This 1982 vehicle was made before Chuck Norris’ flag-waving screen persona had been fully established. In the early 1980s he was known primarily as a martial artist, and the makers of SILENT RAGE, one of Norris’ first big studio productions, made sure to include a lot of Karate in their horror-science fiction themed narrative.
SILENT RAGE (1982) Trailer
One morning John Kirby (Brian Libby), a seemingly contented family man, inexplicably kills two women. Sheriff Dan Stevens (Norris) turns up for a shockingly leisurely walk through the crime scene, and an eventual take down of the nut, whose corpse ends up in the care of Dr. Tom Halman (Ron Silver). The latter’s scientist superiors (Steven Keats and William Finley) administer an experimental drug that alters the cadaver’s genetic structure, creating a homicidal zombie whose first victims are Dr. Halman and his wife Nancy (Stephanie Dunnam).
Brian Libby
The zombie then heads back to Holman’s laboratory, where it menaces the men who helped facilitate the resurrection. The undead Kirby also kills Stevens’ overweight rookie assistant Charlie (Stephen Furst) and terrorizes Stevens’ wife Alison (Toni Kalem)…and then, as the poster tagline states, “Science created him. Now Chuck Norris must destroy him.”
Steven Furst, Toni Kalem, Brian Libby, Steven Keats
As directed by Roger Corman veteran Michael Miller, SILENT RAGE was one of many John Carpenter wannabes that appeared in the 1980s. The very Carpenter-esque roving camerawork (every other scene, it seems, involves a lengthy tracking shot through the rooms of a house) has the effect of severely compromising the action sequences. Included among the latter is an elaborate bar fight between Norris and a biker gang that has no relation to the core narrative, an acknowledgment that there’s simply not enough there to properly fill the 103 minute runtime.
Toni Kalem, Chuck Norris
This being a product of the early 1980s, there’s much gratuitous nudity by Toni Kalem, and tiresome fat jokes at the expense of the late Stephen Furst (coming off ANIMAL HOUSE and MIDNIGHT MADNESS). Regarding the pre-Cannon Chuck Norris, his lead performance is perhaps the film’s single biggest liability. The laconic air that tended to characterize his acting is evident in a charisma-free characterization completely lacking in personality. Norris could be effective onscreen (I’ll admit to a liking for his work in THE DELTA FORCE and INVASION USA), but in SILENT RAGE only his patented spin kicks make any impact.
SILENT RAGE, incidentally, was the subject of NALAYA MANITHAN, a 1989 Tamil language (Kollywood) remake, and it, frankly, is a superior film in every respect.
Vital Statistics
SILENT RAGE
Columbia Pictures
Director: Michael Miller
Producer: Anthony B. Unger
Screenplay: Joseph Fraley
Cinematography: Robert Jessup, Neil Roach
Editing: Richard C. Meyer
Cast: Chuck Norris, Ron Silver, Steven Keats, Toni Kalem, William Finley, Brian Libby, Stephen Furst, Stephanie Dunnam, Joyce Ingle, Jay DePlano, Lillette Zoe Raley, Mike Johnson, Linda Tatum, Kathleen Lee, Desmond Dhooge, Joe Farago