Silent Rage

Silent Rage
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Miller
Produced by Anthony B. Unger
Written by
Starring
Music by
Cinematography
  • Robert C, Jessup
  • Neil Roach
Edited by Richard C. Meyer
Production
company
Topkick Productions
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • April 2, 1982 (1982-04-02)
Running time
 103 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $10.5 million (US)[1]

Silent Rage is a 1982 science fiction horror film directed by Michael Miller. It stars Chuck Norris as a sheriff who must stop a mentally ill man (Brian Libby) who goes on a rampage after being granted near-indestructibility in a medical experiment. It grossed $10.5 million on release.

Plot

In a small Texas town, John Kirby, a mentally ill man, kills two members of the family with whom he was staying. Sheriff Daniel "Dan" Stevens and his deputy Charlie, respond and eventually arrest John, but he breaks out of the handcuffs, overpowers the other officers and grabs one of their revolvers, forcing the officers to open fire and shoot John.

Severely injured and near death, John is transported to an institute where his psychiatrist, Thomas "Tom" Halman, works along with two medical doctors who are also genetic engineers: Dr. Phillip Spires and Dr. Paul Vaughn. To save John, Phillip proposes treating him with a formula created by himself and Paul to enhance cellular strength and regeneration. Tom objects to its use due to John's psychosis, and Phillip initially agrees, but later administers the formula anyway once Tom leaves. Revived and rendered nearly mute but virtually invulnerable, John escapes from the institute and tracks Tom to his home. Meanwhile, Dan invites Tom's sister Alison, whom is he romancing, on a trip. John breaks into Tom's home and the two fight. Despite shooting John several times and pushing him down a flight of stairs, Tom is killed. Tom's wife Nancy finds her husband's body and is killed by John as well. Alison arrives to pick up her gear for the trip and discovers her brother and sister-in-law's corpses, but John flees as Dan and Charlie arrive with the police.

Dan and Charlie take Alison to the institute, unaware that John has also returned there to get Phillip and Paul to treat his wounds. Realizing that the situation is out of control, Phillip leaves to examine samples while Paul attempts to kill John by injecting him with acid. John survives and kills Paul after a brief struggle by stabbing him with the syringe. After finding Paul's body, Phillip returns to his office, where he briefly speaks to John before he snaps his neck. With Dan elsewhere, Charlie and Alison discover John killing another of the workers; Charlie attempts to arrest him but is mortally wounded when John breaks his back. Dan returns just in time to discover Charlie dying and protects Alison from John.

After a chase, Dan's car crashes with John hanging onto it, lighting him on fire. This injures him, but he jumps into a nearby lake and quickly recovers. With Alison watching, Dan and Kirby engage in hand-to-hand combat. Both men score blows, but Dan overwhelms John by roundhouse kicking him several times before throwing him into a nearby well, seemingly killing him. With John's carnage at an end, Dan and Alison leave. However, deep in the well, John suddenly bursts from the water, having survived.

Cast

Release

The film was released theatrically in the United States by Columbia Pictures in April 1982. It grossed $10,490,791 at the box office.[1]

The film was released on DVD by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in 2001.[2]

RiffTrax released Silent Rage on demand on September 6, 2013.[3]

Reception

Variety called the film an unintentionally funny attempt to cash in on popular exploitation film tropes.[4] John Corry of The New York Times wrote that the only interesting scenes are those with the mad scientists, as Norris has no charisma or presence.[5] Rita Kempley of The Washington Post called Norris' martial arts "a curious footnote in a formula horror film".[6] Norris said that he received negative feedback from fans over his love scenes. He subsequently resolved to avoid them in the future.[7]

Remake

The film was remade in 2009 as Indestructible.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Silent Rage". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  2. ↑ "Silent Rage (DVD)". dvdempire.com. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  3. ↑ New RiffTrax VOD Title and Some Reminders « Satellite News
  4. ↑ "Review: 'Silent Rage'". Variety. 1982. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
  5. ↑ Corry, John (April 2, 1982). "CHUCK NORRIS IN 'SILENT RAGE'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
  6. ↑ Kempley, Rita (1982-04-02). "'Silent Rage'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
  7. ↑ Broeske, Pat (1986-06-22). "Real Men Don't Need Kisses". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-03-13.
  8. ↑ Indestructible (Video 2009) - Connections - IMDb
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