15 Best Chuck Norris Movies & TV Shows, Ranked

Legend has it that instead of a chin beneath Chuck Norris’ beard, he’s hiding a third foot waiting to hit you with a surprise roundhouse kick. Some of his older films prove that one false, but it might be true that when Norris does a push-up, it’s the Earth that moves, not him. Who’s to say, really? The point is that Norris went from real martial artist to actor, dominating big screens through the 1980s and the small screen throughout the ’90s. Love him or hate him, he’s an American original.

He might not have gotten films with the kind of big budgets afforded his peers, and he might not be on too many lists of best action stars, but his movies deliver exactly what they set out to — Norris smacking the living daylights out of bad dudes. Now keep reading to see where your favorites landed on our list of Norris’ 15 best movies and TV shows, meaning those where he’s the lead character.

Cordell Walker is a tough, but fair, Texas Ranger who works with his fellow officers to keep their community safe. That involves guns and car chases with a healthy dose of strong morals and denim-stretching martial arts.

There’s a fairly big swath of television viewers who only know Chuck Norris from his long-running CBS series, “Walker, Texas Ranger.” That’s no knock as you don’t get nine seasons and a TV movie (and a recently canceled reboot on The CW starring Jared Padalecki) without a loyal audience. His film fans might miss his harder-edged antics — like killing bad guys up close — but the core of Norris’ characters remains even in sanitized form. He still kills villains (pretty frequently), but it’s impersonal, less graphic, and devoid of postmortem quips.

Walker is a morally unflappable soul who prefers educating villains with an old-fashioned beatdown. The show can sometimes feel like an Afterschool Special with a body count as Walker and friends do good work and highlight the downside of being bad, but sometimes, all you want from a series is comfort food in the form of square jaws, Dodge Ram commercials, and roundhouse kicks.

John Booker is a political science professor who once led a top-secret special forces unit for the CIA. He’s forced to put down the books, though, when other members of his old squad start turning up murdered.

“Good Guys Wear Black” is a fantastic title for an action movie, and the premise is equally promising as John finds himself unraveling a conspiracy involving politicians and past misdeeds. Depending on what you’re looking for, though, the film may or may not live up to it all as the unraveling plot and dialogue take precedence. Those paying attention will note the introduction of a theme close to Norris’ heart, that being the concern and care for U.S. veterans.

If you’re only here for the action, you’ll be somewhat disappointed as there’s not much of it. Norris displays his always-welcome penchant for kicks, and he even lands a flying kick straight through a car’s windshield, but the film is more story-heavy than most of his later films — which isn’t exactly a bad thing.

Scott McCoy is a member of the special forces team, Delta Force, but he resigns when a mission goes sideways because of political interference. You can’t keep a tough man down, though, and five years later, he’s back rescuing hostages.

Action films are sometimes blatantly jingoistic while offering explosive onscreen fun, and that’s the sweet spot that “The Delta Force” aims to hit. Inspired by the real-world hijacking of a TWA flight in 1985, it doesn’t fully succeed on either count, but at least it still has Chuck Norris on a motorcycle armed with rocket launchers. Director Menahem Golan gives extra attention to character moments and the Israeli hostages, and that’s both a welcome touch and a tad exploitative.

The action can feel sparse given the two-hour-plus running time, but when it does hit it does so with some explosive fun and welcome faces. Norris is joined by Lee Marvin, Steve James, and even a young Liam Neeson, and Robert Forster joins too as the lead Iranian terrorist. It’s a casting choice straight out of the ’80s, but again, there’s a motorcycle that fires rockets!

James Braddock is a grizzled Vietnam War veteran trying to leave the war behind him, but when he learns that American prisoners of war are still alive and being held captive, he knows it’s time to go back.

If you ask someone to name the mid-’80s movie about U.S. soldiers returning to Vietnam after the war to rescue American POWs, they’d probably say “Rambo: First Blood Part 2.” The less blockbuster-minded viewers might even mention the Gene Hackman-led “Uncommon Valor.” Some of us, though, go straight to Chuck Norris flipping off the system and singlehandedly rescuing American soldiers in “Missing in Action.” It’s less prestigious than Hackman’s film and earned only about 15% of Sylvester Stallone’s box office, but it delivers on its promise.

Explosions, Norris seething with rage, more explosions, Norris gunning down Vietnamese soldiers who never wanted the war to end. The actor’s films rarely surprise — you know what you’re getting when you press play — and this is no different, but it checks those boxes with sturdy reliability and ends with a super satisfying freeze-frame.

J.D. Dawes is a truck driver who only wants to haul his load and hang out with his brother. It’s bad news, then, when his brother disappears in a small town that seems very unwelcoming toward visitors.

Chuck Norris lands his first leading role here, and while 1977’s “Breaker! Breaker!” is as one-note as they come, it’s a very satisfying note for fans of roundhouse kicks and knocked-down hicks. It seems the locals don’t like outsiders, and the town’s officials are more than happy to handle the problem through corruption, illegalities, and violence. Happily, for viewers, our buddy J.D. knows a thing or two about violence as well.

