Lethal Weapon: 4 Film Favorites
starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover
The Best Deal
Lethal Weapon Directors Cut Lethal Weapon 2 Directors Cut Lethal
Weapon 3 Directors Cut Lethal Weapon 4
Personal Review: Lethal Weapon: 4 Film Favorites starring Mel
Gibson, Danny Glover
Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino may be a couple of the greatest actors
around, but as shown in the recent movie Righteous Kill, they don't
necessarily work together well. That movie had a lot of problems, but what
stood out to me was there was little chemistry between the two: they didn't
work well as a team. Chemistry is important: it can make a so-so story
entertaining, and a good one great. While it's not really a knock against
them, Danny Glover and Mel Gibson are rarely considered in the same
acting league as DeNiro and Pacino (or at least the DeNiro and Pacino of
past decades; their recent performances have been less impressive);

nonetheless, they work great together. They are more that the sum of their
parts, as shown in the Lethal Weapon series of movies.
While few would consider this quartet of movies as Oscar caliber, they are
not meant to be: they are action-comedies. In the original Lethal Weapon,
the emphasis is more on the action. Gibson is Riggs, a detective on the
brink of suicide after the death of his wife. Instead of killing himself, he
constantly puts himself in dangerous situations. Glover, as Murtaugh, is
the complete opposite of Riggs: he's a sober family man who constantly
laments that he is too old for this stuff (okay, the word isn't stuff, but you
get the idea). Partnered together, they investigate some murders tied to
drug runners who are ex-Special Forces, just like Riggs. This sets us a
final showdown between Riggs and a veteran soldier played by Gary
Busey.
In Lethal Weapon 2, Riggs is no longer suicidal, but he still is rather wild;
his antics get the pair assigned to protect an accountant-for-the-mob
named Leo Getz (played by Joe Pesci). They also tangle with some South
African drug runners who hide behind diplomatic immunity (this movie was
filmed when apartheid was still in full flower). With the appearance of
Getz, the movies start to expand the family of characters, something that
will continue in future movies.
Lethal Weapon 3 has Murtaugh on the brink of retirement and trying to
avoid all those things that get cops killed right before they retire. Of
course, with Riggs as a partner, that isn't going to happen. The plot deals
with an ex-cop who is selling weapons to the local gangs. It also
introduces Rene Russo as Riggs's love interest; she's almost as tough as
he is, leading to a comic romantic scene where they compete to see who
has the best scar.
Lethal Weapon 4 has both characters being promoted from sergeant
directly to captain, an effort by the department to tie the two to desks
where they can't cause as much destruction. As they take on some
Chinese mobsters led by Jet Li, Riggs has to deal with impending
fatherhood (Russo's character is pregnant) and whether he can remarry.
Murtaugh has to deal with impending grandfatherhood, while unaware that
his daughter is secretly married to a fellow cop played by Chris Rock.
As the series develops, the emphasis is more and more on comedy, with
the serious elements pushed aside. There are, in all the movies, plenty of
gunfights, chases and things blowing up, all of which will satisfy action
movie fans. The stories, however, do get weaker as they go along. By
Lethal Weapon 4, the writing itself is a bit lacking, but the sheer chemistry
that the characters have with each other helps prop up the material. Credit
should also be given to Richard Donner, who directed all four movies. It
ain't Shakespeare, but these are all fun movies to watch.
For More 5 Star Customer Reviews and Lowest Price:

Lethal Weapon: 4 Film Favorites starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover 5 Star Customer
Reviews and Lowest Price!