Buddy (Roy Scheider) leads a controversial squad in the NY Police which isn't averse to using dirty tricks and bending the rules to get an arrest. However, someone is kidnapping mobster bosses for ransom. When the mob kidnap one of Buddy's squad thinking he is involved things get tense. When the poor policeman is shot by accident by Moon (Richard Lynch), things fly out of control. How is Buddy's childhood friend Vito (Tony Lo Bianco) involved?
Early 1970s New York is grubby, decaying and dangerous. It is often very violent too with life being pretty cheap. A good story punctuated by some excellent action pieces including a thrilling car chase.
