Fans of the series probably will be entertained seeing Eastwood as Dirty Harry again, but for more casual viewers, The Enforcer just doesn't measure up to the first two entries in intense action or in their exploration of ethics. With the exception of the role of women as law enforcers, this is a routine cop thriller, with lackluster villains and a bland plot, not all that different from the many cop shows that one could find on television at the time of release almost any night of the week. First-time director James Fargo (Every Which Way but Loose, Forced Vengeance) shoots without any of the style that marked Don Siegel's Harry, and with the jazz score and trademark loose delivery, you can bet that Eastwood had a major hand in how the film was made, much as he did with Magnum Force, perhaps worthy of sharing co-director credit.

There has to be just a little irony in the fact that you would quote The Enforcer as if it were some sort of real world example of style v function. You understand how a movie works, right?

I guess a man's got to know his limitations. .....