure exactly what their miracle drug was made of, but definitely not something approved by the FDA. The doctors give him so much of it, not only does Kirby survive, he becomes an unstoppable killing machine, preying on the doctors, their families, Norris... anyone he can get his hands on. Can Norris stop him? And still have time to save the town from motorcycle gangs? And have have time to swing in a hammock with his girlfriend while a cheesy love song is playing???

Maybe I was in too good of a mood the other day when I saw this. The story is impossible to believe, Norris is as wooden as ever, some of the suspense is clumsily handled... but something about this killer and the way these doctors try to engineer him... I found it an interesting idea. The supporting cast is surprisingly strong. Furst is likable, as well as Ron Silver as the doctor with a conscience. The lead doctor is outstanding as well. He's played by Steven Keats who you may remember as Bronson's meek son in law in Death Wish. A guy named Brian Libby plays Kirby. Weird looking guy. Perfect for this role. As the audience we want to know more about his back story.

Give Silent Rage a chance. Try it again if its been a couple decades since you've seen it. Its held up okay. Not quite on the level of the Missing In Actions or Delta Forces that would come later for Norris, but still pretty good. 7 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

Chuck Norris vs Frankenstein

[Maziun · 1/10 · 16 August 2013]

A weird movie for Norris . A slasher with a little bit of science fiction. I guess he wanted to do something different , but it is just as bad as most of his movies.

GOOD : There is nice fight in bar . Some pretty girls . Oh and Chuck talks to a cute dog.

BAD : The story is predictable and stupid . The action is poor and the pacing is dreadful. The ending is lame and obviously a setup for sequel. Thankfully that never became reality.

VERDICT : It's simply not worth watching . If you're interested in a movie where humans fight against seemingly indestructible villain better watch "Terminator". I give it 1/10.

Okay at best

[raven118 · 27 September 2001]

*Spoilers*

Silent Rage has Chuck playing a small-town sheriff who goes head-to-head with a murderous, seemingly indestructible villain played by Brian Libby. My favorite scene in this movie is unrelated to the main plot line. It's a fight sequence where Chuck singlehandedly takes on a gang of bikers in a bar. The fight scene at the end of the movie between Chuck and the villain is also well done.

This is not your typical Chuck Norris action flick. This is a science fiction/horror movie with some martial arts thrown in. Some of the characters are killed in graphically violent ways, which include:

1) A woman is axed to death. 2) A man is axed in the head. 3) A woman has her head slammed into a wall. 4) A man is stabbed in the neck with a syringe. 5) A man has his head twisted snapping his neck. 6) A man is bear-hugged to death.

The ending of this movie leaves open the possibility for a sequel, but one was never made. If you're in the mood for a Halloween-type movie with some karate fights thrown in, check this out.

Glaring plot hole

[michle53 · 3/10 · 16 October 2017]

This film had its amusing moments, but there was a great big question throughout. Why didn't anyone think to chop the thing's head off? Or blow its head off? Everyone had guns. The thing would have been hard-pressed to kill people if it didn't have a head. Rather than engage it in a karate fight, wouldn't several bullets through the skull have been a better idea? It may have continued to live, but it would just be stumbling around. Then they could have chained it up and maybe charged admission.

I guess I'm over-thinking this.

Fun but Sometimes Dull

[Scars_Remain · 6/10 · 19 April 2008]

If you can get past the painfully slow and boring parts of this film, you should have a rather good time watching it much like I did. It's a fun little horror from the 80's with the ridiculous but hilarious Chuck Norris so of course, you can expect cheesy lines and poorly placed kung fu moves from him.

I was actually surprised by some of the suspense in this film. They actually managed quite a bit of it. The story is pretty silly but it seems like every Chuck Norris movie has the same premise in a way: some sort of bad guy is terrorizing people and Chuck Norris has to fight him. The acting was pretty bad but I guess that's expected. Don't expect an Oscar worthy film from this but turn off your brain for 100 minutes and have a good time!

Fun movie but only average

[mluinstra · 5/10 · 10 December 2023]

Greetings from the other side. This movie was definitely interesting, but it just had so many elements, that it bogged things down.

You know that with Chuck Norris you're always gonna get the Kung Fu angle, but you also have the mad scientist angle where he injects the bad guy so that he regenerates or heals almost instantly.

Then you have a little bit of the movie dedicated to the bikers, and finally you have the love story.

