Rating: 
Summary: Dirty Harry is at it again.
Review: Rogue SFPD Inspector #71, 'Dirty' Harry Callahan himself, returns in this somewhat ineffective entry in the popular action series.When Harry's harsh questioning gives an eldery mafioso a heart attack, the hitmen come gunning for revenge. Thankfully there is a murder case the brass can send Harry out of town to investigate. Too bad it shapes up to be a serial murder case linked to a small town's dark secret. Sudden Impact turns Dirty Harry into even more of a fish out of water by sending him to 'San Paulo' (which Northern California residents will recognize as Santa Cruz) to dispatch criminals. Malpaso regular Pat Hingle does a real nice turn as the small town Sheriff gnashing his teeth over Callahan's intrusive digging to find the nasty clues linking the killings, but Sondra Locke is wooden as the killer turned love interest. Though the film is filled with action and humor, visually stylish, and graced with another fine score by Lalo Schifrin, the script by Joseph C. Stinson is incredibly weak. Sure it has some classic dialogue, but the storyline is shoddy and Harry's character behaves in a manner not consistant with the personality established in the first three films. Only Eastwood's strong performance both as Harry and as director of the movie (I hesitate to call his bloody confection a 'film') save this from getting three stars. Recommended for fans only.
Rating:
Summary: "Hot Shot Cop"
Review: Seven years after "The Enforcer", Harry is still trying to "run these hoods out of San Francisco". He just happens to be around while a couple of felonies are being committed-- "I just came back to complain about the service". Sure enough, a bunch of criminals wind up dead. After throwing a Molotov cocktail from his car through the windshield of the punk's car who he couldn't bust because he didn't follow proper procedure, he's shipped off to the coast town of San Paulo. Incidentally, the punks end up in San Francisco Bay. And Harry winds up in San Paulo. A bunch of small time hoods are being shot execution style and Harry is sent to investigate. The police chief (Pat Hingle) wants Harry to keep his nose out of it and Harry wants to find out why. Albert Popwell, who has played a bank robber, pimp and "black militant" in previous shows, is in this one too. In Sudden Impact he's a cop and Harry's friend. Paul Drake, one of the most despicable bad guys you'll ever see in a movie is the last guy to get. Hingle has him in jail but he gets bailed out and shows up at Hingle's residence with his two cohorts from their "bereaved" sisters fish place. You could compare the Dirty Harry shows to James Bond movies---you know how they're going to turn out but you want to see it happen anyway.
Rating: 
Summary: Ode to Vengeance and Justice
Review: Sondra Locke was great! Unlike other Dirty Harry films, this one showed Clint Eastwood as more of an investigator than a blow-them-all-to-hell. Mind you, he still uses that cannon of a 44 magnum. But, this story has a richer texture. A rape-survivor goes after the men and women responsible for the trauma and pain that was inflicted on her sister and herself. This may not be Dick's flick but it's a great movie!
Rating:
Summary: AN IMMEDIATE PLACE IN POP CULTURE
Review: SUDDEN IMPACT gained immediate fame and was vaulted into pop culture's stratosphere with the line: "Go ahead, make my day!"
Frankly, I thought, "Smith and Wesson and me," was better. It was a joy to see the return of Harry Callahan after a 7 year absence. SUDDEN IMPACT is a somewhat cliched thriller that does have its share of good moments (the .44 magnum auto-mag, Meathead, JAMF). I never considered any of the films after DIRTY HARRY to be sequels, more appropriately chapters in the saga. Much better than THE ENFORCER and THE DEAD POOL. Clint should have stopped here.
Rating:
Summary: Go Ahead, Make My DVD!
Review: Sudden Impact is the best Dirty Harry flick, and I'm having a hard time believing it is not available in DVD. I'm very disappointed that I'm stuck with a VHS copy and that's the only choice I have.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the first Dirty Harry Movie I've seen!
Review: The beginning of the film is excellent. It portrays Harry's anger over the city's crime and corruption. But as the story unfolds, we get less good character development about Dirty Harry and a disturbing, unpleasant predictable tale of revenge concerning Sondra Locke's character. Her and her sister were raped and she is out for revenge.
