This is a *decent* movie....not a great one. The ending left much to be desired. Almost like the writers/ director had run out of ideas & just...abruptly ended it. The fate of the rest of the vigilantes is pretty much unresolved. Always great watching Poitier doing what he does best, but I think he was handed a sub par script here.
Totally disagree. I thought this was an exciting '70's "shoot 'em down in the street" crime drama. Even the ending which may leave a sour taste was in keeping with the time, tone, and style of the film. In the seventies, films were not afraid to end with "down" ending or something ambiguious. Now this movie is totally different from the other Virigil Tibbs movies but the second one was far different from the first. Actually the second movie with Martin Landau was the weakest in the series. John Ball has written about six or seven books and they could be adapted and re-worked for an interesting detective franchise.