The love story angle with Chuck and that woman should have been the first thing to hit the cutting room floor. It didn't serve the movie at all and just ate up time that could have been used elsewhere.

The part with the bikers could have been left in, but I would have had them show up when Chuck starts the final showdown with the fast-healing bad guy. Maybe Chuck is fighting the bikers when Michael Myers (not his name) shows up, and noticing how powerful the monster is, they start helping Chunk instead.

This movie has Kung fu, sci fi, horror, and romance elements, and that's just too much.

However, the movie is still fun to watch. I liked the rapid healing angle, but using a dead psychopath corpse may have been a mistake, hehe. If they had made a few changes, the movie could have been so much better.

Remake of The Indestructible Man

[lawdog-404-676619 · 7/10 · 23 June 2012]

If "Silent Rage" is not an acknowledged intentional remake of "The Indestructible Man"(1956)starring Lon Chaney Jr. someone needs to be sued. True it is not a scene-for-scene remake, however, the plot of the 1956 film is of a killer who is executed and his body is delivered to a group of scientists/doctors who bring him back to life. One of which is the hard core crazy doctor and another who is not. The experimental process has made him extremely difficult, if not impossible to kill. He kills the scientists/doctors just as they are about to kill him and goes on a killing spree before finally being killed himself in a spectacular ending. Sound familiar? Both killers have lines only at the beginning of each film. Both films, I suspect, were influenced by their stars. The plot of the original allowed Chaney to work without too much pressure. Very few lines and he could stumble around. The slight change of plot for Norris allowed him to perform for his fans. Both films are certainly watchable and if you allow enough time in between, watchable more than once.

Uninspired Psuedo-Slasher Cop film falls flat

[Vince_D · 5/10 · 14 January 2024]

"Silent Rage" (1982) opens with a premise that, in more capable hands, might have woven a tapestry of intrigue and thrill. Yet, as the film unfolds, one can't help but feel the touch of uninspired direction, a blandness that permeates through the first two-thirds of its runtime. Furthermore, until the final act, the film's atmosphere, or rather the lack thereof, leaves much to be desired-a tone unestablished, a mood uninvoked.

However, at the heart of its struggles lies a script crying out for vigor, for a punch of life that never comes. Supporting characters, such as the love interest and Norris's partner, are just yearning to be fleshed out and brought to life. As for Norris himself, his performance is bland and wooden, and there was no real reason for him to be in it since it wasn't a martial arts film.

And then, there are the love scenes. Oh, the love scenes. Were audiences in 1982 really asking for Chuck Norris love scenes, where he romances the ladies? In a film grappling with identity, these scenes feel like a misguided attempt at tenderness, that Norris doesn't have the depth to convey, and play out barren of emotional authenticity. One wonders why Norris was chosen for a role that strays so far from his known forte.

The film's moments of redemption come in the final act, which finally manages to establish an atmosphere that smacks of dread and a touch of suspense. It's almost as if these closing scenes were the work of another director.

I believe if this film had been directed by more capable hands, such as John Carpenter or Walter Hill, and starred someone with Norris's physicality but more charisma - Carl Weathers or Dolph Lundgren come to mind - paired with a solid character actor for the partner role, this could've been 🔥.

A raging psycho thriller no viewer should keep silent about

[videorama-759-859391 · 7/10 · 26 June 2014]

One of the better Chuck Norris movies, and there's not many. Here, a spin is put on the story which a loved. There's a psychopathic killer out there. He's shot down and killed. Three gifted specialists, do the unthinkable, when injecting the corpse with a serum that brings the nutter back to life, so red haired Chuck, sporting that moustache, has his work cut out for him, as the indestructible psychopathic force, escapes the medical facility. Silent Rage is really good and compact movie making that I like, thanks to it's story. Furst's performance is appealing as Chuck's overweight and bumbling partner, and also that of a younger Ron Silver who opened Pandoras's box, conducting an experiment that should of never happened. We have a nice little romantic montage too, and again, Chuck does what he does best, and it isn't acting. One set up scene of action in a bar, I liked, with Chuck kicking some redneck bikers's asses, another memorable Chuckie moment. With these films about indestructible forces, The Night Stalker, another one to springs to mind, you really want to believe the unbelievable, where even for the hero, we're uncertain, where the fight has never been stronger, as the odds almost seem unbeatable or with a small survival rate. These films, I really find exciting and this is just another example.