Rating:
Summary: Eastwood in Top Form
Review: The vigilante has long held a fascination for audiences, inasmuch as it evokes a sense of swift, sure justice; good triumphs over evil and the bad guy gets his deserts. It is, in fact, one of the things that has made the character of Dirty Harry Callahan (as played by Clint Eastwood) so popular. He carries a badge and works within the law, but at heart, Harry is a vigilante, meting out justice "his" way, which often puts him in conflict with his own superiors, as well as the criminals he's pursuing. But it's what draws the audience; anyone who's ever been bogged down in bureaucratic nonsense of one kind or another, delights in seeing someone cut through the red tape and get on with it-- even if it's only on the screen. And that satisfaction derived from seeing justice done-- and quickly-- is one of the elements that makes "Sudden Impact," directed by and starring Eastwood, so successful. In this one, the fourth of the series, while working a homicide, Harry encounters a bona fide vigilante at work-- an individual whose brand of justice parallels his own, with one exception: Whoever it is, he's definitely not carrying a badge. In his own inimitable way, Inspector Callahan has once again ended up on the bad side of the department and is ordered to take some vacation time. So he does; as only "Dirty Harry" can. In a small town north of San Francisco, Harry finds himself smack dab in the middle of a homicide case, which he quickly links to a recent murder in San Francisco because of the unique M.O. employed by the perpetrator. Unaccountably, Harry encounters resistance from the local Police Chief, Jannings (Pat Hingle), who advises him to take his big city tactics and methods elsewhere. Not one to be deterred, however, Harry continues his investigation, which ultimately involves a beautiful and talented young artist, Jennifer Spencer (Sondra Locke). Gradually, Harry discovers a link between the victims; the burning question, though, is where does Jennifer Spencer fit into the picture? Eastwood is in top form here, both in front of and behind the camera, and it is arguably the second best of the five-film series, right behind the original "Dirty Harry." It had been seven years since the last "Harry" offering ("The Enforcer," 1976), but Eastwood steps right back into the character with facility and renewed vigor. And this one definitely benefits from having him in the director's chair, as he is able to recapture the essence of, not only his own character, but that "spirit" that made these films so successful, and he does it by knowing the territory and establishing a continuity that all but erases that seven year gap between #s 3 and 4. As with all the films he directs, Eastwood sets a deliberate pace that works perfectly for this material and creates just enough tension to keep it interesting and involving from beginning to end. The screenplay, by Joseph Stinson, is well written and formulated to that distinctive "Dirty Harry" style; the dialogue is snappy and the story itself (conceived by Charles B. Pierce and Earl E. Smith) is the most engaging since the original "Dirty Harry," as it successfully endeavors to play upon the very personal aspects of the drama, rather than entirely upon the action. The characters are well drawn and convincing, and, of course, this is the film that gave us one of Harry's best catch-phrases: "Go, ahead-- make my day..." As Harry, Clint Eastwood perfectly embodies all of the elements that make this character so popular: He lives by a personal moral code, a true individual made of the kind of stuff we envision as that of the pioneers who settled this country and made America what it is today. Harry personifies that sense of freedom and justice we all strive for and hold so dear, possibly more so today than ever before. No matter who we are or where we come from, there's undeniably a part of us that wants to be Harry, or at least have him around. "Dirty Harry" is an icon of the cinema, and it's impossible to envision anyone but Eastwood portraying him; for better or worse, Eastwood "is" Dirty Harry, without question, just as Sean Connery is James Bond and Basil Rathbone, Sherlock Holmes. Sondra Locke is entirely effective here in the role of Jennifer Spencer, a young woman wronged and out for vengeance, or as she sees it, "justice." She manages to bring a hard-edged determination laced with vulnerability to her character, with a convincing, introspective approach that is far beyond what is typical of the "action" genre. Even amid the violence, Locke keeps her focus on Jennifer and the traumatic events that have brought her to this stage of her life. Her portrayal makes a perfect complement to Eastwood's Harry, and becomes, in philosophy and deed, something of his counterpart. In supporting roles, two performances stand out: Paul Drake, as Mick, creates the best "psycho" since Andy Robinson's dynamic portrayal of the serial killer in the original "Dirty Harry." With actually very limited screen time, Drake establishes a genuinely disconcerting presence that is believable and convincing, which adds much to the purely visceral response of the audience. This is the guy you can't wait to see Harry take care of in the end. Also effective is Audrie J. Neenan, who makes her character, Ray Parkins, the epitome of the proverbial "low life," who can be found in any bar in any city. It's a performance that evokes a gut-level response, and it adds greatly to the credibility of the film, in that it helps provide that necessary sense of realism. The supporting cast includes Albert Popwell (Horace), Mark Kevloun (Bennett) and Nancy Parsons (Mrs. Kruger). With a perfect blend of drama and action, "Sudden Impact" dispenses justice that is a fulfilling respite from reality; the perfect justice of a not-so-perfect world, that makes for a satisfying cinematic experience.
