The Dead Pool (1988)
5/10
Harry's last entry in which he is sent to stop a vicious murderer killing celebrities
12 June 2009
Rock-hard and taciturn Harry Callahan is called once again , this time when occur rare deaths of celebs registered on a black pool . But also Callahan's name appears on the list . Being the first suspect a terror cinema director (an effective Liam Neeson) filming a picture titled ¨Hotel Satan¨. Two-fisted Harry and his new partner cop (Evan Kim who did all his own stunts including the martial-arts fighting) try to track down a vicious murderous . Harry Callahan strides grimly throughout streets San Francisco in pursuit of the cruel baddie . Then the killer hijacks a TV journalist (Patricia Clarson) . Silly and exciting scenes when the murderer sends a toy-car directed by remote control and strapped to an explosive onto the streets of San Francisco pursuing the cop couple . Whatever your reservations about Harry's expeditious methods we know he'll always vanquish , shooting in cold blood with his Magnum 44 pistol (in fact, it is titled the second entry : Magnum force) and abusing on civil rights .

Fifth and last entry in Harry's series is less gripping and inferior its predecessors . Tension , action-packed , crisped edition , suspenseful , thrills abound in this stirring outing . Although there are lots of action and entertainment this time doesn't feature Callahan's classic lines such as ¨Do you feel lucky¨(on Dirty Harry) or ¨Go ahead make my day¨(on Sudden impact ) ; however , here he also says some original sentences . When Clint Eastwood made this movie, he was the Mayor of Carmel, California , the picture was the third and final of three films Eastwood made whilst he was the Mayor of Carmel ; the others were Bird (1988) and Heartbreak ridge (1986) . The car chase sequence was inspired by the one in the earlier Steve McQueen movie Bullit (1968) . There was an intention to top that car chase with this film , reportedly, the sequence is Clint Eastwood's favorite from the movie . Permission was given to film in San Francisco, despite protests from citizens who thought Harry Callahan was not a good representative for the city . Jim Carrey does a brief and sympathetic apparition as a rock star . Jim Carrey, at the time still an unknown actor , was billed as "James Carrey" . Being first of two Clint Eastwood movies which feature a then unknown Jim Carrey , the second would be a cameo in Pink Cadillac (1989) where Carrey is briefly seen . And brief appearances from David Hunt , Michael Goodwin , Shawn Elliott and Justin Whalin . This was the only Dirty Harry movie not to feature Albert Popwell , an ordinary actor of the series . Thrilling musical score by Lalo Schifrin , a great musician , usual of the seventies who composed all Harry Callahan's series , and including an anti-climatic soundtrack on the main titles made by means of synthesizer . Good and evocative cinematography by Jack N. Green , Eastwood's habitual . The motion picture was regularly directed by Buddy van Horn who made with Eastwood other action films and it was the least successful of the five Dirty Harry films at the box-office . Rating : 5,5 . Acceptable and passable .
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