|
|
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Power to the People", April 8, 2004
THE ENFORCER is the third entry to the Dirty Harry series. While a good perforance by Eastwood overall, the movie does not quite match up to the Don Siegel-directed original or MAGNUM FORCE, (which I consider his best movie). While THE ENFORCER is not the weakest Dirty Harry movie, it does have the weakest plot. Here Dirty Harry has to save the city of San Fancisco from a group of rebellious punks who are obsessed with heavy artiliary. They call themselves the People's Revolutionary Strike Force, and they are led by Bobby Maxwell, a deranged Vietnam Vet who wants to terrorize the public in exchange for ransom. After slaughtering 2 gas company employees, they break into an artility warehouse to steal the goods. Harry's partner, DeGeorgio arrives on the scene and is killed in the process. While trying to try down DeGeorgio's killer, Harry is assigned a new parter in the form of Kate Moore, (Tyne Daly), a yacking half-pint who wants to impress him in every way possible. Harry doesn't quite agree with the plan, especially when she is on the force just to coincide with the mayor's plans to be "stylish." But Moore turns out to be more valuable then he ever imagined, helping lead him to Maxwell, and saving his life twice along the way.Of all the Dirty Harry films, this one has the most humor. The comments that Callahan makes at the personel review of Moore are hilarious. We also have him driving a car through a liquor store, (continuing with the traditon of breaking up a robbery). Another funny sequence is when he chases Henry Lee Coldwell halfway across the city and back! He follows him over fences, across rooftops, and through skylights, disturbing a porn shooting in the process! Jerry Fielding took over the musical score here, and as a result, the traditional Dirty Harry theme is nowhere to be found. This is rather disappointing and takes away from the movie's serious potential. Fielding's jazzy them is effective during the chase sequence however. These film does suffer from long sequences that really aren't neccessary. The one that will really make you laugh is when Callahan enters a brothel posing as "Larry Dickman!" Dirty Harry regular, Albert Popwell, shows up here as a leader of a black militant group. The Revolutionary Strike Force eventually switches gears by kidnapping the mayor for even more ransom. Harry is eventually is led to Alcatraz Island, where the mayor is being held captive. The climax on Alcatraz is exciting, but I wish it didn't unfold so fast. The ending is very sad, although I will not give that away. While THE ENFORCER is not up to par with the first two movies in the series, it is still a solid chapter in the book of Dirty Harry. "Power to the People."
|