Rating:
Summary: Good Plot is What Makes It Different
Review: There is only one Dirty Harry movie for me, and that is the first one, the Don Siegel's version. The mixture of the first Dirty Harry is just too well (the charismatic Harry Callahan, the dangerous Scorpio, intense relationship between Scorpio and Callahan), that the other four only practically try to borrow Harry Callahan "tough-attitude" in a different background. I'm not saying this to say that the other sequels are bad, is just that i've seen those sequels more as a 'separate, different action' movie from the original Dirty Harry. Because i'm not expecting another Dirty Harry movie, but just merely a good action movie, then i'm not dissapointed nor feel betrayed when watching Sudden Impact. It has just the right thing that make this movie as a 'better movie' if compared to the previous Enforcer or Magnum Force...a good story, something that is rarely found in the present day action movie. It told a story of a woman who avenge her sister by killing her sister's rapers...and here's where Harry Callahan steps in, not as Harry Callahan that we know in the good old 'Dirty Harry', but as a detective who have to face his inner morale question on the right of that woman to avenge her sister, and his obligation to arrest a murderer. So to all of you who really want to see Dirty Harry, well go directly to the real thing..the first Dirty Harry. To all of you who want to see more action...well you have to see Magnum Force or The Enforcer....but for those who wish to see an action movie with a touch of good story, well here it is. Of course the action is there...and its a good one too (particularly the finalle shoot out in fun park near the beach)..there is also some mob issue that Callahan wanted to nailto add up more possibility for action sequence....and you can still have some good one liner's from Eastwood such as 'Go ahead make my day'..but all of those were not as 'heavy' as its two predecessor. But then again, the action and the story is balanced prety well, thus makes Sudden Impact is very enjoyable. Eastwood directing is moderate but sufficient...i'm in the opinion that this movie is far much better then Eastwood recent work, 'Blood Work'. Recomended for those of you who like action movie with a better plot and deeper character, unrecomended for those of you who wish a 'total shoot out' .
Rating:
Summary: Good Plot is What Makes It Different
Review: There is only one Dirty Harry movie for me, and that is the first one, the Don Siegel's version. The mixture of the first Dirty Harry is just too well (the charismatic Harry Callahan, the dangerous Scorpio, intense relationship between Scorpio and Callahan), that the other four only practically try to borrow Harry Callahan "tough-attitude" in a different background. I'm not saying this to say that the other sequels are bad, is just that i've seen those sequels more as a 'separate, different action' movie from the original Dirty Harry. Because i'm not expecting another Dirty Harry movie, but just merely a good action movie, then i'm not dissapointed nor feel betrayed when watching Sudden Impact. It has just the right thing that make this movie as a 'better movie' if compared to the previous Enforcer or Magnum Force...a good story, something that is rarely found in the present day action movie. It told a story of a woman who avenge her sister by killing her sister's rapers...and here's where Harry Callahan steps in, not as Harry Callahan that we know in the good old 'Dirty Harry', but as a detective who have to face his inner morale question on the right of that woman to avenge her sister, and his obligation to arrest a murderer. So to all of you who really want to see Dirty Harry, well go directly to the real thing..the first Dirty Harry. To all of you who want to see more action...well you have to see Magnum Force or The Enforcer....but for those who wish to see an action movie with a touch of good story, well here it is. Of course the action is there...and its a good one too (particularly the finalle shoot out in fun park near the beach)..there is also some mob issue that Callahan wanted to nailto add up more possibility for action sequence....and you can still have some good one liner's from Eastwood such as 'Go ahead make my day'..but all of those were not as 'heavy' as its two predecessor. But then again, the action and the story is balanced prety well, thus makes Sudden Impact is very enjoyable. Eastwood directing is moderate but sufficient...i'm in the opinion that this movie is far much better then Eastwood recent work, 'Blood Work'. Recomended for those of you who like action movie with a better plot and deeper character, unrecomended for those of you who wish a 'total shoot out' .
Rating:
Summary: Would have been better without Sondra Locke
Review: This had the potential to be the best of the Dirty Harry series but the performance of Sondra Locke dragged this to the worst. Along with the constant flashbacks to her past life and the amount of time to develop her plot the movie became tiring. The action segments with Clint Eastwood bring you back to life but the time to return to them were agonizinly slow. A different look to the actress and removing the flashbacks would greatly inprove this selection. Get it only for the scenes with Clint Eastwood.
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