Review of Dirty Harry (1971) by Dan S — 24 Jun 2010

A tightly-paced, well acted cop drama centering around a bad-ass cop (Clint Eastwood) and the maniac he is trying to take down (Andy Robinson). While it is undoubtedly a little too predictable and the cliches sometimes come unrelentingly, what elevates this from a typical bad cop drama to gritty action thriller is an unforgettable performance from Clint Eastwood, and a very intimidating and frightening one by Robinson as his foe.

It's not the absolute classic many claim (for as said, you can see some of it coming a mile away), but it's definitely an important movie in the sense of how it influenced so many of its kind, and its one that includes some great scenes, memorable one-liners, and a remarkable keen eye for the city of San Francisco by its director Don Siegel.