From the Rental Vault: Code of Silence (1985)

Although these days his persona is one of invincible hero, Chuck Norris actually began his career playing heavies, usually getting his just desserts in the last reel. Even when he moved to being the good guy, the arena was still focused on martial arts action. The major difference was that instead of being unbeatable by anyone except the hero, he was now just unbeatable.

In the midst of his escalating superhero-dom, Norris showed up in Andrew Davis's Code of Silence, a movie about a Chicago cop that had been floated as a "Dirty Harry" possibility until Clint Eastwood passed on it. As Eddie Cusack, Norris doesn't spend nearly as much screen time in martial arts mayhem as he does in his previous movies. He's still the hero and still tougher than ten roofing nails, but his bad-assery is limited to strictly human levels instead of the outsized exploits he'd be known for later.

Cusack and his tactical squad are waiting to take down a major cocaine dealer as soon as their informant gives the signal. But a rival crimelord also has designs on the cocaine and cash, and the hit leaves behind a roomful of bodies, wounded officers and a young man shot by panicky burnout cop Cragie (Ralph Foody) who tries to cover the mistake with a drop gun.

The ensuing gang war only amplifies the bloodshed, as Luis Camacho (Henry Silva) swears revenge for his murdered brother and kills most of the family members of the crimelord, Victor Luna, who engineered the hit. Only Victor's daughter Diana (Molly Hagan) remains alive, and she's safe only because Cusack thwarted her abduction. Luis eventually manages to get to Diana, though, threatening her life unless Cusack can produce Victor Luna. Abandoned by his fellow officers because he breaks the titular "code of silence" and won't stand by Cragie in the complaint against him, Cusack has to take on Camacho's thugs himself.

Silence is a no-frills crime drama, sketching its characters in broad familiar strokes and letting the actors fill in the blanks as needed. Davis doesn't meander from his path either, showing the ability to weave action set pieces into a story that would make Under Siege and The Fugitive successes as well. Cusack has his share of encounters with baddies, of course, but Davis doesn't design them as martial arts displays. They're in service to the overall plot, not showcases for flying fists and feet. Even in the finale, Cusack causes most of his mayhem with an automated police robot, not his fists. The role doesn't ask Norris to do much beyond be tough and stoic. Except when he interacts with Hagan, when it asks him to be stoic in a paternal, big-brotherish manner. He's more than capable of meeting that standard and by joining the rest of Code of Silence in not doing more than it needs to, makes a watchable 100 minutes of tough-cop crime story.