Look, there’s nothing fancy about this one. Norris may be lacking facial hair of any kind, but his feet are ready and able to whoop butt again and again (and again and again). The film runs under 90 minutes, and the back half is pretty much punches, flips, and roundhouse kicks set to repeat as J.D. turns the town inside out. What’s not to like?

Matt Logan is a karate instructor who teaches students to respect themselves and to kick drugs in the face. The police ask him to train their anti-drug squad after two cops are killed by a martial artist.

“A Force of One” is a sincere drama extolling the importance of saying no to drugs and yes to physical fitness. That can be a problem for viewers looking for “a Chuck Norris movie,” but it works to create relationships we care about and the ultimate revenge we crave. I’ll get flak for saying this, but it pairs well with 2024’s excellent “Life After Fighting” as an action movie just as interested in respecting the martial arts. Both Norris and his character fully believe in that message, and it shows.

We get minor scuffles along the way, but Norris really only gets his hands dirty in the third act. It’s a single fight, but it’s mean and ultimately very satisfying for the character and audience alike. It’s a real movie, one where the silliness of his later films is wholly absent and replaced by drama, character, and life lessons.

Chuck Norris’ “Missing in Action” character, James Braddock, is still trying to put the Vietnam War behind him in the franchise’s third installment. But when he learns that his Vietnamese wife is still alive — and that their now-12-year-old son is with her — he knows it’s time to go back. Again.

One of the criticisms levied against Norris is that his acting resembles that of a wooden plank. It’s difficult to argue, but his films sometimes manage to squeeze out a degree of emotion and humanity. The best examples are below, but “Braddock: Missing in Action III” manages the minor feat with its kids-in-peril storyline that arrives when James discovers a group of children being held captive.

Sure, it’s all manipulation, and director Aaron Norris (Chuck’s brother) isn’t a filmmaker known for nuance or a deft touch, but as the film moves toward its conclusion, it does so earning cheers from viewers. Of course, even those with ice-cold hearts will at least enjoy the rocket-powered speedboats, numerous explosions, and the abundance of straight-up murders that Braddock commits against Vietnamese soldiers en route to the border.

Scott James is a martial artist with a complicated past, immersed in a tale of intrigue, terrorism, and wealthy socialites. Oh, and ninjas. Lots and lots of ninjas.

If you grew up watching ’80s action movies, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the streets of America were unsafe due to the threat of ninjas. That misinformation came mostly from Cannon Films and its “Ninja” trilogy, but other production companies joined the bandwagon too. American Cinema Productions upped the ante by adding Chuck Norris into the mix, and the result is something very special.

Terrorists recruiting from ninja camps? Paunchy middle-aged dudes auditioning to be ninjas? Lee Van Cleef recruiting martial artists to fight the terrorists? James realizing that his estranged half-brother is the head counselor at the ninja camp? A cool but deadly ninja whose face we never see dressed in full garb with ninja weaponry beneath his folds? A minor subtext exploring what drives people to join violent organizations? Norris’ whispery voiceover acting as James’ inner voice, alerting him to impending danger and familial conundrums? Like I said, it’s special.

Dan Stevens is a no-nonsense sheriff in a small Texas town, but while he’s used to busting biker heads, something far more dangerous is heading his way — an unkillable psychopath named John.

While Chuck Norris would go on to make an actual action-horror film with 1994’s “Hellbound,” this 1982 feature is the far better genre hybrid. “Silent Rage” pits the sheriff’s arsenal of guns and martial arts skills against a Michael Myers-like killer who keeps bouncing back from death like it was merely a nap. John doesn’t speak and isn’t a fighter, but he’s a grappler and a strangler who never tires leaving our hero exasperated and angry.

The horror angle of director Michael Miller’s hybrid comes mostly from its unkillable killer, but Miller also finds the occasional slice of slasher ambiance as John moves through houses and silently stalks his prey. It’s all just creepy enough to build tension before the next kill or fight scene. The film can’t stand alongside the likes of real slasher classics, but action-horror is a virtually untapped subgenre so we should celebrate those crossovers any chance we get.

Danny O’Brien is a homicide detective working the mean streets of Los Angeles, and he becomes the city’s hero when he single-handedly captures a notorious serial killer named Simon Moon. The nightmare isn’t over, though.

There are similarities between “Hero and the Terror” and the earlier film directly above as Chuck Norris once again goes head-to-head with a seemingly unstoppable killer, but this is the more nuanced take on the premise. The film is an adaptation of Michael Blodgett’s novel, and where “Silent Rage” plays up the killer’s sci-fi/horror angles, the focus here extends more to our protagonist.

O’Brien’s first encounter with Moon sees a stroke of luck save his own life, and while he’s labeled a hero, he feels quite the opposite. He’s afraid. He knows that Moon was stronger and tougher, and came very close to killing him, and the thought of squaring off again leaves him drenched in nightmares and sweat each night. It’s an atypical role for Norris to play — for any action hero in the ’80s for that matter — and it adds an unexpectedly welcome wrinkle into the mix.

