Magnum Force (1973)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Ken S

  
  Not even close to the amazing achievement of the first film. While it is pretty cool to watch Dirty Harry fight Hutch, I was really underwhelmed.

• Sajin P

  
  Harry Callahan, who's already pissed off at " the system" now has to deal with a band of vigilante cops who are even more pissed off at the same system. In this movie Harry is crossing lines with someone of his own kind, and we come to understand that he's much… More
  Harry Callahan, who's already pissed off at " the system" now has to deal with a band of vigilante cops who are even more pissed off at the same system. In this movie Harry is crossing lines with someone of his own kind, and we come to understand that he's much more than a gun toting maniac and knows where to draw his boundaries. In his own words, "A man's got to know his limitations"..

• KJ P

  
  Magnum Force brings back the classic Dirty Harry character we have all come to know and love, and even though the first film stands as a masterpiece, this second instalment proves that the series is far from over and that their are still many more obstacles for Callahan to overcome.… More
  Magnum Force brings back the classic Dirty Harry character we have all come to know and love, and even though the first film stands as a masterpiece, this second instalment proves that the series is far from over and that their are still many more obstacles for Callahan to overcome. In this film, Harry gets the opportunity to meet three new gunmen in his force who he wants to learn new tactics from, but when he realizes they are all crooked cops, he is now on the hunt to stop them dead in their tracks with full on retribution. Magnum Force is stylistic, witty, brutal, and one hell of an adrenaline ride. I love this film!

• Jeff "

  
  A solid sequel to the first Dirty Harry film, Magnum Force is also one of the best films in the series. Harry Callahan is on the trail of a bunch of crooked cops who take the law into their own hands. The story is excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Magnum Force is a near… More
  A solid sequel to the first Dirty Harry film, Magnum Force is also one of the best films in the series. Harry Callahan is on the trail of a bunch of crooked cops who take the law into their own hands. The story is excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Magnum Force is a near flawless film that shouldn't get the flack it deserved. Dirty Harry Callahan delivers and thats all that matters. Magnum Force has one of the best story lines in the film franchise, and I thought that Callahan going against vigilante cops was brilliant idea for a film. I thought that Callahan had a slightly bigger challenge this time around due to the fact that he's taking on a band of vigilante cops that are just as tough as he is. The strength of Magnum Force is the fact that Harry Callahan is against his own kind. I thought that made all the difference, and made the film something special. Magnum Force is a prime example of a thrilling action film. The film for me, at least is one of the sequels that I've seen, and it's simply intense. Magnum Force is a well crafted film that delivers. The acting and story are solid. There are more good things going for this film than bad. The film is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. Clint Eastwood is in top form. This follow up the phenomenal Dirty Harry builds up on the action of the first film, and retains all the elements of the first, and amplifying them to a whole new level. Magnum Force is a fine sequel, and aside from Sudden Impact, is my favorite Dirty Harry film of the series. Magnum Force is a sequel worthy of the Dirty Harry name, and it furthers the point of Dirty Harry being one of the most bad assed characters in film history.

• Shawn E

  
  Magnum Force is the second Dirty Harry film. Although this film was not as great as the first, it still had all the right action and a decent plot.

• xGary X

  
  Harry Callahan returns to investigate the serial murders of unrelated criminals and discovers a conspiracy of vigilantes within his department. The sequel to Dirty Harry is where Callahan starts his transformation from uncompromising outsider to macho stereotype, the opening titles… More
  Harry Callahan returns to investigate the serial murders of unrelated criminals and discovers a conspiracy of vigilantes within his department. The sequel to Dirty Harry is where Callahan starts his transformation from uncompromising outsider to macho stereotype, the opening titles consisting of an unwavering close up on his .357 phallus on a blood red background and the graphic and often gratuitous shoot outs are punctuated by his refusing anaesthetic and having every female within his vicinity falling into bed with him. It's a much more exploitative approach, the grit of the original replaced with irrelevant action scenes, nudity and gangland stereotypes (the pimp is straight out of a particularly unsubtle blaxploitation movie). There are also some inconsistencies in the plot; how can a cop empty an unsilenced magnum in the middle of a street in broad daylight without anyone noticing, and why would they choose to hit a target who they must have known was being staked out? As well as the killings being too indiscriminate to make the "vigilante justice" motive seem plausible. On the other hand, Clint is still ice cool and TV cop show stalwart Ted Post handles the action efficiently enough so it's reasonably entertaining if you don't take it too seriously, but It's not even in the same league as the original.

• danny d

  
  most fans consider the original to be the best of the 5 dirty harry movies, but i agree with the more critical tradition that puts this film ahead of the first. the story is developed well and the heightened violence fits the series perfectly. the supporting cast is also perfect for… More
  most fans consider the original to be the best of the 5 dirty harry movies, but i agree with the more critical tradition that puts this film ahead of the first. the story is developed well and the heightened violence fits the series perfectly. the supporting cast is also perfect for the film. solid sequel.

• Conner R

  
  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… More
  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 the quality is equal to that of the first.

• Anthony L

  
  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!

• Jason O

  
  Wow, the original is the only Dirty Harry film on Flixster to average more than 3 stars? Why? All five of them are great, including this one! Can't wait to see them all again so I can see how they rank against one another better.

