Summary
Buttoned-down veteran LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh is partnered with unhinged cop Martin Riggs, who — distraught after his wife's death — has a death wish and takes unnecessary risks with criminals at every turn. The odd couple embark on their first homicide investigation as partners, involving a young woman known to Murtaugh with ties to a drug and prostitution ring.
Cast
Mel Gibson
Martin Riggs
Danny Glover
Roger Murtaugh
Gary Busey
Mr. Joshua
Mitchell Ryan
General Peter McAllister
Tom Atkins
Michael Hunsaker
Darlene Love
Trish Murtaugh
Traci Wolfe
Rianne Murtaugh
Jackie Swanson
Amanda Hunsaker
Damon Hines
Nick Murtaugh
Ebonie Smith
Carrie Murtaugh
Bill Kalmenson
Beat Cop
Lycia Naff
Dixie
Patrick Cameron
Cop #1
Don Gordon
Cop #2
Jimmie F. Skaggs
Drug Dealer #1
Jason Ronard
Drug Dealer #2
Blackie Dammett
Drug Dealer #3
Gail Bowman
Cop
Robert Fol
Cop
Selma Archerd
Policewoman
Richard B. Whitaker
Police Officer
Mary Ellen Trainor
Psychologist
Steve Kahan
Captain Ed Murphy
Jack Thibeau
Sergeant McCaskey
Grand L. Bush
Boyette
Ed O'Ross
Mendez
Gustav Vintas
Gustaf
Paul Tuerpe
Mercenary
Chad Hayes
Mercenary
Chris D.
Mercenary
Sven-Ole Thorsen
Mercenary
Peter DuPont
Mercenary
Gilles Kohler
Mercenary
Cedric Adams
Mercenary
Jim J. Poslof
Mercenary
Al Leong
Endo
Michael Shaner
McCleary
Natalie Zimmerman
Patrol Cop
Deborah Dismukes
Blonde on Bike
Cheryl Baker
Girl in Shower #1
Terri Lynn Doss
Girl in Shower #2
Sharon K. Brecke
Girl in Shower #3
Donald Gooden
Alfred
Alphonse Philippe Mouzon
Alfred's Friend #1
Shaun Hunter
Alfred's Friend #2
Everitt Wayne Collins Jr.
Alfred's Friend #3
Lenny Juliano
Patrol Cop
Henry Brown
Plainclothes Cop
Brian Strohm
Family Friend
Teresa Kadotani
Hooker
Frank Reinhard
Beat Cop
John O'Neill
Police Officer in Car #1
Tom Noga
Police Officer in Car #2
Larry Clardy
Policeman (uncredited)
Renée Estevez
Underage Hooker (uncredited)
Bob Harks
Priest (uncredited)
Kathleen Harrison
Mrs. Dilber (archive footage) (uncredited)
Conrad Hurtt
Crime Scene Officer (uncredited)
Mic Rodgers
Bus Driver (uncredited)
Joan Severance
Girl in Black Playsuit (uncredited)
Chris Tashima
Fire Rescue Attendant (uncredited)
Norman D. Wilson
Bartender (uncredited)
Crew
Director
Richard Donner
Screenplay
Shane Black
Reviews
John Chard
December 31, 2018
8
We got the edge Cochise.
Close to retirement, Detective Sergeant Roger Murtaugh is a bit disturbed to find he's breaking in a new partner. Even more so when it turns out to be fellow Detective Martin Riggs, who since the death of his wife has scant regard for life, his own or those around him.
Light on plot and character development, Lethal Weapon none the less shines bright as a beacon of how a buddy buddy action film should be done. Roughly an hour and forty five minutes of quips, action, villainy, heroics and cross generational/cultural divides. All what else is needed is a star duo with buoyant chemistry - thankfully Richard Donner's movie has it by the clip load.
Mel Gibson is Riggs, a trigger happy suspected loony on the ragged edge, wonderfully playing off of Danny Glover's (superb) "too old for this nonsense" sage old copper. Riggs is a hard dude who quickly became a cinematic hero to many, an unstoppable force with a quip on the tongue and a glint in his eye, to which Gibson is terrific and perfectly cast.
Gary Busey's "psycho's are us" henchman flits in and out the picture with gleeful nastiness and Shane Black's script crackles as the super stunt work starts to take a hold. Chief villain Mitchell Ryan as The General is almost a bystander though, and there's the odd piece of careless editing, but really Lethal Weapon has a winning formula that the box office punters promptly lapped up.
Three sequels, all of which are of differing quality, would follow it, but this is a template movie for the genre and worthy of nostalgic revisits any time of day. 8/10
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$15,000,000.00
Revenue:
$120,207,127.00
Keywords
Recommendations
Lethal Weapon 2
Cocktail
Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 3
Tequila Sunrise
Highlander
Ocean's Eleven
Betty Blue
Platoon
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
RoboCop
The Guilt Trip
An American Tail
The Thing
Home Alone
The Wild Goose Lake
Project A: Part II
Hail Satan?
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
