The film stars Norris as Danny O'Brien a cop trying to stop a serial killer, Simon Moon known as "The Terror".

O'Brien determines to apprehend the notorious Simon Moon, also known as The Terror, who kills women by snapping their necks and then takes their bodies to his lair at an abandoned amusement park.

When backup arrives, everyone believes that O'Brien caught The Terror; he is christened a "Hero" by the press, while Simon is hauled off to jail.

Heading in to confront Simon, Danny encounters an enclosed room not on the map...wherein he finds numerous bodies, all victims of The Terror.

Hero and the Terror was Chuck Norris's first major attempt at diversifying from his traditional martial arts roles.

[10] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times said, "With 'Hero and the Terror' Chuck Norris makes his most determined effort yet to balance his martial arts displays with serious acting.

[11] Richard Harrington of The Washington Post called the film "a typically slow and uninspired go-round", adding "it probably won't do any good, but here goes: Be very careful and avoid this 'Hero'".

[12] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded the film two out of four stars, remarking that "A new Chuck Norris is unveiled in 'Hero and the Terror', which contains its share of martial arts combat, to be sure, but also shows him as a sensitive romantic who makes small talk over candlelit dinners and wants to be present for the birth of his daughter.

There is nothing in the basic story of 'Hero and the Terror' that really requires Norris to reveal these tender new aspects to his character, but perhaps he simply put them in because he liked them.