Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
Norris portrays Texas Ranger J.J. McQuade, who likes to work alone, and lives in the middle of nowhere with a pet wolf. After his daughter is kidnapped and her boyfriend killed, McQuade goes on the trail of those responsible. Lots of action, plenty of martial arts, and even the “love interest that starts to break the tough guy shell” show up in this one. Plus, David Carradine is the bad guy. If you get Carradine and Norris going toe-to-toe, you really can’t go wrong.
The Hitman (1991)
Seattle cop Cliff Garrett (played by Norris) is nearly killed when his partner betrays and shoots him. His survival is hidden by the hospital, with Garrett going undercover as hitman Danny Grogan. He spends two years working his way up the ranks, trying to take down two mafia bosses at the same time, but when his old partner shows up and recognizes him, things go south. Lots of action and Chuck Norris as a pseudo-bad guy (with really bad hair) make Hitman worth watching.
Way of the Dragon (1972)
At the end of Way of the Dragon, Norris plays a rare bad guy role as an American martial arts expert named Colt. Colt is hired by a crime syndicate that is threatened by Bruce Lee, and his only mission is to face Lee and defeat him. The fight takes place in Rome’s famous Colosseum and is one of the few times Chuck Norris loses a fight. This fact alone makes “Way of the Dragon” a must-see moment with Norris.RELATED:
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Missing In Action (1984)
Probably the only Chuck Norris movie that almost everyone has seen, Missing in Action as Special Forces Colonel James Braddock. After escaping from a North Vietnamese prison camp, Braddock returns as part of a government investigation team, but then uses the information he gathers to launch his own rescue mission. Although it shares many similarities with Rambo: First Blood Part II, The Missing was actually the first to hit theaters and is worth seeing for the action scenes alone.
The Octagon (1980)
Chuck Norris plays a Karate champion named Scott James whose disowned half-brother is the leader of a terrorist organization that uses that most frightening of 1980s-era weapons: NINJAS. After spending a good portion of the movie pursuing this organization, Scott infiltrates their camp, only to found out and have to fight his way out. One of the more highly reviewed Chuck Norris movies, The Octagon became a favorite for fans of 80’s martial arts films.
Invasion U.S.A (1985)
Soviet guerrilla squads have invaded the USA, and former CIA agent Matt Hunter (played by Norris) is asked to come out of retirement to help repel the threat, but he declines. Soon after, his home is destroyed by the guerrillas, which quickly changes his mind. He goes after the guerrillas, taking out several of them, He finally goads their leader, Rostov, into a trap by using himself as bait. Hunter faces Rostov in a one-on-one fight, and kills him with a rocket launcher.RELATED:
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The Delta Force (1986)
A group of Palestinian terrorists seized a plane with hostages, and “Delta” forces are sent to rescue them. Under the leadership of Major Scott McCoy (Chuck Norris) and Colonel Nick Alexander (Lee Marvin), the “Delta” squad pursues terrorists from Beirut to Algeria and back. Having collected enough intelligence, they attack the hideouts of the terrorists and rescue the hostages, then penetrate the airfield and seize the plane, using it to make an escape.