MovieChat Forums > Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) Discussion > Magnum Force (Dirty Harry 2)

Magnum Force (Dirty Harry 2)

posted 14 years ago by heisenberg83
8 replies | jump to latest

How do you think the character of Kersey would react to the vigilante hit squad of policemen from the movie "Magnum Force" (the second Dirty Harry film).

I ask this question because I think Kersey might actually sort of agree with their morality and tactics, whereas Eastwood's Harry Callahan doesn't like their methods and blows them all away.

In a way, Kersey is a much more extreme vigilante than Harry Callahan.

But the Magnum Force squad are hardcore, perhaps even more hardcore than Kersey?

Thoughts?

[–] wallacesawyer 14 years ago

Might depend on the victims. Would've been cool to see Kersey and Harry take on corrupt cops.

For DEMONIC TOYS and updates on Full Moon Films:
www.freewebs.com/demonictoys/

[–] wilson19692 14 years ago

I think Kersey wouldn't care about the police squad killing the bad guys, but they also killed good cops and I don't think he'd be fine with that. In the Death Wish movies, the good guys only kill or are killed by bad guys and vice versa - so no one innocent died because of Kersey (directly). I'm not sure if he'd actually do anything about it though.

Dirty Harry is definitely the least extreme and Kersey IMO is much more of an extreme vigilante, because he's not a cop and seems like he'd shoot whoever really (the actual crime doesn't really seem to always matter - I think Kersey shot people for unarmed theft even?) But the Magnum force police squad killed innocent people too, so maybe they're the worst.

[–] Struckworld7767 10 years ago

Yeah in Death Wish 3, Kersey walks out onto the street carrying an expensive camera (which he's using as bait for someone to steal), the Giggler comes and steals Kersey's camera, The Giggler doesn't pull a knife, gun or any kind of weapon on him, he just snags the camera and runs. Kersey shoots him in the back with the Wildey Magnum.

I'm from Paris... TEXAS

[–] Banjo_oz 8 years ago

Although in his (questionable!) defence, he'd already been told that the Giggler has knifed a girl in the skull during another snatch and grab earlier.

Kersey isn't one for benefit of doubt.

[–] Struckworld7767 8 years ago

Yeah true, I guess watching a Death Wish movie makes you feel more triumphed when you see those hoodlums get blown away. Not so much when you watch the news, hahaha.

I'm from Paris... TEXAS

[–] ultimatenexus 10 years ago

The police squad is much more hardcore. Harry obviously never shot civilians and Kersey never killed anyone to keep from getting caught. Not that it mattered much because Kersey always got away with it in the end.

__________
Welcome to the middle of nowhere--the center of everywhere.

[–] Struckworld7767 10 years ago

Harry Callahan isn't a vigilante though, he's a cop. Usually when Harry kills someone it's because they reach for guns or fire at him. Thing is Harry just doesn't think the system lives up to what it could be.

Like how in the first one where he tries to question Scorpio about the teenage girl he kidnapped, he doesn't even read him his Miranda Rights before he questions him, thus causing the criminal to get out scott free and Harry eventually takes the blame. Even though Harry and most everyone KNOWS that Scorpio was one the that killed the teenage girl.

I'm from Paris... TEXAS

[–] tenantennae 8 years ago

In DW4, Kersey lets the good cop who discovers his identity live. Unlike the Magnum Force, Kersey would never kill an innocent just to save himself.