I watched this movie in memory of Roy Scheider after his recent passing. I'm sure I've seen most of it on TV before, but I'm considering it a new experience seeing it straight through here. Scheider is one of a small group of NYC cops with unusual methods, called The Seven-Ups. One of his partners is murdered and he sets out to find and kill the thugs who were responsible, while at the same time discovering that they're involved in a plan to kidnap mobsters to extort ransom money. The way the plot plays out has always struck me as a little disjointed, and while Scheider is good in his part as hard-nosed detective, something sketchy just barely keeps me from awarding this three out of four stars. The film is most noteworthy for an excellent balls-to-the-wall car chase with Scheider in vengeful pursuit of the bad guys (one of them played by Richard Lynch who in real life set himself on fire several years earlier after taking LSD). It's the highlight of the movie and worth the price of admission all on its own. **1/2 out of ****
Review of The Seven-Ups
