Brannigan (1975)

Brannigan is the kind of tough, crowd-pleasing mid-’70s cop thriller that knows exactly what it is: a John Wayne star-vehicle with real snap in its pacing and a surprisingly vivid feel for London’s streets. The fun comes from watching Wayne’s blunt Chicago certainty crash headlong into the buttoned-up rituals of Scotland Yard, giving the movie a steady undercurrent of comedy without deflating the stakes. It’s well-crafted, lively, and confident in its action beats, with a travelogue grit that makes the city more than just a backdrop. If you’re allergic to old-school machismo or prefer your crime dramas brooding and modern, it may not convert you—but if you want a charismatic, no-nonsense thriller with personality, it’s an easy recommendation.

Brannigan is clearly aiming for a fish-out-of-water cop caper: a blunt Chicago detective crashing into buttoned-up London policing, with a bit of action, culture clash comedy, and crime-thriller momentum. The problem is it often feels like a routine 70s genre exercise, with a simplistic plot and set pieces that play flatter than the premise promises, so the American tough-guy swagger doesn’t always mesh with the British setting in a satisfying way. If you’re expecting a sharp, twisty crime story or genuinely witty cross-cultural humor, this may come off stale and oddly low-stakes. But if you’re in the mood for straightforward, old-school cop-movie vibes and can enjoy the novelty of the setting without demanding much depth, it can still pass as casual viewing.