Maziun Norris gets a chance to stretch his acting abilities and show some real emotions like fear and doubt . Norris here doesn't play indestructible hero but an ordinary man who suffers psychological trauma and has to stop a dangerous serial killer. This is a pretty nice idea for a movie. Unfortunately Chuck simply doesn't have the acting skills to make this movie work.The script is also very thin . The villain's escape is rather laughable. The subplot with Norris girlfriend is just lame. Very little action and no real mystery either. There isn't a single scene that is memorable , almost everything that happens here is forgettable. The movie has got some slasher undertones . Still , I wouldn't recommend this movie to a horror fan , because it drags terribly and the climax is just poor and not worthy of viewer's patience. All the build up is wasted.Chuck doesn't do much here either in terms of acting or action . Steve James ("American ninja") is nice as his partner. Jack O'Halloran ("Superman 2") makes a decent serial killer because he looks menacing. Billy Drago ("The Untouchables") makes a surprise appearance as psychiatrist ( a rare thing for him , he almost always plays bad guys).This is simply another bad Chuck Norris movie. I admire that Chuck wanted to do something different this time , but this movie will probably disappoint even his biggest fans. I give it 1/10. Don't believe the positive reviews , it's not worth of your time.

udar55 Cop Danny O'Brien (Chuck Norris) starts having nightmares about his heroic arrest of serial killer Simon Moon (Jack O'Halloran) from three years prior. This is bad news because it is messing up his relationship with his pregnant psychiatrist girlfriend Kay (Brynn Thayer). Oh, and it also sucks because Moon has escaped from prison and started killing again while hiding out inside a recently remodeled movie theater in downtown Los Angeles. Norris only did a few films in his career that fell under the horror category (this, SILENT RAGE, HELLBOUND); if SILENT RAGE was his take on FRANKENSTEIN, then HERO AND THE TERROR is Chuck's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Of course, I'm a sucker for any horror movie set in a theater, so I still enjoyed this on a revisit even if it isn't very good. Moon has all the personality of Andrew from HELL NIGHT (1981) and the same "heavy on the corpses and candles" home design sensibilities as Jason circa Friday THE 13th PART 2 (1981). Novelist Michael Blodgett adapted his own book for this along with co-writer Dennis Shryack, who has some good horror credits with THE CAR (1977) and MURDER BY PHONE (1982). The plot is pretty flimsy and the drama between Norris and his crazy seeming fiancé is really rough. Their birthday dinner scene is really odd to the point I was screaming for Norris to ditch this crazy chick. Also, the idea that Norris is the only one who believes the killer is in the theater after three mysterious deaths is laughable. Still, there are some memorable bits including a final showdown that fulfills my wildest theater setting fantasies. Co-starring Steve James as Norris' partner and Ron O'Neal as The Mayor.

lost-in-limbo Out of the ordinary for Norris? In a way it does feel like it, but still those sweaty and muscle-bound elements are still evident but in a lesser tone. Norris does kick some ass, but he plays a scarred, guilt-ridden and unsure character that doesn't see himself as some sort of hero (the media portrays) with the main focus being on the welfare of his girlfriend and their expected baby. Some might say that it's a sombre performance with little emotion, but it's a heartfelt turn that you feel every aching and haunting thought. Complementing that broad complexion is David Michael Frank's score, which is always there and holds a sorrow edge. The story builds upon its material with a humane angle, as Norris battles the demons (spares us some wry relationship humour) while the killer (the terror) is mainly a lumbering shadow that emits terror in the most basic and raw way. It's primal and old-fashion police-killer premise, but stays stimulating throughout. That's not discarding some repetitive and contrived inclusions, and how the killer does feel secondary to Norris. William Tannen's direction gradually forms suspense and moves quick enough (even with some useless spots). The action isn't eye-opening, but it's a sturdy display with moments of atmospheric lashings and the setting in a renovated movie theatre is a nice touch. The violence is quick, with the killer providing a sure cure for neck problems. An above-par cast do a sound job. Brynn Thayer excels as Norris' girlfriend. Jack O'Halloran's animalistic, brute physique is his performance and Steve James is enjoyable too. Rounding the cast off; Ryan O'Neil, Jeffrey Kramer, Murphy Dunne and a short, but important see-in for Billy Drago (this guy has presence) who explains the creepy and unsettling nature of the wanted killer.

Frank Markland Chuck Norris stars as Danny, a cop who took down a hulking serial killer however when said killer escapes, Danny knows he is the only one able to stop the terror. However Danny harbors a secret, he knows that it was sheer luck that got the terror arrested and even more luck that Danny survived, now a final battle is waged but is Danny ready? Right there in my description tells what the problem of this movie is. Norris is playing a wimpy hero who still suffers from psychological trauma. In the hands of a better actor, this concept would be interesting and could make for a great thriller. In the hands of a Norris thriller it just makes it ridiculous and hopelessly unheroic. Also on board is American Ninja's Steve James and Superfly's Ron O'Neal but any attempt at character development is defeated by the atrocious script. Also there is hardly any action and I always preferred a Norris movie with more fighting and less talking. Given the rating on this website, I must not be alone.* out of 4-(Bad)