Italian director Umberto Lenzi's version of Don Siegel's "Dirty Harry" is bloody, brutal, and bombastic. Tomas Milian is thoroughly unhinged as a sadistic killer, Giulio Sacchi, who kidnaps Marilù Porrino, the daughter of a wealthy man, Mr. Porrino (Guido Alberti of "No Way Out"), and holds her for ransom. Like Andrew Robinson in "Dirty Harry," Sacchi is as ruthless as he is bloodthirsty. He kills everybody that comes into contact with him during the abduction, and he exhibits no remorse for his crimes. Of course, Milian gives an energetic performance. Meantime, a hard-as-nail Police Inspector, Commissario Walter Grandi (Henry Silva of "The Law and Jake Wade") knows Sacchi is the kidnapper, but he cannot unravel any of Sacchi's alibis, so he has to release the sadist from custody. Sacchi is so looney tunes that he murders his girlfriend in cold blood and then visits police HQ to inquire about her absence. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong for Grandi, but he gets his man before fadeout. Loads of action! Not as sophisticated as "Dirty Harry" with none of its iconic dialogue. Skull-faced Henry Silva is ideally cast as a committed but callous lawman shackled by justice from keeping the dastard behind bars. Ennio Morricone delivers a hard-hitting, atmospheric orchestral score.
Review of Almost Human
