Magnum Force (1973)

One of the more graphically violent movies ever made, Magnum Force is shatteringly effective.

The story contains the usual surfeit of human massacre for the yahoo trade, as well as a few actual thoughts.

This has grit coming out of its ears but not the greatest Eastwood feature by a long shot.

I have always been of the belief that the best way to get things done would be to have some benevolent dictator running things. The problem is always finding the right sage magician for the job. Harry Callahan probably wouldn’t be my first choice, but he sure is entertaining when he shoots people.

While never as disturbing as the first film, it fails to convince because of the turnaround in Harry's character, and because it posits in facile fashion degrees of taking the law into one's own hands: Harry's acceptable, the gun crazy kids aren't. That said, it has some fine action sequences, and is far less objectionable than the later Sudden Impact.