Lethal WeaponThe best of friendships are built on trust, and that's something which doesn't come easy for two detectives in the Los Angeles Police Department--reckless loose cannon, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), and straight-laced family man, Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover)--when they find themselves partnered up against their wishes in order to investigate the truth behind the death of a young woman named Amanda Hunsaker (Jackie Swanson). What begins as a volatile clash of values and work styles eventually emerges as a partnership forged by fire, a camaraderie born from their mutual interest in seeing justice served.
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Lethal Weapon was a defining moment for action movies, a stand-out representation of what would be described as the "buddy cop" movie; it's an ironic moniker, considering how Riggs and Murtaugh are practically at one another's throats early on. The distinction between the two men is clear from the start, showing them as being as dissimilar as one could imagine. It is intentionally concealed for a good deal of time that Riggs is actually a cop at all, until he breaks cover during a drug bust. These might even be two completely different stories, until they collide over the Hunsaker case. Riggs is a man torn by grief at the loss of his wife, and throws himself into chaos with reckless abandon, as though his life doesn't matter. He contemplates a hollow-point bullet he keeps on hand for the moment when the pain will be too great for him to go on. Murtaugh is an experienced detective, and while he is no slouch, he dreads the prospect that he might find himself engaged in a firefight, ending up dead; not because he fears death but that he loves his family dearly. Murtaugh sees Riggs' behavior as an act, accusing him of fishing for "psycho pension", until he sees the despair in his eyes for himself. After an incident which seemingly wraps up the Hunsaker case--where Riggs saves his partner's life--Murtaugh invites him into his home, and in the process, inviting him into his life as well. Lethal Weapon was such a popular and critically lauded example of an unlikely friendship between two cops and the complex, action-packed conspiracy that drew them together, that the tropes would be emulated and even parodied in a multitude of movies to follow--for example, The Nice Guys, a film directed by the writer of Lethal Weapon, Shane Black, almost thirty years later.
There is little time spent with other members of the LAPD, save for a warning by resident police psychiatrist, Dr. Stephanie Woods (Mary Ellen Trainor) about Riggs' state of mind, and a scene where officers prepare for a Christmas carol routine. This gives the impression that both Riggs and Murtaugh are themselves loners, outsiders...perhaps Riggs more so, but their mutual commitment to their job is the common thread between them. Dual musical themes between Riggs and Murtaugh are stylistic choices to emphasize the personalities of these two different men, adding complexity in a way which supplements the exposition about them; sometimes the melodies get reversed to suggest how one's personality has impacted the other. Comparably quiet scenes in the Murtaugh household, like when Murtaugh invites Riggs over for dinner, are far removed from the firefights and car chases which are bountiful in Lethal Weapon, but are crucial to establishing character and the authenticity of the friendship forged on this case. The villains of Lethal Weapon include a ruthless heroin smuggler named General Peter McAllister (Mitchell Ryan) and his assassin henchman calling himself Joshua (Gary Busey), both of whom have a military background, as do Riggs and Murtaugh. Murtaugh credits a former war buddy, Michael Hunsaker (Tom Atkins)--who is also Amanda's father--for saving his life in the Vietnam War. The ubiquitous presence of war has colored the lives of these men in varying ways, even if it is not in the foreground of Lethal Weapon. When the conspiracy begins to unfold, the heroin smugglers come across as dark reflections of Riggs and Murtaugh--people who "brought the war home", even if metaphorically in the form of opiates. For what could be an overwhelmingly depressing tale of lives destroyed by drugs, excess, and grief, Lethal Weapon excels at softening the grim with humor, making the two cops' time together not only palatable, but honest and relatable. Moments of good-natured ribbing and rivalry--like the scene where the two men show off at the shooting range--keep the film loose and engaging. Riggs and Murtaugh are both invested in their work, but are driven by different criteria at an emotional level. For Riggs, it is the sense that he is like a man with no hope, a man without anything to lose, and he acts accordingly, intentionally provoking armed guards to destabilize their resolve. Murtaugh, on the other hand, is so motivated by his family's well-being, that he is willing to step into the proverbial lion's den in one scene near the climax of the film to protect them. And both men are smart, willing to capitalize on whatever edge they can in the face of a dire conspiracy which threatens not just those they are responsible to serve and protect, but those they hold dear.
Recommended for: Fans of arguably the quintessential buddy cop movie, and fans of an action film filled with everything from explosions, glitz, humor, pathos, and heartwarming friendship. Oh, and Lethal Weapon also happens to be kind of a Christmas movie, so that, too.
There is little time spent with other members of the LAPD, save for a warning by resident police psychiatrist, Dr. Stephanie Woods (Mary Ellen Trainor) about Riggs' state of mind, and a scene where officers prepare for a Christmas carol routine. This gives the impression that both Riggs and Murtaugh are themselves loners, outsiders...perhaps Riggs more so, but their mutual commitment to their job is the common thread between them. Dual musical themes between Riggs and Murtaugh are stylistic choices to emphasize the personalities of these two different men, adding complexity in a way which supplements the exposition about them; sometimes the melodies get reversed to suggest how one's personality has impacted the other. Comparably quiet scenes in the Murtaugh household, like when Murtaugh invites Riggs over for dinner, are far removed from the firefights and car chases which are bountiful in Lethal Weapon, but are crucial to establishing character and the authenticity of the friendship forged on this case. The villains of Lethal Weapon include a ruthless heroin smuggler named General Peter McAllister (Mitchell Ryan) and his assassin henchman calling himself Joshua (Gary Busey), both of whom have a military background, as do Riggs and Murtaugh. Murtaugh credits a former war buddy, Michael Hunsaker (Tom Atkins)--who is also Amanda's father--for saving his life in the Vietnam War. The ubiquitous presence of war has colored the lives of these men in varying ways, even if it is not in the foreground of Lethal Weapon. When the conspiracy begins to unfold, the heroin smugglers come across as dark reflections of Riggs and Murtaugh--people who "brought the war home", even if metaphorically in the form of opiates. For what could be an overwhelmingly depressing tale of lives destroyed by drugs, excess, and grief, Lethal Weapon excels at softening the grim with humor, making the two cops' time together not only palatable, but honest and relatable. Moments of good-natured ribbing and rivalry--like the scene where the two men show off at the shooting range--keep the film loose and engaging. Riggs and Murtaugh are both invested in their work, but are driven by different criteria at an emotional level. For Riggs, it is the sense that he is like a man with no hope, a man without anything to lose, and he acts accordingly, intentionally provoking armed guards to destabilize their resolve. Murtaugh, on the other hand, is so motivated by his family's well-being, that he is willing to step into the proverbial lion's den in one scene near the climax of the film to protect them. And both men are smart, willing to capitalize on whatever edge they can in the face of a dire conspiracy which threatens not just those they are responsible to serve and protect, but those they hold dear.
Recommended for: Fans of arguably the quintessential buddy cop movie, and fans of an action film filled with everything from explosions, glitz, humor, pathos, and heartwarming friendship. Oh, and Lethal Weapon also happens to be kind of a Christmas movie, so that, too.