History Film / TheEnforcer

* KarmaHoudini: No mention is made of anything happening to [=McCay=] for a manpower intensive, high-profile false arrest, or for giving into Maxwell's demands at the first opportunity.

* NobleBigotWithABadge: In his initial meeting with his female partner. Also the "fucking fruit" comment.

'''Harry:''' ''[disgusted, hands [=McCay=] his badge]'' Here's a seven-point suppository, Captain.\\

* AxCrazy: Maxwell is the [[ValuesDissonance stereotypical]] [[SociopathicSoldier crazy]] [[TheVietnamVet ex-Vietnam veteran]] of TheSeventies. His EstablishingCharacterMoment involves him calmly walking up behind a man and stabbing him InTheBack with a knuckle duster knife, a manic look in his eyes the whole time. This is made explicit in the novelization which talks of the AGodAmI thrill he got from his first kill in Vietnam.

* MoodWhiplash: It's kind of jarring to immediately go from the TearJerker of [[spoiler: Kate's death]] to Captain [=McKay=] flying in by helicopter, frantically announcing to Bobby Maxwell that he has his money just after Harry has blown Maxwell up with a LAW.

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Averted, or at least downplayed; Harry and Inspector Moore show no sexual or romantic attraction to each other, merely mutual respect. Interestingly, the original script called for a romance, but Eastwood and Tyne Daly both agreed it would [[RomanticPlotTumor distract from the story]].

** Harry embarrasses Captain [=McKay=] in front of the Mayor by pointing out that he arrested the wrong people including one who was going to help him find the terrorists, and that [=McKay=] wants to give him and Inspector Moore credit and a commendation for the arrest when they weren't even there. [[DaChief The Captain]] tells him he's suspended for 60 days. Harry angrily says to make it 90, the captain turns it UpToEleven by suspending him for 180 days, then:

* KnifeNut: Maxwell uses a knife several times to kill people.

* HostileHitchHiker: The film begins with Maxwell having [[HoneyTrap Miki]] in [[WhoWearsShortShorts short shorts]] luring a couple of gas workers (whose uniforms and truck he wants to steal) out to the middle of nowhere, offering them some ice cold beers she's got in her fridge if they give her a lift. The younger of the two is willing and the older mocks him for his [[IHaveBoobsYouMustObey evident eagerness]], but plays along. While the younger man is inside the house chatting her up, Maxwell stabs the older guy InTheBack, then shotguns the young man as he leaves Miki's house carrying the beer.

* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [=DiGiorgio=].

* RecklessGunUsage: While Kate might be forgiven for standing behind the guy about to fire the LAW (she and the others are ''there'' because they don't know how the things work), the guy making the demonstration has absolutely no excuse for not checking everything was clear behind him before firing.

* DoubleStandard: The LAPD sends in a SWAT team to stop the criminals when they think that the people with the stolen missiles are black supremacists. Once it turns out that they're mostly white, the department ponies up the ransom money.

* AxCrazy: Maxwell is the [[ValuesDissonance stereotypical]] [[SociopathicSoldier crazy ex-Vietnam veteran]] of TheSeventies. His EstablishingCharacterMoment involves him calmly walking up behind a man and stabbing him InTheBack with a knuckle duster knife, a manic look in his eyes the whole time. This is made explicit in the novelization which talks of the AGodAmI thrill he got from his first kill in Vietnam.

Not to be confused with ''Film/TheEnforcer1951'', the 1951 FilmNoir of the same title starring Creator/HumphreyBogart.

Not to be confused with the 1951 FilmNoir of the same title starring Creator/HumphreyBogart.

* DolledUpInstallment: The film started out as a standalone film called ''Moving Target'' based on the Symbionese Liberation Army.

* PrecisionFStrike: Just before [[spoiler:vaporizing Bobby with a LAAWS rocket]], under his breath, Harry calls him a "fucking fruit."

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: For once, Harry gets called out for his CowboyCop tactics he used for the liquor-store robbery (ramming a car into the store, causing severe damage to the place) and is actively punished by his superiors. Not to mention, the store owners sue over the Harry's destructive tactics.

* DisneyVillainDeath: Harry uses a fire horse to knock one of Maxwell's men off an Alcatraz tower and go plummeting to the ground below.

* HostileHitchHiker: The film begins with Maxwell having [[HoneyTrap Miki]] in [[WhoWearsShortShorts short shorts]] luring a couple of gas workers (whose uniforms and truck he wants to steal) out to the middle of nowhere, offering them some ice cold beers she's got in her fridge if they give her a lift. The younger of the two is willing and the older mocks him for his evident eagerness, but plays along. While the younger man is inside the house chatting her up, Maxwell stabs the older guy InTheBack, then shotguns the young man as he leaves Miki's house carrying the beer.

* RealityEnsues: For once, Harry gets called out for his CowboyCop tactics he used for the liquor-store robbery (ramming a car into the store, causing severe damage to the place) and is actively punished by his superiors. Not to mention, the store owners sue over the Harry's destructive tactics.

* AxCrazy: Maxwell is the [[ValuesDissonance stereotypical]] [[SociopathicSoldier crazy ex-Vietnam veteran]] of TheSeventies. His EstablishingCharacterMoment involves him calmly walking up behind a man and stabbing him InTheBack with a knuckle duster knife, a manic look in his eyes the whole time.