This is the third entry in the Dirty Harry series and there are a few cracks starting to show. It’s actually pretty good. There’s no iconic one-liner but Clint owns every scene he’s in as usual. This time, Harry gets a new partner and she’s female, causing quite a stir with Harry’s machoism. It’s great to see him have to deal with this new element and how he ends up finally warming up to his new partner by the end.
The problem with this sequel though, is the bad guy. He’s pretty lame, not very menacing (more whiney) and comes off as not much of a threat to Harry. Sure, he kidnaps someone and kills relentlessly but it’s all very “staged” and over-the-top so it isn’t remotely believable or scary. The bad guys in the previous two films were much better (Magnum Force’s bad cops being especially great). Harry really needs a challenge to stand up to and he doesn’t quite get it here.
That being said, this is still a fun entry. It’s not bad at all, with a foot-chase being one of the highlights of the action. It’s still great to see Harry in action, judge, jury, executioner on the streets of San Francisco.