Sudden Impact (1983)

Featured Audience Ratings

• 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
  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 that I consider to be one of the most solid sequel to the first. I thought it was a change pace as well. The plot, though slightly predictable ( I mean, we've seen a few revenge style films out there, right?) is nothing new, but is expertly done by Eastwood. Sudden Impact is a terrific film, and deserves more praise than it got. I thought the film had terrific acting by all the cast members, and the gang of criminals of which are the victim of of the rape victims wrath. I thought the film had everything you would expect to find in a Dirty Harry Film. The film is none stop action and thrills and will appeal to diehard Dirty Harry fans. I much preferred Sudden Impact over The Enforcer which in my opinion was good, but lacked a little something to truly make it great. Sudden Impact has a stronger, much more detailed plot that I found to be the most thrilling since Magnum Force. I personally feel that the Dirty Harry films should have concluded with Sudden Impact, this film is a solid action film with one of the best actors in the business. Those who love this film will most likely be disappointed by it's sequel and final entry in the franchise, The Dead Pool. Sudden Impact is a far superior film, and should have been the final film in the series. A terrific fourth film, but this film isn't for everyone. Sudden Impact is I'd say a film strictly for the fans.

• 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
  "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 other films in the series, but other than the film being a bit darker than the others, Sudden Impact has a good plot and tons of great action scenes.

• danny d

  
  it was classic dirty harry until the end, when our justice seeker goes soft. the normal formula was there and the story was entertaining, but when we were waiting for justice to be served on all guilty parties, it didnt come. not the dirty harry we had come to expect.

• Conner R

  
  Definitely a step up in quality from The Enforcer, Harry Callahan is back to doing what he does best. The whole ending sequence is amazing, there's nothing cooler than Clint Eastwood silhouetted against a carnival with a 44 Magnum. I think the plot worked very well for the most… More
  Definitely a step up in quality from The Enforcer, Harry Callahan is back to doing what he does best. The whole ending sequence is amazing, there's nothing cooler than Clint Eastwood silhouetted against a carnival with a 44 Magnum. I think the plot worked very well for the most part, although I could've done without the dog. No matter how you look at it, this entry has the best action sequences and there's a whole tone of them to enjoy.

• Anthony L

  
  This is quite bad. Dirty Harry is not the same person at all in this film. The core of the story is sound, it just has stupidisms all the way through like the farting dog. Is it a Dirty Harry film or Turner & Hooch, thank God Clint recovered from this. It probably has the worst… More
  This is quite bad. Dirty Harry is not the same person at all in this film. The core of the story is sound, it just has stupidisms all the way through like the farting dog. Is it a Dirty Harry film or Turner & Hooch, thank God Clint recovered from this. It probably has the worst script and the worst acting from a supporting cast ever filmed. I guess what I'm trying to say is ....... I didn't like it very much!

• Jason O

  
  Wow, a movie with a female who's the major murderer....nice twist! All the Dirty Harrys rock, and this one was no exception, of course!

• Derek D

  
  The fourth installment in the Dirty Harry franchise, but this one goes beyond the anti-hero story and teaches us, at the end, that killing for revenge is okay. Especially if it's done because of sexual assault and is actually encouraged if your sister is left a mute and… More
  The fourth installment in the Dirty Harry franchise, but this one goes beyond the anti-hero story and teaches us, at the end, that killing for revenge is okay. Especially if it's done because of sexual assault and is actually encouraged if your sister is left a mute and practically braindead because of it. Not great, but at least it's not the fifth one.

• Chris G

  
  Sudden Impact is Dirty Harry's forth adventure through the streets of San Francisco (though over half the movie takes place outside San Francisco). This time Insp. Callahan is after someone that's shooting people in the balls while dodging attacks from punks and the mafia.… More
  Sudden Impact is Dirty Harry's forth adventure through the streets of San Francisco (though over half the movie takes place outside San Francisco). This time Insp. Callahan is after someone that's shooting people in the balls while dodging attacks from punks and the mafia. Eastwood stepped back and directed this episode of the Dirty Harry saga and it shows- able direction and not as much screen time for Eastwood. The main focal point of the film is Sondra Locke, the avenging rape victim blowing these guys away. When eastwood is on screen he's still Harry, though around the edges he seems to be getting tired of the role (a feeling that is fully expressed in the final installment The Dead Pool). Overall this is an OK Dirty Harry movie, but a superior crime drama compared to some of the other titles we were being bombarded with during this era.

