L'arme secrète

Chuck's character in this go-round is an undercover cop who was supposed to have been killed by his corrupt ex-partner (Michael Parks).

But, his cover (a hitter for the Italian mob in Seattle) is so deep he actively is whacking French-Canadian thugs and a new Iranian threat while trying to put away the people he works for.

The twist is that Chuck's near-death experience gives his character an odd perspective on death. He's actually become less serious, more sensitive than his life as a cop. The few funny moments may not make up for it not being a great film but they're there.

Example - Chuck arrives in Vancouver to discuss a potential truce. After having his handgun taken from him, Chuck knocks a thug on his ass and the guy is looking down a double-barrel, over-and-under shotgun. Chuck quips, "You missed one."

this is the story of a cop who has been undercover for 2 years,posing as a hit-man.Chuck Norris plays CliffGarret/Danny Grogan in the title role. Garret is his really name,while Grogan is his undercover identity.this movie is much darker than most Norris films.Chuck gets to focus more on his dramatic acting ability than martial arts(though there is a bit of that)and handles himself quite nicely.he is very credible in his portrayal of the icy killer.the score for the film is very appropriate and adds to the atmosphere.there are great performances all around,including Al Waxman as the head of one of the criminal factions and Grogan's boss,Bruno Gerusi as one of his underlings,and Michael Parks who plays Ronald "Del" Delany,a bitter enemy of Norris's character.Ken Pogue plays Detective chambers,Garret's Boss.the production values are very decent for this film.Most of the dialogue is well written.there is of course lots of violence in this one,as in most of Chuck's films.overall a very well made,entertaining film.a strong 7/10

This is a damn good Chuck Norris movie. Of course that doesn't make it a movie you could recommend to just anyone as "good," but if you look at it as part of its own sub-genre--say the Chuck Norris/Jean Claude Van Damme/Stephen Segal sub-genre--then it is pretty damn good in comparison. And I had never heard of it before today! The story leaves much to be desired, but this is the kind of low-budget action movie they just don't make any more: slick and goofy, crass and sentimental, moral and ultraviolent, "funny bad" and just plain funny--all at the same time. But the standout feature is definitely the great Michael Parks. Just as he did in the similarly obscure Charles Bronson flick "Death Wish V: The Face of Death," and in his "From Dusk Until Dawn" cameo, Parks takes charge of every scene he's in and simply walks away with the movie. Why hasn't this brilliant actor been given leading roles? He has been so fascinating to watch in everything I've seen him, especially in his later years.

Nearly every film that Norris starred in from the mid 80s through to the 90s was under the production company 'Cannon'. Is that a bad thing? No not really, as long it delivered on the goods that we expected. They were mainly cheap, but quite violent and senseless entertainment. However there's something about "The Hit-man" that makes me think much more highly of it than I probably should. It passes the time, but this Norris actioner provides a solidly calm performance, which is maybe his best or actually most suited. His beard is in full flight, but he also sports a gratuitous mullet and dangerous looking trench coat. It's definitively my favourite of those mainstream humdingers that he was chalking up through the measly 90s. Norris' brother Aaron (who directed Chuck in some other flicks) was in the director's chair and this would be his most accomplished piece. The premise is transparently black n white (if vague), but it's the calculatingly dark, risky and lean tone which I fancied. It kind of reminded me of J. Lee Thompson's "Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987)". Sure it can get over-sentimental with a flabby and pointless subplot involving a 'young nice boy' living next door to Norris. But this plot device (in a surprisingly story-bound presentation) gives Norris' character a humane element to counter-pouch that cold, fearless nature driving him to complete his job. Amongst this moral interruption, it can be rather offensively racist, mean-spirited and brutal in its staged barbaric violence that's broken out in the crime underworld. As double crossings, secret meetings and vicious set-ups plague the get-up. It doesn't really focus on Norris' martial arts abilities, as it doesn't get much of a show-in with him preferring to use his punishing shotgun. Get ready for a bloody onslaught with smarting wise-cracks! Aaron Norris' hardboiled direction is brisk, gritty and accordingly sombre in its grungy atmospheric charges leaking from such moodily shot-on locations. Some rousing suspense can be detected too. Joel Derouin's music score really does skew back to those saucily cruising, but uneasy jazz scores of the 70s. The support cast offer able assistance with their parts. Michael Parks memorably nasty, thuggery performance is a blast whenever his on screen.

An edgy, hard-hitting Norris entry that at least tries be something a little more different.

I'm glad that someone else likes this movie. I admit it isn't a GREAT movie, but it's never boring, and delivers enough of the goods. Excellent location shooting, and stylish direction (Aaron Norris' somehow managed to competently direct for once). However, there are some racist overtones that left a bad taste in my mouth.