Okay, this isn't exactly high art, but it has a few things going for it if you're in the mood. A cool music score a little reminiscent of "The Taking Of Pelham 123", a plethora of killings at the start which are the nastiest the movie gets, and John Wayne his usual likeable self. He manages some very funny reactions and strolls through seattle with the air of a man to whom this is child's play. The influence of The French Connection is obvious, as is the Dirty Harry mould of tough cop, but there are little dtails that make things refreshing, like the background characters, and Lon's character itself, who genuinelty seems to be motivated by a desire to do justice, not act out his own fantasies. The scenes with Myra and with Diana Muldaur are particularly good, and the hatred between McQ and Santiago is teriffic. The beach chase at the end is pure hokum, and unlike Dirty Harry, a movie which deserves to be seen as more than just a thriller, McQ is purely a thriller, not trying to change the world, but just pass a couple of hours. And why not!
