Albert Popwell, Clint Eastwood, David Soul, Felton Perry, Hal Holbrook ...( see more  see more... ) , John Mitchum , Margaret Avery , Mitch Ryan , Mitchell Ryan , Robert Urich , Tim Matheson

This first sequel to Dirty Harry was written by a couple of strong voices, writer-directors Michael Cimino (The Deer Hunter) and John Milius (Farewell to the King). But that doesn't mean the film is p...( read more  read more... )articularly good. After Don Siegel's ferociously dark style in the first movie, Ted Post's blocky, television-ish direction in Magnum Force is a huge letdown. The story doesn't win any prizes, either. Eastwood's San Francisco detective Harry Callahan (apparently having retrieved his badge after throwing it away at the end of Dirty Harry) takes on a vigilante squad within the city's police force. David Soul is pretty convincing as the major spokesman for these right-wing avengers. Eastwood, on the other hand, had already turned Callahan from fascinating outsider in Siegel's film to purveyor of tough-guy shtick in this one. --Tom Keogh

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72% liked it

24,020 ratings

R, 2 hr. 4 min.

Directed by: Ted Post

Release Date: December 28, 1973

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DVD Release Date: November 20, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (827)


  • November 8, 2009
    as good as the first one if not better. this time callahan has to deal with a police death squad rather than a serial killing sniper. dirty harry is a great character and here clint eastwood brings him to life again! under-rated! some of the action is very tense indeed, more so i...( read more)n parts than in "dirty harry"
  • September 30, 2009
    Obviously not as good as Dirty Harry but still a very good follow up with a great story. An inspiration for Maniac Cop? I did feel that Dirty Harry himself was a lot more toned down which was a shame but still, a great 70's cop film!
  • June 9, 2008
    The first sequel in the Dirty Harry franchise is packed with a tone of young talent. David Soul, Robert Urich, and Tim Matheson appear in very early roles, but it doesn't stop there. The writers on this piece are John Milius (who did writing for both Jaws and Apocalypse Now) and ...( read more)the infamous Michael Cimino (before he won the Oscar for The Deer Hunter and killed a studio with Heaven's Gate).
    Major crime lords are being murdered in San Francisco and Dirty Harry is back on the case to end the reign of gangland terror. But it turns out to be more than that- the killers are actually cops.
    Magnum Force is a blatant reply to the outcry that surrounded the original Dirty Harry film. Harry was blasted as a right wing avenger that lived according his own law. Magnum Force shows that Harry could have stepped beyond that line and that what he does, though unorthodox, gets the job done within the bounds of the system. Magnum Force is more of a rebuttal than a sequel.
    Eastwood returns in the role that made him uber-famous with gusto and even though the film isn't as gritty as the original (hell, this one is almost polished) it still gets the point across that police work isn't the glamour job that everyone thinks it is.
  • September 9, 2007
    One of the best Dirty Harry films as he goes up against a corrupt group of police officers intent on dishing out their own type of law.
  • August 5, 2007
    I have just watched this movie and i love it. I must admit though i enjoyed this film far more than Dirty Harry because i like the story of Magnum Force where the traffic cops are doing all the killings of all the drugs bosses and the low life racketeers 10 out of 10 for this movie.
  • January 26, 2010
    I honestly think that this is just as good as the first. Ted Post did a great job picking up where Don Siegel left off. Clint Eastwood did a great job, I think I even liked him more this time around. I love the plot, it worked out really well. It's one of those rare sequels where...( read more) the quality is equal to that of the first.
  • January 22, 2010
    This was better then the first, and of the series!
  • December 20, 2009
    Callahan takes on vigilante motorbike cops in the sequel to Dirty Harry. Love it.
  • December 3, 2009
    This movie is awesome!!!!! Clint Eastwood delivers yet another excellent performance.
  • November 29, 2009
    Pretty good follow up to "Dirty Harry".

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  • mp9955
    April 27, 2009
    o pelicula grozava a acesui aproape octogenar,care a creat continuu,si un nr. important de roluri fara cusur,un personaj din viata noastra care nea mai alinat cu filmele sale la vreme de rasrtiste pt.noi.

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Magnum Force Trivia


  • What was the name of the first 'Dirty Harry' sequel?  Answer »
  • What character said, " A man's got to know his limitations?"  Answer »
  • "A man's got to know his limitations." Is a quote from which film?   Answer »
  • the name of the sequel of clint eastwood's dirty harry  Answer »

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