Danny O'Brien is a cop who likes to work alone and never waits for his back up. In Los Angeles, O'Brien is trying to apprehend the notorious Simon Moon, also known as The Terror. Simon has been killing women by snapping their necks and taking them to his lair in an abandoned amusement park. O'Brien is attacked by Simon who almost kills him in the struggle. When the killer flees the scene and climbs up a ladder he slips and falls, knocking himself unconscious. When the backup arrives they think O'Brien caught The Terror and the people of L.A. call him "Hero". Simon is then arrested and taken to jail. When Dr. Highwater goes to visit Simon he escapes by cutting through the bars of his cell. He then steals a laundry van by push starting it but loses control and falls straight down into a cliff face. When the media hears about this they pronounce Simon dead and the people of L.A. are relieved. Three years later the murders start back up again and O'Brien thinks it's The Terror. He eventually finds his lair in a movie theater and heads in to confront Simon himself. He encounters an enclosed room not on the map and heads in. In there he finds the bodies of The Terror's victims and starts searching around for him. Simon jumps out and attacks him and Danny tries to fight him off. O'Brien eventually kills The Terror and the film ends, as he marries his girlfriend who gave birth to their daughter.
Hero and the Terror was Chuck Norris's first major attempt at diversifying from his traditional martial arts roles. "The success of the film is contingent on how reviewers, the media and the audience take to it. That determines everything in this business," Norris said. "I like the character of Danny O'Brien and I like the relationships I had in the film, especially with Kay. I liked seeing not just the man in the arena or the fighting machine you see in many of my films, but to see the man outside the arena -- the guy who also has relationships." "I don't want people to think I'm just going to kick butt. There's a lot more here," siad Norris. "What makes this a different film is the vulnerability of the character I play. There are moments of humor, romance and compassion, and there are moments of terror, anguish and anxiety." A scene was filmed as a joke where Norris hyperventilates in the hospital and faints seeing a baby being born. The director, William Tannen, convinced Norris to test the film with the segment intact. "We did leave it in. And you know, women absolutely love that scene," he said. "O'Brien is a guy who must face his fear, even though he feels secure in his abilities as a police officer," Norris said. "He doesn't even wait for his backup unit and goes after the killer alone. Chuck Norris fans will see the intense, focused sort of man, sure; also, I hope they will identify with the other side of his character, the multiple side...I trained really hard for this film. Jack and I did all our own fighting, and he's really strong. I threw everything short of the kitchen sink at him and every type of kick imaginable. People will believe that O'Brien really is facing a demon."
Reception
The movie had a mostly negative reception. It currently has a 0% rating on movie rating website Rotten Tomatoes. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times said that "With 'Hero and the Terror' Chuck Norris makes his most determined effort yet to balance his martial arts displays with serious acting. On a modest level Norris succeeds, only to be tripped up by an underdeveloped script." Richard Harrington of The Washington Post called the film "a typically slow and uninspired go-round", adding "it probably won't do any good, but here goes: Be very careful and avoid this 'Hero.'" Roger Ebert remarked that "A new Chuck Norris is unveiled in "Hero and the Terror," which contains its share of martial arts combat, to be sure, but also shows him as a sensitive romantic who makes small talk over candlelit dinners and wants to be present for the birth of his daughter. There is nothing in the basic story of 'Hero and the Terror' that really requires Norris to reveal these tender new aspects to his character, but perhaps he simply put them in because he liked them.Norris is a gentle and intelligent man, and maybe he grew tired of kicking people in the face in the movies."
Box office
Hero and the Terror grossed $1.84 million nationwide in its first weekend at the box office, finishing in 12th place for that weekend. The film made just $6 million overall.
