"Magnum Force" is the best of the original three Dirty Harry movies (the others being "Dirty Harry" and "The Enforcer"). The original "Dirty Harry" is a minor classic urban police drama, but this movie has a better plot and more gravitas as a result. I love the opening credits with the hand holding the legendary Smith and Wesson blued model 29 .44 magnum long barrel revolver. It is no longer "the most powerful handgun in the world", but it will certainly stop anything a police officer would need to stop. The music, cinematography, and acting are excellent. It is every bit as good as the the first film in that respect and much better in others. I think that the acting is better, the story-telling relies less on the novelty of Inspector Harry Callahan of San Francisco Homicide Division's personality and relies less on exploiting the pop culture politics of it's time (early 1970's) while retaining a definite place in that time. It stands the test of time better than the other two. There is a vigilante on the loose, someone Harry, who has no problem with shooting "as long as the right people get shot", might be thought to have some spiritual kinship with. The vigilante is not enforcing the law or defending the innocent, but rather executing known hard-core law-breakers, people who are arguably guilty of crimes deserving of death. The vigilantes are police officers, four of them, convinced that their actions are justified because the courts are not doing their job to protect the people and preserve social order. This is a great set-up for an interesting study of the nature of crime and justice and the somewhat subtle difference in one aspect and vast difference in another between Inspector Callahan's methods and those of the vigilantes. The weakness in the plot is that the death squad vigilantes also murder innocent people as well, accepting them as collateral damage that their mission might continue unhindered. This subverts the argument about the difference between civil law enforcement and vigilantism that makes the movie intellectually interesting because the "vigilantes" are now simply mass-murderers and there is no question that they are harmful and must be stopped. Too bad, but not too too bad because the movie still remains a great action movie with some very scary villains that Inspector Callahan must deal with. I think you can guess how he deals with them, but surprisingly, without his .44 Magnum or any gun. Great police drama and great action movie with a 70's thing going on: cars, music, hair styles and clothes.Read full review
PLOT: rogue "cops" execute CRIMINALS who manage to avoid arrest ~ lots of big stars in early roles~ SECOND IN THE DIRTY HARRY SERIES~ VG~ SECOND IN THE DIRTY HARRY SERIES~ Eastwood is back~Rogue cops decided they need to "solve" the problem of criminals escaping justice~ they simply execute them~ when a MOB boss is shot under the eyes of the police watching him~ and my favorite is the PIMP who is blasted away in his GREAT pink PIMP car~ because he "offered the cop a bribe" are part of the fun~ the cops with a "cause" are Tim Matheson~ David Soul ~ and Robert Ulrich in early roles~ who KILL with out blinking an eye~ The group has a "hero"....Harry~ but soon Harry figures it out~ who~ but a great TWIST involving Hal Holbrook his boss is added~ lots of "fire power'~TAGLINE IS "a man has got to know his limitations~" this is a very good movie but Dirty Harry is by far the better of the first two movies~ also see THE GAUNTLET~I GIVE MAGNUM FORCE 4 OUT OF 5~ WORTH THE WATCH FOR THE GREAT PINK PIMP CAR ALONE~ IF YOU FOUND THIS REVIEW HELPFUL PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE~Read full review
This is Classic Eastwood, It is also fun to see Some Other Fresh new faces you will recognise in there, I Love the Show I Have to say Hated to see the Co-Stars play such crappy parts, And it was Nice to See Hard nose Hal. Get his due in the End, P.S. Sonny is Not to bad, ha ha ha If your an Eastwood Fan~~~ It is a Must, If not You Just Wouldn't Understand, Remember~~~~ This is set in the 1970's Life was Different then, We Just took care of Stuff, You will love The other Eastwood Classics, Dirty Harry, is a must. The Enforcer, The Gautlet, Where Eagles dare, Kellys Heros . Thunderbolt and Lightfoot!!Get them all and a Box of POPCORN, Enjoy ther weekend,
In this installment of the Dirty Harry Trilogy Harry has been pulled off Homicide and is working every lousy job there. The reason is that he is just too violent, blowing away too many creeps. Now all of a sudden, there seems to be something else at play. Bad guys, dirt bags, and gangsters are beginning to get knocked off in droves. The cops are at a loss, and have no clues. Callahan has another theory; he thinks that it's cops doing the killing. He identifies a group of rookie motorcycle cops who are all best friends and are all excellent shots. They always seem to be in the right place when something happens. He thinks somebody has put together a group that is out to get the bad guys in any way possible, legal or otherwise. Problem is, they are deciding who the bad guys are. Harry winds up shutting this operation down, and straightening out their boss. This was an entertaining picture, and everybody was happy to see the bad guys get theirs, but it was too predictable.Read full review
9/21 Dear Sir or Madam: This one will go to Clint Eastwood and Sandra Locke. Clint is getting up there in his early 90's. I bought it for Clint. Had one on Sandra Locke. SUPER DVD TOO! Thank You For Selling It To ME! No Damage to over-sized packet. Taped really nice and "DO NOT BEND" was on it too. Once Again Thank You! Sincerely Yours, Ron Denman Bend, Ore.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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