• Cassandra M

  
  Sudden Impact is the 4th of the Dirty Harry films and one of the best traits of these films is that they don't really degrade in quality from one film to the next. Thus, Sudden Impact provides another thrill ride through the life of Dirty Harry Callahan. This time Harry attempts… More
  Sudden Impact is the 4th of the Dirty Harry films and one of the best traits of these films is that they don't really degrade in quality from one film to the next. Thus, Sudden Impact provides another thrill ride through the life of Dirty Harry Callahan. This time Harry attempts to solve a series of murders while on vacation. Harry's always on the job it seems. Clint Eastwood plays Harry as he plays all his men of action, slow, deliberate, and without fear. As the first of the Dirty Harry films to be made in the 80's, Sudden Impact lacks a bit of the 70's feel that characterizes the first three films. This doesn't mean that it's quality is any less. Bottom Line: Brimming with intensity and action, Sudden Impact is another worthy addition to the Dirty Harry series.

• Dean !

  
  An ok entry in the Dirty Harry series. Not as good as the first or Magnum Force.

• xGary X

  
  Tacky, sleazy and nasty thriller packed with thoroughly unlikeable characters and completely lacking in the realistic grittiness and power of the original film. Unpleasant.

• Al S

  
  A riveting, dark and gritty action-thriller. It packs real serious punch. Clint Eastwood is leaner and tougher than ever.

• Dean M

  
  This is my leastest one of 'Dirty Harry' movies.

• Burger S

  
  the low piont of the 5 in the series. Although you do get "Make my Day". Sondra Locke is not my style.

• Danny R

  
  A viscerally effective, fast paced fourth installment to the long running and highly successful "Dirty Harry" franchise which is superbly directed by Clint Eastwood. This time the authority defying San Francisco homicide-detective, inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan… More
  A viscerally effective, fast paced fourth installment to the long running and highly successful "Dirty Harry" franchise which is superbly directed by Clint Eastwood. This time the authority defying San Francisco homicide-detective, inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is temporarily resigned by his superiors because of his involvement in the death of a local crime boss, he is sent to a small oceanside town to do research on a series of especially nasty killings where the male victims are shot in the genitals and the forehead, it seems that a young artist who Harry will soon meet named Jennifer Spencer, played brilliantly by Sondra Locke in hauntingly compelling performance who along with her younger sister was savagely gang raped some 10 years ago by a group of sadistic low-life thugs and one vicious lesbian, the result left her sister permanently catatonic and herself with deep emotional issues, Spencer has returned to the town taking out murderous revenge on all of the vermin, one at a time. Eastwood delivers his usual forceful star performance which is exquisite, solid supporting performances by Pat Hingle, Bradford Dillman, Paul Drake, Audie J. Neenan, Jack Thibeau, Kevin Major Howard and Albert Popwell. Harry's catchphrase in this film "Go ahead, make my day," was said by him while pointing his massive .44 Magnum pistol at the face of a wounded robber holding a waitress hostage, that catchphrase was so popular that even than President Ronald Reagan use it in one of his speeches. An smart, gripping and immensely entertaining motion picture, which was the finest sequel of the series. Highly Recommended.

• Christopher O

  
  A little too cliche and maybe a little too dark but a decent thriller and a very strong performance by Sondra Lockes as a rape victim out for revenge. Eastwood doesn't diappoint as Callahan but the series was starting to show signs of aging.

• Joseph E

  
  It was pretty gritty, and yet it was still slow paced.

• Jim W

  
  After being raped, a woman (Sondra Locke) is out for revenge against the gang that did it 10 yrs later. While, Harry (Clint Eastwood) is on the case, but what he doesn't know is that he's getting romantically involved with the killer. Despite, Eastwood giving one of… More
  After being raped, a woman (Sondra Locke) is out for revenge against the gang that did it 10 yrs later. While, Harry (Clint Eastwood) is on the case, but what he doesn't know is that he's getting romantically involved with the killer. Despite, Eastwood giving one of his funnest bad ass performances as Harry, the film is the weakest of the Harry films due to the plot. it doesn't help that Locke's idea of playing a rape victim is just having a blank stare on her face through-out. While the music that is played when ever she's shown is like something from Psycho, but it doesn't work. The flashbacks that we get every time she sees one of the many rapists also drags the film down. Eastwood's directing talent has improved tremendously since he made this film. It's too bad he's too old to make a Dirty Harry sequel because it would be the best. I mean these days, I can't think of a film he directed that wasn't good.

• Lee K

  
  My favorite of the dirty harry series, great one liners for eg: go ahead and make my day, lol classic Clint here with the classic dirty harry magnum 44

Read all 20 featured audience ratings