Not even a bad movie, mediocre...

[poliminia · 3/10 · 20 February 2006]

I am aware that Norris has turn into a better actor with time. But in this movie...let's accept it: we can all imagine him as a ranger, yet not as James Bond. The way he seduces the girl is sometimes even comic, pretending to be what he is not. And the way they kiss each other is so mechanical!

The story reminds of Frankenstein, and even though sometimes it's scary, and I liked some of the fights, it's all way to obvious. The ending makes us think that maybe the producers thought of a second part...really???!! Moreover, I watched it in Spanish...and the dubbing makes it even worse. Not even the jokes are saved.

The storyline discussing about science investigation and its moral could have been interesting, but it's just used as an excuse. I do not recommend this movie, unless you're a Chuk Norris fan. And even so...

Better than most of the slashers from that time

[cwillis_m · 9/10 · 6 March 2004]

I remember watching "Silent Rage" along time ago when I was very young, and I could barely sit through the whole film because of the suspense. I would get up and walk into another room, then come back to check out what was going on. It was quite intense for a young kid. I can certainly sit through the whole thing now, without trouble, but the movie is still suspenseful. And, like my one line summary says, this movie creates and maintains suspense better than a lot of the slasher movies that were being made back the the early '80s.

This isn't a well known movie, but it's really one of Norris' best that he's been in. 8/10

A Chuck Norris horror film that packs more of a punch than you might expect

[jmwbate · 6/10 · 15 October 2017]

Silent Rage is actually a unique one. Chuck Norris is playing a bad ass cop as usual. However, he happens to be up against a Mike Myers/Jason-style slasher villain. What makes the film unique is that the film doesn't pull any punches in regards to this villain. He's a murderous, unstoppable force who stalks and kills innocent victims in a way that would make Mike Myers applaud. The sequences of horror are actually scary thanks to some great direction and a very vicious killer, whose presence is always chilling.

Of course, this is a Chuck Norris film and there are some great martial arts fights. A lot less than you might expect from a Chuck film but at one point he takes down an entire bar of overweight bikers... and it's awesome!

Where the film falls flat, is the rest of the film. When the lead villain isn't going on a murder spree or Chuck isn't kicking fat biker butt, the film is a dreary, dull and clichéd mess. It's as if the director of the opening sequence (a magnificent long take of a man finally snapping and going on an axe spree) left the project and a by-the-numbers director took over, only to return whenever the killer is next on screen.

It's an interesting watch, even with its flaws. But hey, if you're a Chuck Norris fan you should know not to let a few flaws get in the way of your fun.

Two different movies

[zombizilla · 4/10 · 22 February 2006]

Watching Silent Rage I felt like I was watching 2 movies spliced together.

One movie had Chuck Norris as a sheriff of a small community trying to keep the peace and rid the town of scum. He shoots a multiple-killer & cleans house in a bar invaded by bikers. He also has a comic sidekick (surprise) played by Stephen Furst of Animal House fame (I chuckled a bit at his parts, especially the Robert DeNiro/Taxi Driver scene). Double-punches and roundhouse kicks aplenty here! Then there's the other movie.

A man gone made by society's ills is brought back to life by a doctor (Steven Keats) and his assistant (William Finley), under the protest of Dr. Halman (Ron Silver, in his usual good form). The premise struck me as a kind of "Reanimator" premise with the serum bringing the killer back to life, thought Reanimator was made years later & based on a H.P. Lovecraft story.

I felt the stalking scenes were well-done & suspenseful and the opening scene was great. I felt the movie would've been pretty good without the Chuck Norris scenes. However, since this is was a Chuck Norris vehicle...

The Norris portions were filled with scenes we've seen in any other Chuck Norris film; barroom scenes, Lone Wolf McQuade-like stances against lawbreakers, etc, etc, etc.

The producers must've been thinking, "OK, who can we put Chuck Norris up against that he hasn't faced before. Got it! An indestructible killer!" Going into the film you know that Chuck would have to face the killer eventually, and when he does it's a HUGE disappointment. If fact, old Chuck RUNS from the guy! WHAT?! Yep, he runs from old Stoneface.

No spoilers here on the ending, though you would've thought it could have ended better than it did after seeing it.

My rating?

6.0 for the horror portion of the movie

2.0 for the Chuck Norris portion

Averages out to 4