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Sudden Impact

Play trailer Poster for Sudden Impact R 1983 1h 57m Action Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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52% Tomatometer 42 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Jennifer Spencer (Sondra Locke) was gang raped, but the crime went unpunished. Now she demands revenge, killing off the men that attacked her years before. The murders attract the attention of Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood), who is on a forced vacation due to his violent approach to police work. The case gets complicated when Harry develops a relationship with Jennifer, and it's up to Harry to make the right decision when Jennifer's life is threatened for a second time.
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Sudden Impact

Sudden Impact

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Critics Consensus

Sudden Impact delivers all the firepower -- and the most enduring catchphrase -- fans associate with the Dirty Harry franchise, but it's far from the best film in the series.

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Critics Reviews

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Harper Barnes St. Louis Post-Dispatch 05/12/2023
Sudden Impact can be fun, if you do not take it too seriously. But it is so unrelievedly brutal and ugly, particularly in the last part, that even hard-core Dirty Harry fans may find themselves recoiling from the experience. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
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. Go to Full Review Time Out 06/24/2006
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. Go to Full Review Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 7
"Sudden Impact" is good, dirty fun. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 02/11/2024
2/5
…annoyingly garbled morally…Eastwood is so busy subverting audience notions of who Dirty Harry is that he neglects to provide much fan service at all… Go to Full Review George Anderson Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 05/13/2023
It probably won't matter to audiences, enjoying the preposterous body count, that Sudden Impact takes Dirty Harry treacherously close to self-parody. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Aun M @AunMohammad Jan 14 A masterclass in gritty, emotional vengeance, Sudden Impact stands as the high point of the Dirty Harry series. This isn't just an action film; it’s a dramatically charged story of trauma and retribution, fueled by a brilliant, Oscar-worthy script. The legendary Clint Eastwood is at his peak as the iconic Inspector Harry Callahan, delivering a performance that balances tough-as-nails swagger with a hardened moral code. However, the film truly belongs to Sandra Locke, whose emotionally devastating and fiercely vengeful portrayal gives the story its powerful, painful heart. the film delivers a searing indictment of the weakness of law enforcement and the judiciary. It compellingly argues how systemic failures can leave victims with no recourse but to take justice into their own hands. See more Darren P Jan 3 Good film Good Revenge film Dirty harry did good to help See more Jack M @JackMiehof Dec 19 The dirtiest Harry. See more Per S Jul 3 This hasn't aged well. Eastwood's careless direction, the poor cinematography, mixed with loads of over acting right from the start, makes it a wandering cliché montage where Dirty Harry's 44 Magnum possibly makes the best performance. Severely overrated. See more Rehan May 5 Lady vengeance was on fire. Loved her. Clint Beastwood... See more Mary S Apr 5 Unrelievedly grim and pointless. Too much of it filmed in the dark. Sondra Locke tries for tough cookie, but fails. The walk-down on boardwalk and death on a unicorn horn were laughable. See more Read all reviews
Sudden Impact

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Cast & Crew

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Clint Eastwood

Director

Clint Eastwood

Insp. 'Dirty' Harry Callahan

Sondra Locke

Jennifer Spencer

Pat Hingle

Chief Lester Jannings

Bradford Dillman

Capt. Briggs

Paul Drake

Mick

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Sudden Impact

Sudden Impact (1983) Sudden Impact (1983) Sudden Impact (1983) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Jennifer Spencer (Sondra Locke) was gang raped, but the crime went unpunished. Now she demands revenge, killing off the men that attacked her years before. The murders attract the attention of Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood), who is on a forced vacation due to his violent approach to police work. The case gets complicated when Harry develops a relationship with Jennifer, and it's up to Harry to make the right decision when Jennifer's life is threatened for a second time.
Director
Clint Eastwood
Producer
Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter
Harry Julian Fink, Rita M. Fink, Charles B. Pierce, Earl E. Smith, Joseph Stinson
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co
Warner Bros., The Malpaso Company
Rating
R
Genre
Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 9, 1983, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 57m
Sound Mix
Mono
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