Review of Dirty Harry Collection, The (5 Disc Box Set)

Introduction

Clint Eastwood is a great actor - his expressions, mannerisms and tenacity makes him perfect for the role of Harry Callahan - an SFPD detective who always gets the criminal. And lets just say he ain`t subtle.

This boxset contains all 5 Dirty Harry movies:

Dirty Harry
A great movie, very well acted (Andy Robinson is the perfect psychotic sniper!), and Clint is already showing his attitude and his Magnum .44! The script is excellent, mixing wry dialogue with great set-pieces. Easily the best in the series.

Magnum Force
An OK movie, the fourth best in the series, it mixes more action with more of Clint`s famous alter-ego. There is a twist at the end which also adds to the story, but the pacing of the movie is wrong, and the script isn`t that wonderful.

The Enforcer
An enjoyable movie, this time Harry`s partner is a girl (cue scenes of some witty dialogue about this) and now they are battling a terrorist group who have kidnapped the mayor.

Sudden Impact
Crap, to say the least. This, in my opinion, is the weakest Dirty Harry movie, with a very thin plot held together by flashbcks of girls being raped. Pretty it ain`t.

The Dead Pool
The second best in the series, it is also the shortest (it`s only 88 minutes) yet it packs in a lot, and Liam Neeson is good in this, and so is Harry`s new high kicking partner. Well made.

Video

Four of the movies are presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, and they are mainly good, with the exception of a few specks of dirt here and there (the first movie was made in 1971 so I suppose it is excusable). There are also no compression signs, and the visuals are deep on the whole.

The other one is presented in 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, and there isn`t that much difference between this and the other four.

The palette is used well throughout the collection, and the action scenes are reproduced well.

Audio

A DD 5.1 track is on offer throughout, with a clear and crisp main audio stream combined with some good surround sound.

When the action scenes kick in, the subwoofer gets a good workout, which is good to see as most of these movies are nearly 30 years old.

Features

The first three movies all have a documentary and a trailer (although Dirty Harry has two documentaries), whilst the last two just have a trailer.

The documentaries are all good, offering an interesting insight into the production of the first three movies. Then of course the trailers are the standard, sparse, affair.

Lacking a bit, but it`s not that criminal.

Conclusion

Quotable dialogue, memorable set-pieces and great acting from Eastwood means the Dirty Harry franchise is a good one, and proves that Hollywood can do sequels. Sure, the first is still the best (like most franchises) but all of them offer some enjoyment.

Overall, this is an excellent collection combined with a good DVD package, meaning this is a recommended buy. At £44.99, this is a bargain.