Josh Randall is a security guard working at a Hong Kong casino, but the fun and games end when organized criminals come calling. Josh soon finds himself on the run, but you’d be a fool to bet against him.

“Forced Vengeance” is a mean and messy Chuck Norris film, and it works well here to fuel the momentum and the inevitable final showdown. Director James Fargo shot the film in Hong Kong, and the setting — from city streets and neon-lit rooftops to the busy, junk-filled bay — adds an atmosphere that most ’80s American action films never had. Don’t compare it to actual Hong Kong action cinema of the time, though.

It’s filled with fights as Randall fends off all manner of mobsters, but things really come alive after a nasty, exploitative turn that leaves viewers craving bloody revenge. It’s a grueling scene leaving two of Randall’s loved ones brutalized and dead, but the ugliness gives way to some righteously welcome vengeance — It’s right there in the title! Norris’ weirdly quotable voiceover is just icing on the cake.

Sean Kane is a San Francisco police officer compelled to resign after his partner is murdered. He stays on the case, though, and roundhouse kicks his way all the way to the truth.

Of the many directors who’ve helmed Chuck Norris films, Steve Carver might be the one who understood the performer best. He made two films with Norris, and both showcase the square-jawed hero at his physical peak while immersed in memorable locales, surrounded by top-notch supporting casts, and frequented by fun, exciting fights, and stunts. Norris beats baddies left and right leading up to a big finale set in a hillside mansion as dozens of thugs and even more cops storm the place, and it’s a great time.

Carver ensures that “An Eye for an Eye” outpaces its budget by delivering plenty of shots and sequences highlighting San Francisco locations and its skyline. Adding to the fun are ’80s genre stalwarts Mako, Professor Toru Tanaka, Richard Roundtree, and Christopher Lee as the big bad (surprise!). Fair warning, though, as Norris is doing it all without facial hair.

J.J. McQuade is a Texas Ranger who wouldn’t even think of resigning after his partner is murdered. A drug baron is moving into the illegal weapons game, and only J.J. is man enough to stop him.

Director Steve Carver’s second film with Chuck Norris is another winner — and the inspiration for “Walker: Texas Ranger.” While Walker is squeaky clean, J.J. has never met a bar of soap he couldn’t karate chop into oblivion. Norris spends nearly the entire film covered in some combination of sweat, mud, blood, and Old Spice, and you can smell him through the screen.

“Lone Wolf McQuade” isn’t just a name — he has an actual wolf as a pet! — and Carver delivers a gritty, modern-day spaghetti Western complete with an underappreciated score by Francesco De Masi. David Carradine is the film’s big bad, and while his kung fu never quite feels on par with Norris’, he’s still a charismatic villain joined by roughnecks, a maniacal little person prone to bouts of laughter, and the future Jason Voorhees and Leatherface actor Kane Hodder in his big-screen debut. Squint your eyes, and this feels like a lost Walter Hill joint — that is a Texas-sized compliment.

Matt Hunter (no relation) is an atypical Florida Man who once worked with the CIA but now wants to be left alone with his pet armadillo. Too bad for him, then, that terrorists have invaded the state determined to ruin Christmas for everyone.

Easily among the most “Cannon” films that Cannon ever made, “Invasion U.S.A.” is pure, nonsensical bliss for ’80s action junkies who like it when things blow up real good. The terrorists are led by the maniacal Mikhail Rostov (Richard Lynch), and their plan seems to extend only as far as attacking malls and sleepy suburban streets. Were they hoping to take over the country? Just Florida? Nobody knows.

This is the kind of B-movie dismissed as big, dumb, excessively violent nonsense, but that’s actually a beloved subgenre for many action fans. (Raises hand.) There’s room for thoughtful conflict and elaborately choreographed fights, but sometimes you just want to watch Norris dual-wielding Uzi Pistols, dodging explosions, and trash-talking bad guys with epic one-liners. “If you come back in here, I’m gonna hit you with so many rights you’ll be asking for a left.” This is gold, people. Gold.

Eddie Cusack is a Chicago cop facing trouble from every direction. A gang war is tearing up the streets, but as Eddie tries to lay down the law, he’s stymied by a corrupt detective and the thin blue line protecting him.

This 1985 action-thriller earns the top spot by being a legitimately good and well-produced movie. Credit for that goes primarily to director Andrew Davis (“The Fugitive”) who approaches Norris as an actor instead of merely an action guy; he would repeat this in Steven Seagal’s “Above the Law,” which is considered one of the best action movies of the ’80s. A solid budget, fantastic on-location shooting, a dense roster of supporting players, and thrilling action beats all combine to make “Code of Silence” a highly entertaining ride.

The film succeeds at balancing the serious with the goofy, and Norris’ typically stoic performance follows suit by being slightly less wooden than normal. The scene where Eddie heads into danger and the cops ignore calls for help? It’s no “Serpico” but still carries weight, and it’s followed by an ED-209-inspired police robot firing bullets and launching rockets at bad guys. So, we’ll split the difference and call it grounded fun.