Fúria Silenciosa

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.

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 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.

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.

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.