During a routine drug bust, NYPD narcotics officers Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) learn that 32 million dollars worth of heroin has been smuggled over from France and begin the laborious, frustrating, and deadly search for the shipment and its source. Whether its a barroom bust-up, a sleepy stakeout, or the ultimate elevated train chase sequence, William Friedkin's gritty, exciting, and quintessential action picture elevates itself above the rest mainly due to the way it treats its audience like adults and not feeble minded idiots. Hackman provides a tough, uncompromising, unlikable, and atypical leading man and Scheider is equally compelling as his partner.
**** out of ****
**** out of ****
