Another solid entry in the DIRTY HARRY series and another hugely entertaining thriller of a film. The plot here is as simple as simple can be: Harry goes up against a religious cult bent on destruction, with lots of shoot-outs, action and typical '70s hard-knuckle violence along the way. Eastwood once again makes the film his own as the iconic, laconic cop who takes no prisoners and accepts no rubbish from anybody, and he is given some particularly good comic interplay in the sequences with his new, female partner, whom he initially hates before growing to respect. He also gets lots of great one-liners – the "seven point suppository" line being my favourite. Tyne Daly (CAGNEY & LACEY) is also surprisingly excellent as the rookie cop.
The bad guys are typical hippy-style psychos, the chiefs of staff (including Bradford Dillman's hard-headed Captain McKay) are idiots and everyone else just stands around watching the carnage unfold. Scenes to watch out for are the hostage negotiation moment (Harry drives a car through the building) and the tense shoot-out at the end. This is edgy '70s fare, very violent and shocking in places, with lots of unexpected plot twists and cold, sudden death. A great movie and a must for crime fans.
The bad guys are typical hippy-style psychos, the chiefs of staff (including Bradford Dillman's hard-headed Captain McKay) are idiots and everyone else just stands around watching the carnage unfold. Scenes to watch out for are the hostage negotiation moment (Harry drives a car through the building) and the tense shoot-out at the end. This is edgy '70s fare, very violent and shocking in places, with lots of unexpected plot twists and cold, sudden death. A great movie and a must for crime fans.