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Code of Silence (1985)

Rate: 3
Viewed: 3/26

CodeSil
3/26: Chuck Norris doesn't threaten; he makes predictions.

I've seen Above the Law a dozen of times, but Code of Silence marks the first ever viewing for me. There's so much carryover from the former to the latter including at least ten thespians such as Henry Silva, Ron Dean, Joseph F. Kosala, Ralph Foody (you'll recognize him as the shooter from Angels with Filthy Souls in Home Alone), Ronnie Barron, and Miguel Nino.

Unfortunately, Code of Silence is so slow and ordinary that it's hard to believe that Andrew Davis is the director. I expected more from him, but he's completely forgiven by going on to make great Chicago-based actioners such as Above the Law, The Package, and The Fugitive. Just curious about the Prowler: prior to unleashing tons of firepower, how does it differentiate between the criminals and the innocents?

Anyway, I'm not going to blame Chuck Norris this time, but let's be real: he has no personality compared to Steven Seagal. These two films have little in common when it comes to story; I tried to maintain a fresh perspective in this manner but had been overcome by a lot of boring parts. After a while, I actually forgot what the end goal was. One mistake is using Joe Guzaldo instead of Dennis Farina, who was still working as a Chicago cop and then decided to be a full-time actor the following year, as Chuck Norris' partner; Dennis Farina would've brought more to the table.

All in all, Code of Silence is nowhere near the excellence of Above the Law.