A lively thriller in the Dirty Harry series, Clint Eastwood's fifth canter in the role as he chases a serial killer.

Under Buddy Van Horn's best direction to date, it comes up as fresh as paint, even down to finding a new way for Clint's Harry Callahan to dispose of the killer with some stupendously violent act.

But Liam Neeson (with the strangest accent), as the film studio boss who is meant to be the number one suspect, isn't at all suspicious, and Patricia Clarkson wins little sympathy as a pushy TV reporter chasing the case.