Review of Sudden Impact (1983) by John O — 21 Sep 2012

The fourth, and last good, film in the Dirty Harry franchise finds detective Callahan going on a forced vacation where he meets a woman in a town that has been experiencing a string of recent murders. This film, like the last two sequels, opens up a bit more in terms of Callahan's personality whereas it shows him in a relationship.

However, with Harry's luck, the relationship is not what it seems. The film starts off strong, showing both the central conflict and a Callahan who is growing more weary of his city every day. The action is strong, especially in the second half, and we even lose a character who has become a series regular.

The acting is good, as usual, with Clint Eastwood delivering another fine performance as Callahan. The film is good, and it was a fitting ending for Callahan, but it was unfortunately followed up by a poorly conceived fifth film.