Today’s quick review: Lethal Weapon. Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is a reliable police officer with a loving family and a home in the suburbs. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) is a cop on the edge who channels his grief over his wife’s death into dangerously effective police work. When the daughter of one of Murtaugh’s army buddies is murdered, the two are assigned as partners and tasked with tracking down the killer.
Lethal Weapon is a buddy cop movie with a strong leading duo and fun writing. Riggs and Murtaugh are both great characters in their own right, but the dynamic between the two gives Lethal Weapon a solid core to work with. The film has plenty of jokes to go with the action, and the combination of action, humor, and character makes it a very entertaining watch.
Lethal Weapon does have a few deficiencies, even within the template of 80s action movies. The plot and villain are almost entirely forgettable. The action is plentiful but offers nothing too impressive. Action movie cliches are frequent if not omnipresent, although whether this is a strength or a weakness is a matter of taste.
But for anyone who enjoys the genre, Lethal Weapon’s strengths are more than enough to make up for its weaknesses. Lethal Weapon is perhaps the quintessential action movie, and any 80s action fan will love it. Watch it when you are in the mood for an entertaining popcorn flick. Skip it if you are looking for something less conventional or with a bit more plot.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for two great leads and surprisingly skillful writing.