Sudden Impact

Sudden Impact (1983)

  • 58% of critics liked it
    (33 reviews)

  • 55% of users liked it
    (21,203 ratings)

In this fourth installment of the Dirty Harry series, Harry has been banished temporarily from San Francisco because his superiors are uncomfortable about his feud with a local crime boss. He goes to an oceanside small town for a little rest and recuperation but finds the town has been traumatized… More

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R,
Directed By
Genres
Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Jan 1, 1983 Wide
Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    It is viewed by many aficionados as the best of the five movies about the hard-nosed, authority-defying San Francisco cop.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    This is the first entry in the series to have been directed by Eastwood himself, and action is put over with great force, if also with some obviousness.

  • , Time Out

    Eastwood the star needed a hit to bolster his flagging ratings; now that he's got it, maybe Harry will be put out to stud, with his Magnum.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    To all those cowboy movies we saw in our youth, all those TV Westerns and cop dramas and war movies, Dirty Harry has brought a great simplification: A big man, a big gun, a bad guy and instant justice.

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    By my count, more than a dozen people are murdered on camera, about half by Miss Locke and most of the others by Mr. Eastwood. This gives them something in common as lovers.

Read all 16 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Al S


    A riveting, dark and gritty action-packed edge of your seat thriller. It packs real serious punch and showcases Dirty Harry at his toughest and most bad-ass. Clint Eastwood is leaner and tougher than ever as Dirty Harry, giving a terrific performance and this time in the directors… More

  • Chris W


    For the fourth entry in the long running series about hard-nosed inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan, Clint Eastwood decided to take the reins this time around. And not only that, but this is also the film that gave the "Go ahead. Make my day" line, which is one of… More

  • Sajin P


    This movie did deliver the epic catchphrase, "Go ahead, make my day." Aside from that, Eastwood's directorial debut of the series turned out to be a disappointing experience.

  • Jeff "


    Fourth entry in the Dirty Harry film franchise plays out like a revenge action thriller. After a rape victim takes out her revenge on her abductors, Harry Callahan is put on the case. Brilliantly directed by Clint Eastwood himself, Sudden Impact is one terrific piece of action cinema… More

  • Shawn E


    "Go ahead, make my day" This is the fourth sequel in the Dirty Harry movies, and in my opinion I think it is one of the better ones. It reminded me a lot of the first film with the classic one liners and gritty action. I am not sure why critics rate this film lower then the… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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