Dirty Harry Movies Ranked
While we're ranking action movie series, let's go back to the one that started it all. This is a series with remarkably consistent quality and a style that, to some degree, every action film has been influenced by.
List activity
164 views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
5 titles
- DirectorBuddy Van HornStarsClint EastwoodLiam NeesonPatricia ClarksonInspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan must stop a sick secret contest to murder various San Francisco celebrities, with himself being one of the targets.The most downright entertaining of the series. Harry gets his best partner and the coolest car chase of the series. Probably the second-most interesting villain. Just an all-around awesome movie, The Dead Pool is as rock and roll as you can get. It's an endlessly creative and shamefully underappreciated sequel that everyone should see.
10 stars - DirectorDon SiegelClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodAndrew RobinsonHarry GuardinoWhen a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.For my money, the movie that turned "action" into its own genre. This one has the best villain and some of the most memorable dialogue of the series. One of the most frequently imitated movies ever made and for good reason. This is a top-notch action thriller featuring interesting philosophical underpinnings as well as world-class performances from all involved.
10 stars - DirectorTed PostStarsClint EastwoodHal HolbrookMitchell RyanInspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan pursues a conspiracy of vigilante cops, who are not above going beyond the law to kill San Francisco's undesirables.It must have seemed like a long shot to be able to follow up Dirty Harry, but this ended up being the perfect sequel. It turns some of the concepts from the first movie upside down and reexamines Harry's motivations in a fascinating way. It also has the most solid mystery story of any Dirty Harry movie, though, unfortunately, I would also suggest Harry gets his worst partner in this one. All in all, an excellent movie.
10 stars - DirectorJames FargoStarsClint EastwoodTyne DalyHarry GuardinoInspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan reluctantly teams up with rookie Inspector Kate Moore to foil a terrorist organization made up of disgruntled Vietnam veterans.The series shifts to a more noticeably humorous tone this time around, which, surprisingly, is not to its detriment. Harry always had a sarcastic streak and it fits this story well. These villains are less interesting than their predecessors, but Harry's relationships with his new and existing partners make for an excellent contribution to the overall storyline. Another great film in an outstanding series.
9 stars - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodSondra LockePat HingleWhen a woman exacts deadly revenge on the aggressors who raped her and her sister ten years earlier, Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to the case.This is the one that's hardest for me to connect with and feels the most like some of the generic thrillers Clint would put out in later years. The storyline is unnecessarily dark for my tastes and the lack of chemistry between Harry and his love interest is painful to watch (especially considering they were involved in real life at the time; weird). The villain is also a straightforward imitation of Scorpio from the original movie, but handled a lot more sloppily. It's a shame that there has to be one disappointing entry in this series, not that it has no highlights (like Pat Hingle as the sheriff), but the excitement is just not there with this one for me. Luckily, there was a magnificent fifth installment to look forward to.
4 stars