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Code of Silence

Code of Silence

Eddie Cusack's a good cop having a very bad day.

1985100 minRMidcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Director
Andrew Davis
Starring
Chuck Norris, Mike Genovese, Henry Silva, Bert Remsen

A Chicago cop is caught in the middle of a gang war while his own comrades shun him because he wants to take an irresponsible cop down.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Code of Silence?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Code of Silence streaming on Pluto TV (free), The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Code of Silence?

Code of Silence earns 5 badges, led by Box Office Hit and Not for the squeamish.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Code of Silence worth watching?

Code of Silence's Midcredits score is the 46th percentile of all films, from 20K ratings across 6 sources. 42% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

46th percentile

Better received than 46% of films

62nd percentile among Action48th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)51st
Approval (how many liked it)41st

62 /100

51st percentile of all films

68th percentile among Action54th percentile among 1980s

Critics 64 · Audience 62

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

42% liked it

41st percentile of all films

55th percentile among Action43rd percentile among 1980s
42% rated it 7–1058% rated it 1–6

Critics 68% · Audience 51%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

87th percentile

20K ratings across platforms

78th percentile among Action86th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$7M
Opening weekend$5.5M
Domestic gross$20M
Worldwide gross$20M

Returned 2.9× its budget — 68th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it is a routine, formulaic 1980s cop thriller that is better made than typical Norris fare.

Fans praised

  • gritty Chicago setting and location shooting
  • surprisingly strong script with police corruption angle
  • director Andrew Davis's energetic, stylish direction

Detractors panned

  • formulaic, clichéd cop plot
  • slow pacing and long stretches without action
  • underwhelming martial arts; fights look sloppy

What stands out

Atmosphere70

grimy, realistic 1980s Chicago

ActingDivisive60

Norris more natural than usual; Silva effectively menacing; Farina solid in minor role

EndingDivisive60

satisfying violent one-man-against-all finale but very clichéd

CharactersDivisive55

Norris's stoic lone-wolf cop; Silva's cold villain; corrupt cop subplot adds depth

PacingDivisive55

deliberate build to action-packed finale; slower first half

Effects and spectacle55

police robot Prowler; El-train chase; one-man-army finale

Plot and storyDivisive50

predictable drug-war and police-corruption story; competent but clichéd

Originality30

heavily derivative of Dirty Harry formula

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Code of Silence like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you fired up.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrilling
Heaviest: middle
Register
Hardboiled · 1% of films: Terse, unsentimental, noir-inflected.Adventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its police corruption and gang war drama straight, with a tough, earnest tone and action set pieces that feel grounded in Chicago's streets.
The rideThe film maintains a steady tension through the investigation and gang war, with the emotional pressure peaking when Cusack is fully ostracized before the climactic action.
StructureStandard crime thriller structure following the protagonist from the botched sting through the escalating conflict to the climactic one-man assault.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

Rousing · 10% of filmsFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer satisfied by the action and rooting for the lone hero who triumphs against the odds.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA police officer must rescue a kidnapped woman from a gang war while also facing ostracism from his own department.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines the pressure to maintain the code of silence among police officers and the courage it takes to choose justice over loyalty to colleagues.
StanceThe film celebrates Cusack's integrity as the correct moral choice even when his own department turns against him.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · David Michael Frank
SettingChicago police precinct and the city's gang-controlled streets — a working-class, crime-ridden milieu
MusicA synthesized, period-appropriate score that underscores the gritty urban tension without overwhelming the action.

Content guide

Is Code of Silence okay for kids?

R

Code of Silence is rated R. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (94/100), sexual content at minimal (5/100), language at severe (94/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (90/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 95% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12
  • Netherlands16
  • RO18
Overall
Severe · all five categories
Heavier than 97% of all filmsHeavier than 95% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 94%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 1%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 97%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 97%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 54%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: language, violence, drug and alcohol content, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Code of Silence have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Code of Silence?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Chuck Norris
as Eddie Cusack
Mike Genovese
as Tony Luna
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Henry Silva
as Luis Comacho
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Bert Remsen
as Commander Kates
Ralph Foody
as Cragie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Nathan Davis
as Felix Scalese
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Allen Hamilton
as Pirelli
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Joe Guzaldo
as Nick Kopalas
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Molly Hagan
as Diana Luna
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Ron Dean
as Brennan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Code of Silence?

Movies like Code of Silence include Raw Deal (1986), An Eye for an Eye (1981) and The Fugitive (1993). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Andrew Davis, and half are stories about gangsters.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its subject: justice. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Code of Silence?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: protector on a journey. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.