The Octagon is a 1980 American action martial arts film starring Chuck Norris, Karen Carlson and Lee Van Cleef.

The film involves a martial artist (Chuck Norris) who must stop a group of terrorists trained in the ninja style by his foster brother (Tadashi Yamashita).

It was filmed in Los Angeles and released by the distribution wing of American Cinema Productions beginning August 15, 1980.

It is notable for its inventive use of voice-over effects to portray the inner life of Norris' character, Scott James.

The film opens with a short scene at a private military training camp.

The main instructor, Katsumoto tells the graduating class that all of their actions and whereabouts will be known and that if they do anything to expose or harm the group, they and their families will be killed.

On his way back from McCarn's place, Scott encounters a rich lady named Justine, who managed to get her car stuck on the side of the road.

is a karate champion and feels frustrated by the recent terrorist attacks that have taken place both abroad and on Nancy.

The movie cuts to a scene at the Octagon training camp where a new group of recruits has graduated.

One recruit, Aura, has reservations about what she is doing but leaves the camp to report to a terrorist dispatcher named "Doggo" (Kurt Grayson).

Scott then has to fight his way out of Doggo's facility, defeating "Longlegs" and "Hatband" and returns to his hotel.

As Scott goes back to his room, he encounters Aura, and she tells him that she regrets what she has done and that she can lead him to Seikura's camp.

is then shown finding Seikura's place (located in Mexico or an unnamed Central American nation) the hard way, and he is eventually captured and taken prisoner.

He is eventually discovered and led to an area known as "The Octagon" (a building filled with treacherous paths and enemies).

A bizarre plot involving the Ninja cult of Oriental assassins with international terrorism provides plenty of chances for Norris and other martial art experts to do their stuff, and pic has a nicely stylized look with excellent lensing and music.

Subtleties of writing and performing are not this film's selling points, so it would be misleading to belabor those inadequacies.

"[13] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote, "It has an understandable story with a little bit of sophistication, which immediately places it head and shoulders above the typical kung-fu chop-socky flick.

There are a bunch of supporting characters who really aren't that crucial to the story, once it gets going in a straight line toward the ultimate confrontation between Scott James and his Oriental relative.

"[14] Linda Gross of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "What is deeply disturbing about this movie is its inherent cynicism and wholesale endorsement of and commitment to violence.

"[15] Joseph McLellan of The Washington Post wrote, "Clearly 'The Octagon' is no real threat to 'War and Peace' or even 'Beau Geste,' but it will appeal to those who are still in mourning for Bruce Lee, who like carefully choreographed fight scenes and who enjoy standing in front of a mirror looking at their muscles.