Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- irreverent
- deadpan
- lazy sunday
- retro comedy night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film entertaining and praised Dan Aykroyd and the ensemble, while noting that its later action spectacle and contemporary pop music weaken the television homage.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joe Friday’s rule-bound manner clashes repeatedly with Pep Streebeck’s looser, more contemporary approach.
The film continues the Dragnet police-procedural tradition and features Harry Morgan reprising Captain Gannon.
The mystery investigation combines official police routines with comic figures, eccentric clues, and exaggerated criminal schemes.
The final movement shifts toward an expensive chase and shootout, a transition specifically noted in aggregate criticism.
Films like Dragnet, and why
48 Hrs.
shared buddy-cop comedy, contrasting partners, and crime-solving hijinks
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
shared irreverent police comedy, mismatched partners, and action-driven escalation
Lethal Weapon
shared 1980s buddy-cop formula, comic action, and urban crime investigation
The Other Guys
shared satirical police procedural tone and adaptation of a recognizable law-enforcement media property
Movie Details
- Director
- Tom Mankiewicz
- Release Date
- 1987-06-26
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (567)
Cast
- Dan Aykroyd
- Tom Hanks
- Christopher Plummer
- Harry Morgan
- Alexandra Paul
- Jack O'Halloran
- Elizabeth Ashley
- Dabney Coleman
- Kathleen Freeman
- Bruce Gray
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dragnet about?
- A rigid police sergeant and his freewheeling partner unravel an eccentric Southern California conspiracy in a broad buddy-cop parody.
- What is Dragnet like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dragnet as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Dragnet violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Dragnet as moderate.
- What did critics think of Dragnet?
- Critics generally found the film entertaining and praised Dan Aykroyd and the ensemble, while noting that its later action spectacle and contemporary pop music weaken the television homage.
- Which films are like Dragnet?
- Films with a similar feel include 48 Hrs., The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, Lethal Weapon, and The Other Guys.
- How long is Dragnet?
- Dragnet runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dragnet?
- In United States, Dragnet streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
