Hero and the Terror (1988)

Danny O'Brien is back in action fighting the notorious Simon Moon, also known as The Terror. Three years earlier O'Brien had single-handedly captured The Terror and was called Hero by the ... See full summary »

Director:

William Tannen

Writers:

Michael Blodgett (novel), Dennis Shryack (screenplay),

Stars:

Chuck Norris, Brynn Thayer, Steve James

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chuck Norris	...	Danny O'Brien
Brynn Thayer	...	Kay
Steve James	...	Robinson
Jack O'Halloran	...	Simon Moon
Jeffrey Kramer	...	Dwight
Ron O'Neal	...	Mayor
Murphy Dunne	...	Theater Manager
Heather Blodgett	...	Betsy
Tony DiBenedetto	...	Dobeny
Billy Drago	...	Dr. Highwater
Joe Guzaldo	...	Copelli
Peter Miller	...	Chief Bridges
Karen Lorre	...	Ginger (as Karen Witter)
Lorry Goldman	...	Ginger's Manager
Christine Wagner	...	Doctor

Storyline

Danny O'Brien is back in action fighting the notorious Simon Moon, also known as The Terror. Three years earlier O'Brien had single-handedly captured The Terror and was called Hero by the people of L.A. Now Simon has escaped and has started killing women again, and O'Brien is the only man who can stop him.

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Plot Keywords:

mayor | serial killer | hero | shot to death | taekwondo | 

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Taglines:

Heroes hit hardest.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

El héroe y el terror

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$5,301,200 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golan-Globus Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last film that Menahem Golan produced with Chuck Norris.

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Quotes

Man at food stand: [Danny O'Brien is undercover and acting like a short order cook when he gets an unsatisfied customer] These are the worst eggs I've ever had, man!
Danny O'Brien: Wait till you try the toast.

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Connections

Referenced in The Killer (1989)

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Soundtracks

"Two Can be One"
Produced by Robert Jason and David Frank
Performed by Joe Pizzulo and Stephanie Reach

User Reviews

Norris acts and plays drama

This came out in the last years of the Cannon Group, which had produced numerous fun B-action flicks. I watched it at the cinema and pretty much liked it. I recently bought the DVD and still have the same preference. Having watched it again, I couldn't help but associate it with another similar Norris's film SILENT RAGE, which is much worse.

Detective Danny O'Brien (Norris) is haunted by his past after single-handedly capturing a psycho killer Simon Moon a.k.a.the Terror (Jack O' Halloran). Several years later, Moon escapes from a sanitarium and returns to the city he once stalked, Los Angeles and begins unleashing terror again. This time his 'turf' is a renovated classic theatre that is about to be re-opened. As victims start to fall and the opening date is drawing near, the Mayor calls for detective O'Brien, who has caught the psycho once and knows his ways.

This action thriller, as a whole, plays like an episode of a TV series and some scenes are rather dull- the romantic dinner between Norris and his girl friend, over the top- when Norris faints upon arriving at the hospital, and nonsensical- like Simon Moon's escape.

Jack O'Halloran (remember one of Superman's foe Non, who is also mute, in Superman 2) portrays the Terror as menacingly as he is supposed to be- doesn't speak, only growls, and looks creepy. However Billy Drago is miscast as Moon's doctor. Drago suits well if he is cast as an antagonist: a psycho (FREEWAY) or a henchman (THE UNTOUCHABLES)or any other typically eccentric bad guy, but not a good doctor!

The music, especially when the Terror strikes, performed by the same musician who scores Norris's CODE OF SILENCE is effective though standard, to create the tension.

The thing that sets this film apart from other Norris films is that we get to see Norris ACT a lot more than he usually does. Norris is not as a one-man army like in the MISSING IN ACTION trilogy. Here Norris acts and plays more drama: he is a cop but a father-to-be and a sensitive lover too!

Overall, this cop thriller belongs to one of Norris's better films (there are Norris's bad films) where fans can see more of the human side of the Hero besides his strutting karate kicks and flying punches.