Watching Magnum Force reminds me of what made Dirty Harry so good - the stylish direction, unfussy script, Lalo Schifrin's percussion-heavy score and of course, Clint Eastwood.
Although a few of the sequel's action scenes come across with great power, I always got the feeling that the makers of the film were just trying to outdo the violence in the first film, what with numerous bloody headshots, hookers thrown out of windows and gangsters getting smashed in the face by iron poles.
The direction and editing also leave a lot to be desired. The sequence with the pimp and the prostitute and his comeuppance feels as though it has wandered in from another film entirely, whereas the finale lacks any sort of tension or a satisfying conclusion. As well as this, we are treated to pointless encounters between Harry and his mate's wife and Harry and his loose neighbour (seriously, are all women in this world hookers or easy lays?)
Despite all these criticisms, the idea behind the film is intriguing, what with Harry having to go up against cops that stand for the very things he believes in. In fact, the film actually never really answers why Harry wouldn't join them!
The film mostly succeeds in the exchanges between the rookie cops and Harry - especially their confrontation in the underground car park and at the shooting range. However, far too much of the film is spent lurching around from killing to killing, with no real sense of rhyme or rhythm.
Unfortunately, Magnum Force sits at the bottom of the pile in the Dirty Harry series by quite a long way, what with it's disjointed story-telling, unnecessary violence and overall lack of intrigue.
5/10.
Although a few of the sequel's action scenes come across with great power, I always got the feeling that the makers of the film were just trying to outdo the violence in the first film, what with numerous bloody headshots, hookers thrown out of windows and gangsters getting smashed in the face by iron poles.
The direction and editing also leave a lot to be desired. The sequence with the pimp and the prostitute and his comeuppance feels as though it has wandered in from another film entirely, whereas the finale lacks any sort of tension or a satisfying conclusion. As well as this, we are treated to pointless encounters between Harry and his mate's wife and Harry and his loose neighbour (seriously, are all women in this world hookers or easy lays?)
Despite all these criticisms, the idea behind the film is intriguing, what with Harry having to go up against cops that stand for the very things he believes in. In fact, the film actually never really answers why Harry wouldn't join them!
The film mostly succeeds in the exchanges between the rookie cops and Harry - especially their confrontation in the underground car park and at the shooting range. However, far too much of the film is spent lurching around from killing to killing, with no real sense of rhyme or rhythm.
Unfortunately, Magnum Force sits at the bottom of the pile in the Dirty Harry series by quite a long way, what with it's disjointed story-telling, unnecessary violence and overall lack of intrigue.
5/10.
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