Dirty Harry Series - Movie Review

Dirty Harry (1971)

Watching movies like Dirty Harry makes me wish that I'd been born earlier, to have been able to view it in a fresh perspective, without having watched any of the zillion other movies that simply followed the same protocol. Watching it 30 years from its time, many bits and parts of the movie looks a tad stereo typed.

Having said that, no matter how many years pass by, there is one man who would never go out of style and that is, the Man with the Magnum - Mr.Clint Eastwood. Whether it's his knockout dialogues or his my-way-or-highway attitude, it is the very definition of the term Super-Cool. For that reason alone if for nothing else, You have to love it .. Punk.

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Magnum Force (1973)

Harry Callahan, who's already pissed off at " the system" now has to deal with a band of vigilante cops who are even more pissed off at the same system. 

In this movie Harry is crossing lines with someone of his own kind, and we come to understand that he's much more than a gun toting maniac and knows where to draw his boundaries. In his own words, "A man's got to know his limitations"..

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The Enforcer (1976)

In this third installment of the franchise, Callahan is partnered with a female cop, much to his annoyance. 

This movie may be considered a little light-hearted in comparison with other Dirty Harry movies, mainly due to the comic tension between Harry and his new partner. (Let me repeat, the term "light-hearted" to be taken only in context with other Harry movies). Beside that tiny pinch of comic relief, everything else pretty much follows the same routine as the previous movies. Eastwood's charisma alone carries the movie.

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Sudden Impact (1983)

 This movie did deliver the epic catchphrase, "Go ahead, make my day." Aside from that, Eastwood's directorial debut of the series turned out to be a disappointing experience.

                         
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The Dead Pool (1988)

Unless you happen to be a fan of the franchise, there's little less reason to sit through this one. Even if you are one, you may end up feeling really let down by the grand finale of the series.

After 17 years, Harry is finally getting his 15 minutes of fame, having gained a celebrity status for putting a publicly despised crime-lord behind the bars. With everyone around admiring him, Harry does'nt get too many opportunities to be his usual exploding anti-bureaucratic self. Movie is stuffed with cardboard characters and some stupid pop culture elements that just does'nt get along with the legacy of the series.

Movie really hits rock bottom with a desperate attempt to frame a new Dirty Harry expression, which goes - "You're sh** out of luck". Obviously it's no match for a "Well..do you, Punk?" or "Go Ahead, Make My Day".

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