Code of Silence

Directed by Andrew Davis, Code of Silence follows Chuck Norris’ Eddie Cusack as he attempts to keep a key witness (Molly Hagan’s Diana) safe from harm. Filmmaker Davis, armed with Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack, and Mike Gray’s screenplay, does a terrific job of immediately capturing the viewer’s interest and attention, as Code of Silence kicks off with a fascinating, engrossing sequence detailing a sting operation that inevitably goes violently awry – with the impact of this opening (and the picture in general) heightened by Davis’ gritty visuals and a series of top-notch performances. (In addition to Norris’ commanding turn, Davis elicits stirring work from familiar periphery players like Dennis Farina, Ralph Foody, and Henry Silva.) From there, Code of Silence progresses into a midsection and second half suffused with memorable digressions and set-pieces, including a terrific chase that climaxes atop an elevated train and a stirring subplot involving Foody’s dirty cop, that ensure the movie’s few lulls are easy enough to overlook – which, when coupled with a slightly overlong yet satisfying finale, effectively confirms the film’s place as a better-than-average Norris vehicle that does, in addition to everything else, boast first-class use of its Chicago locations.

*** out of ****