5 Best Chuck Norris Action Movies (And Where to Watch Them)

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We left off The Way of the Dragon because, while his climactic fight with Bruce Lee is iconic (it’s likely the most iconic scene Norris ever shot), he’s barely in the movie. Instead, we went solely for actioners where Norris’ name was on the poster.

5) Forest Warrior

image courtesy of turner entertainment

They had to know what they were doing in Forest Warrior, Norris’ last movie for nearly a decade. There’s a scene where he defeats Terry Kiser (Bernie in Weekend at Bernie’s) by turning into a bear, with his voice growing deeper mid-transformation. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a scene where he stops a running chainsaw by grasping it with his bare hands.

This was a few years into his Walker, Texas Ranger run, and just as that show focused on community service this movie seems to be trying to fit Norris into the Steve Seagal eco warrior archetype. In no way is it a good movie in the traditional sense, but it is the gold standard of his so bad they’re good catalogue.

4) Silent Rage

image courtesy of columbia pictures

After the martial arts focused A Force of One and The Octagon, Norris moved into thriller territory with An Eye for an Eye and Silent Rage. Of those two, the latter is a little more ridiculous and, because of that, a little more memorable.

This is a movie that pits Norris’ sheriff character against a serial killer who has been injected with a formula that makes him superhuman. It’s a mad scientist, Frankenstein’s monster movie with roundhouse kicks.

Stream Silent Rage for free with ads on The Roku Channel.

3) Invasion U.S.A.

image courtesy of cannon releasing corporation

Norris made eight films for Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus, and their ill-fated schlock house The Cannon Group (behind other such projects as Masters of the Universe and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace). Specifically, the Missing in Action trilogy, The Delta Force and its sequel, Hero and the Terror, Firewalker, and Invasion U.S.A.

Of those movies, Missing in Action is the most famous, but Invasion U.S.A. just narrowly beats it to be the best. The massive shopping mall shootout is a standout set piece, its Red Scare plotline is every bit as charmingly ridiculous as Red Dawn‘s, and Richard Lynch was always good for a villain role.

Stream Invasion U.S.A. for free on Tubi.

2) Lone Wolf McQuade

image courtesy of orion pictures

Lone Wolf McQuade was Norris making a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western. It works well more often than not, with a strong supporting cast, one of its lead’s better performances, and a scene-stealing turn by David Carradine.

The film is loaded with action scenes that really push its PG rating to the breaking point (Norris successfully lobbied to have its original R rating brought down to PG). Admittedly, its plot is secondary to those action sequences, but it’s still fun stuff. Plus, for Friday the 13th fans it’s a treat, because playing Norris’ daughter is none other than Friday the 13th Part III‘s Dana Kimmell.

Stream Lone Wolf McQuade for free on Tubi.

1) Code of Silence

image courtesy of orion pictures

Code of Silence is the closest Norris ever came to making a legitimately good movie. But, he’s not the reason it does work. The lion’s share of the credit should go to director Andrew Davis, who, in one of his earliest movies, showed that he knew how to stage an intense action scene. It’s no wonder he then got Steven Seagal’s career off the ground with Above the Law, then directed him in his best movie, Under Siege, and later helmed the masterpiece that is The Fugitive.

This was originally supposed to be a Dirty Harry movie, and that shows. It’s gritty, tense, and has few moments of levity. Norris does well in the role of Sergeant Eddie Cusack, and it ended up being a movie that helped legitimize him as someone who could lead a straightforward actioner, not just martial arts-focused actioners.

Stream Code of Silence for free on Tubi.

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