• David L

  
  "Magnum Force," Clint Eastwood's sophomore outing as "Dirty Harry" Callahan, succeeds in giving us violence, funny lines from Harry and even in showing a more human side to the tough cop. But the movie fails in a crucial area: it lacks the unrelenting suspense… More
  "Magnum Force," Clint Eastwood's sophomore outing as "Dirty Harry" Callahan, succeeds in giving us violence, funny lines from Harry and even in showing a more human side to the tough cop. But the movie fails in a crucial area: it lacks the unrelenting suspense and pace of its predecessor, and gives us villains who are not nearly as chilling or memorable. This time, Harry is called upon to investigate a series of murders in which all of the victims are known criminals. It begins with the slaying of a mob figure who beats a murder rap. From the beginning, the movie tells us that the slayings are being carried out by policemen, and (potential spoiler warning) the killers turn out to be a squad of sharp-shooting rookies trying to take back the city by drastically reducing the courts' case load. The story takes its time to get moving, and there are some pointless scenes (like one involving an airplane hijacker) that only get in the way of the main plot. The original "Dirty Harry" hooked us right from the opening scene and never let up. It was also rather different in the way it portrayed the character of Harry. In the first movie, he had no problems with shooting first, reading rights later, and so it may seem strange that he would object to the idea of police who carry out justice in their own way. The difference is that the criminals being killed in this movie are not in the midst of performing acts of violence when they are killed (with the exception of one nasty scene in which a pimp pours Draino down a hooker's throat). The script by John Milius tries to present an interesting contrast between Harry and the rookie cops who presumably represent his darker side (there's one scene where they're even filmed in the shadows when confronting Harry in a parking garage), the line that he won't cross. But the violence and action sequences pretty much hamper the film's attempts at providing a thought-provoking story. The rookie cops are not especially well developed as characters; the most interesting is the one played by David Soul (of "Starsky and Hutch") who bests Harry in a shooting competition. This could have set the stage for a really tense final showdown, but that's an opportunity the movie misses. The movie also gives us a look at Harry's personal life. He has a tryst with a young woman who lives in his apartment building, and another character, whose husband has worked with Harry for years and now seems to be losing his marbles, has an unrequited attraction to Harry. Again, these scenes only get in the way of the main plotline. Do we really need to know what Harry does in his off time? "Magnum Force" will certainly appeal to fans of Eastwood and "Dirty Harry," and Eastwood's charisma helps hold the movie up when it starts to sag. But compared to the original "Dirty Harry," it's disappointing and not as memorable but still like I said before its worth a look for Eastwood and Dirty Harry fans.

• Chris G

  
  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… More
  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 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.

• Dean !

  
  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.

• Cassandra M

  
  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.

• Mister C

  
  What can I say here? The sequel to Dirty Harry is nothing but short of greatness and it shows. All of the stops are pulled here as Clint Eastwood takes out the baddies one by one. Catch also David Soul and Robert Urich in this one too. The classic line from this reminds one of the… More
  What can I say here? The sequel to Dirty Harry is nothing but short of greatness and it shows. All of the stops are pulled here as Clint Eastwood takes out the baddies one by one. Catch also David Soul and Robert Urich in this one too. The classic line from this reminds one of the cimema greats: " A Man Has Got To Know His Limitations."

• Jason S

  
  A man who carries a big gun.

• Dean M

  
  In this 'Dirty Harry' sequel was thrilling about Detective Harry Callahan found his new enemies were sharpshooting rookie motorcycle policemen who turned vigilante.

• Khris N

  
  Hits like a .44 magnum bullet!! Dont miss this one - Harry is on the job as always.

• Danny R

  
  The second installment of the "Dirty Harry" franchise is an exciting and solid cop thriller that finds Clint Eastwood in a superlative performance reprising his most famous and iconic role, as the squinting tough as nails San Francisco police inspector "Dirty"… More
  The second installment of the "Dirty Harry" franchise is an exciting and solid cop thriller that finds Clint Eastwood in a superlative performance reprising his most famous and iconic role, as the squinting tough as nails San Francisco police inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan. This time Harry is up against a death squad of rogue vigilante motorcycle cops who use .357 magnums thus the name of their force, to kill off all the top criminals in the city along with some other low-life criminals who have escaped justice through legal loopholes. Nicely directed by Ted Post with an excellent script by John Milius and Michael Cimimo, with a fine score by Lalo Schifrin, the film has extremely violent scenes and some superb brutal action.The supporting performances from David Soul, Mitchell Ryan. Robert Urich, Felton Perry and especially Hal Holbrook as Harry's jealous and angry boss are all outstanding. "Magnum Force" is full of priceless moments, Harry's new catch phrase in this is "A man got to know his limitations." A memorable, entertaining 70s Eastwood classic. Highly Recommended.

• Christopher O

  
  While a sequel to Dirty Harry, this film stands alone as a very good cop thriller involving vigilantism within the police force and the cop brave enough to stop it and of course it's Diry Harry. Great performances from very young David Soul, Robert Urich and Tim Matheson. Hal… More
  While a sequel to Dirty Harry, this film stands alone as a very good cop thriller involving vigilantism within the police force and the cop brave enough to stop it and of course it's Diry Harry. Great performances from very young David Soul, Robert Urich and Tim Matheson. Hal Holbrook is also strong as the Police Captain bumping heads with Calahan. A very Good Movie.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings