Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Hero and the Terror Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 12, 2015

After blasting through the 1980s with actioners such as “Missing in Action,” Invasion USA,” and “The Delta Force,” star Chuck Norris elected to try a few different career directions while he held B-movie attention. There was comedy in “Firewalker” and domesticity in 1988’s “Hero and the Terror,” which avoided high kicks and hard fists to give Norris a chance to play a haunted cop faced with an old foe and new challenge even more frightening than facing an unstoppable serial killer: parenthood. “Hero and the Terror” suffers from a lack of excitement, missing Norris’s violent punctuation, but for those on a mission to grasp the actor’s abilities during an era where he was largely hired to be a stoic killing machine, the picture is actually engaging. With Norris out of his comfort zone, the feature shows more interest in character then aggression, and while it doesn’t have enough suspense to put it over the top, the effort finds different ways to hold attention, getting by on a surprising amount of personality.

It’s been three years since L.A. cop Danny O’Brien (Chuck Norris) took down “The Terror,” Simon Moon (Jack O’Halloran), capturing one of the most feared serial killers in the city’s history. Still, Danny can’t shake the moment, with visions of Moon’s savagery and his hiding spot filled with dead bodies difficult to forget. Trying to function in the real world, Danny is expecting a baby with his girlfriend, Kay (Brynn Thayer), his former therapist and a woman who’s unsure about the leap to co-habitation. Building a life with his love, Danny’s tentative sense of peace is shattered once again by Moon, who escapes from a psychiatric hospital and begins taking lives once again, this time holing up inside the Wiltern Theater as it celebrates an extensive remodeling. Refusing the Mayor (Ron O’Neal) and his request to play down Moon’s return, Danny takes the lead on the investigation, facing his fears as he once again attempts to capture the Terror.

“Hero and the Terror” is adapted from a novel by Michael Blodgett (who also co-scripts), which accounts for the feature’s limited interest in knuckle-cracking showdowns. Sticking to a plot, the picture holds tight on Danny’s experience of rehabilitation and his uncertainty about the future, still rattled by his initial Moon confrontation, which took place on a pier, where the madman built a backroom kingdom for himself, decorated with the rotting corpses of his victims. Reliving the meeting in his nightmares, Danny can’t flush the Terror out of his system, while a different level of stress arrives with Kay and her pregnancy. Even though the cop takes to domestication with ease, he can’t relax, saddled with “hero” for a nickname and soon shaken by the news that Moon has escaped from his prison (using metal shavings, lip balm, and dental floss to cut through his bars -- yes, you read that correctly), putting him on edge during a special time with his partner, who, through years of therapy (Kay’s unprofessionalism isn’t addressed), already understands his anxiety.

Director William Tannen (“Flashpoint”) makes an attempt to satisfy Norris fans with blips of action. Danny’s first encounter with Moon makes up the movie’s introduction, and there’s some undercover work at a shipyard that clarifies the cop’s abilities on the street, kicking around drug dealers. However, “Hero and the Terror” is looking to summon suspense, not necessarily cheap thrills, spending most of the film in investigative mode, establishing the Wiltern as Moon’s hive, transforming the monster into a “Phantom of the Opera”-style villain who collects a fresh round of victims as the theater opens to the public. Flashlights are clicked on and dreary search duty is ordered, with the bulk of the effort following Danny as he inspects cramped rooms and tunnels. There’s also time spent with his fellow law enforcement officials, with Steve James doing something with a small supporting role as a cop bored by this babysitting duty, trying to sneak in a workout inside the theater as Moon emerges from the darkness. In a feature with limited thrills, the scene is effective and agreeably odd.

The other side of “Hero and the Terror” remains with Danny and Kay, who are getting used to each other as a couple, working out a mutual support system that creates a weirdly credible partnership in a genre that favors the damsel in distress. The script doesn’t make a victim out of Kay (a wonderful change of pace) and seems greatly concerned with her neuroses involving pregnancy and joblessness. The movie spends plenty of time with the couple, creating a sense of stability for Danny he wants to protect at all costs. And the domestic scenes also give Norris an opportunity to play soft, clearly having fun as a slightly doofy father-to-be, who has trouble coming up with the right things to say during moments of reassurance. While screen time as a destroyer of goons is a more appropriate match to his thespian gifts, seeing Norris as a family man is appealing, offering “Hero and the Terror” a gentle tone that gives it atypical texture.

Hero and the Terror Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation looks to be a passable step up from the feature's DVD release, with sharper, slightly brighter look that's still restrained by the production low-budget origin. Colors are adequate, with agreeable outdoor life that brings out blue skies and greenery. Period costuming also supplies highlights, delivering pleasing primaries. Skintones are natural. Fine detail is satisfactory and soft, offering the best on close-ups and fabrics, while background decoration remains in view. Wiltern interiors hold their expanse and construction nuance. Grain is heavy but managed, providing a filmic appearance. Delineation is comfortable, showing no major problems with solidification. Moderate speckling is detected.

Hero and the Terror Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides the essentials and little more. Dialogue exchanges are clean and crisp, keeping up with heated encounters and softer, private moments between Kay and Danny. Scoring is healthy, taking the lead when necessary to build up the moment, finding passable instrumentation and balance with dramatics. Atmospherics are generally useful for street encounters and public places (including a movie premiere with snapping cameras and chatty onlookers), and theater echo is preserved. Hiss isn't a problem.

Hero and the Terror Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:26, SD) is included.

Hero and the Terror Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Moon isn't a subtle villain, gifted "Friday the 13th" scoring stings to establish doom, while the production relies on O'Halloran's hulking physical presence to carry horror. It takes a substantial amount of screen time to bring Danny and Moon together, which could be frustrating for viewers looking for a steady stream of violence. "Hero and the Terror" doesn't indulge, it waits instead, possibly to pad but mostly to preserve character, even making Danny slightly fearful of his enemy, adding dash of vulnerability to keep the cop on edge. Patience is required for "Hero and the Terror," which avoids the traditional Norris experience of martial arts and chases. It's mostly contained to one location, trusts in human interaction, and plays more procedurally. With adjustments in expectations made, the feature is a mild success, offering an intriguing change of pace for its star.