"The Dead Pool" (fifth and final entry) is generally considered as the worst in the "Dirty Harry" franchise, but personally I think "The Enforcer" (which is number three) is just as weak or perhaps even weaker. I can think of a few reasons to clarify why this is a major step down from the previous two. The original "Dirty Harry" was a landmark of raw and violent 70s cinema, but also a hugely controversial film at the time of its release. Its authenticity and shock-impact simply cannot be equaled and, moreover, the sequels had to milden the criticism towards the police system and depict protagonist slightly less as a derailed and semi-psychopathic law enforcer. "Magnum Force" is already a lot softer, and "The Enforcer" even more so. Also, by 1976, there was an overload of brutal & unorthodox cop action movies and thrillers; - ironically spawned by the success of "Dirty Harry" five years earlier.
But, most importantly, "The Enforcer" mainly suffers from the weak and uninspired direction by James Fargo. It's perfectly acceptable that Fargo doesn't have the same directing capacities and talents as Don Siegel or Clint Eastwood himself, but he approaches "The Enforcer" too much as a tribute to the previous directors and seemingly doesn't dare to put his own stamp on the film. Too many sequences look and feel as recycled moments from "Dirty Harry" and "Magnum Force".
Just when you think peace and quiet has returned in San Francisco, Dt. Callahan is up against a dangerously deranged band of ex-combat veterans that have stolen half a warehouse of explosives and threaten to blow up the city. Harry has also been sanctioned again, due to his rather robust handling of a liquor store robbery, and to infuriate him even more he gets assigned a new female partner because the media-attention loving mayor wants more diversity on the streets.
The best things I can write about "The Enforcer" is that it contains a handful of explicitly and juicily violent executions and gunfights (but, again, many 70s flicks did) and that Clint Eastwood is as cool as ever. Tyne Daly's performance as his partner is quite good as well, but the role is clichéd, and she must sacrifice herself to proof she's a tough cop. "Sudden Impact" is the only one left in the series I have yet to see, and I hope it'll be better with Clint himself at the steering wheel.
But, most importantly, "The Enforcer" mainly suffers from the weak and uninspired direction by James Fargo. It's perfectly acceptable that Fargo doesn't have the same directing capacities and talents as Don Siegel or Clint Eastwood himself, but he approaches "The Enforcer" too much as a tribute to the previous directors and seemingly doesn't dare to put his own stamp on the film. Too many sequences look and feel as recycled moments from "Dirty Harry" and "Magnum Force".
Just when you think peace and quiet has returned in San Francisco, Dt. Callahan is up against a dangerously deranged band of ex-combat veterans that have stolen half a warehouse of explosives and threaten to blow up the city. Harry has also been sanctioned again, due to his rather robust handling of a liquor store robbery, and to infuriate him even more he gets assigned a new female partner because the media-attention loving mayor wants more diversity on the streets.
The best things I can write about "The Enforcer" is that it contains a handful of explicitly and juicily violent executions and gunfights (but, again, many 70s flicks did) and that Clint Eastwood is as cool as ever. Tyne Daly's performance as his partner is quite good as well, but the role is clichéd, and she must sacrifice herself to proof she's a tough cop. "Sudden Impact" is the only one left in the series I have yet to see, and I hope it'll be better with Clint himself at the steering wheel.