director or star clint eastwood sudden impact be an intriguing addition to the dirty harry series a combination of crude film making and genius . it mediocre and silly in part and brilliant and classic in others and with compelling and grip pacing . there be numerous echo of the first film here the shoot em up make my day scene recall the do you feel lucky one and one of the villain be a viscerally repugnant a the first film scorpio and an actor who play a minor baddie in the first one return here a harry partner just to name a few . harry callahan be still at odds with the high ups in the department and still mean and still tough and but now he old and weary . his constant conflict with his superior be a metaphor for his inner conflict a respect and reverence for the law versus a desire to serve the pure spirit of justice and the two thing not always be compatible . this incompatibility be the underlying theme of the series . the first film pose a simple question and what about the victim right . ( do they outweigh those of the criminal . vice versa . depend . ) . that film answer be controversial and prompt a sequel ( the highly enjoyable magnum force ) which set out to draw the line between harry brand of justice and pure and heartless vigilantism . dirty harry and like many of clint other role and be the personification of vengeance and the protector of the the defenseless . this movie however bring it back to the victim and in this case jennifer ( portray by sondra locke ) and who decide to avenge the rape of herself and her now incapacitate sister by ruthlessly hunt down and ritualistically execute the men ( and one woman ) who commit the crime . without go into a play by play of the whole movie and i will say this i mention earlier that sudden impact echo the first film it actually also sprinkle in little reference and in joke from the whole series ( the confusion concern the captain last name be an example an intentional prank and i believe ) . the relationship between callahan and jennifer be neat have our rogue cop hero find a soul mate in this lady vigilante . and be she a vigilante or a victim justifiably stand up for her and her sister tarnish right . the exchange between these two at the very end of the film be a poetic denouement of the series and one which i personally ( a a fan ) find quite move . that last scene alone make sudden impact the legitimate climax to the dirty harry collection and the perfect answer to the conflict pose in the first film . ( not to knock the dead pool that excellent movie be a relatively light hearted suspenseful yet comic thriller feature harry callahan and rather than a character define film like this one ) . this movie do well in the theater audience in the reagan era find harry and his ilk quite appeal and and the president himself frequently quote go ahead and make my day .