Franchise Review- Lethal Weapon

     It's the 25th anniversary of the gold standard of buddy cop movies- such a huge staple in Hollywood in the 1980s and '90s. Like "Die Hard", that OTHER seminal action franchise from the same era, the influence and impact of "Lethal Weapon" is obvious as countless imitators tried to replicate that winning formula over the next decade or so. There's the "Rush Hour" series, "Bad Boys I and II", "The Last Boy Scout", "Tango & Cash", and "Red Heat", just to name a few. None of these films exist without Sergeants Riggs and Murtaugh. Neither would "Braveheart' and "The Passion of the Christ" for that matter. That's some legacy. A feature length spoof is undeniable evidence that you've made a mark on pop culture as we saw in 1993's "National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1" and more recently in 2007's "Hot Fuzz". So, let's reminisce about the days when you never heard a bad word about Mel Gibson.

"Lethal Weapon"(1987)
Mel Gibson was 31 years old and already well known to audiences thanks to the "Mad Max" trilogy and a handful of well-reviewed dramas, but his future as a leading man was hardly certain because he still needed a major hit to justify all the hype he was getting in the mid-'80s(Max was always more of a cult figure and "Beyond Thunderdome" underperformed in '85). The Aussie hunk didn't need to look any further than Shane Black's script about an odd couple pair of LAPD detectives. Mel's trademark wild-eyed intensity was on full display as reckless, suicidal cop Martin Riggs who lives on the ragged edge. He absolutely nailed this role with a combination of edginess and humor that's rarely seen and it should have landed him an Oscar nomination. Director Richard Donner("Superman", "The Goonies") made sure that we cared just as much about his partner, the older, cautious Roger Murtaugh, memorably portrayed by sturdy stage vet Danny Glover, who very much wants to get home to his loving family every day in one piece. When you leave your desk to run around the city trying to shut down a big-time heroin smuggling ring led by a psycho ex-mercenary played by Gary Busey, that's never a sure thing.

   The tone of the series lightened considerably in later installments, but "LW1" remains a dark, gripping thriller and simply the finest example of the genre. No, it wasn't the first buddy cop movie. Just the best.

"Lethal Weapon 2"(1989)
The old rule was that sequels have to be bigger, badder and better. Don't even bother with an encore if you can't top what we saw last time. Donner and company were up for the challenge and delivered the goods which included a toilet rigged with explosives for anyone that still wasn't convinced. Slick, fast paced and ultra-violent, this is what action cinema was all about before everything got watered down.

   When some vile South African businessmen arrive in town and start abusing their diplomatic immunity, there's only two guys that can stop them. Joe Pesci provides some laughs and assistance as hyperactive federal witness Leo Getz, while Riggs finds time for romance with lovely blonde babe Patsy Kensit. It doesn't last long, though. She gets killed and Riggs goes ballistic in the rip-roaring climax that originally had him dying from those multiple gunshot wounds at the bottom of that ship. Warner Bros executives forced a rewrite(and Black's departure from the proceedings) and their commercial instincts were correct. "LW2" more than doubled the box office take of the first film(a rarity in those days) and a franchise was officially born.

"Lethal Weapon 3"(1992)
More chaos and mayhem as Riggs and a soon-to-be-retired Murtaugh must stop a lunatic ex-cop(Stuart Wilson) and his L.A gunrunning operation. While not on the same level as the first two, the Gibson-Glover chemistry is still firmly intact and there are plenty of good moments. A tense opening has the boys trying(and failing) to diffuse a bomb in an underground parking garage, Riggs compares scars with his new love interest, tough-as-nails policewoman Lorna Cole(Rene Russo in her breakout role) and the final shootout in a burning housing development may be the best in the series. Joe Pesci turns up for no other reason than the fact that he was very popular at this time. After "Goodfellas", "Home Alone" and "My Cousin Vinny", there surely would've been complaints if Leo hadn't resurfaced and these movies were all about giving the people what they want.

   "LW3" only made a hair less than "2" and was the second biggest blockbuster in the summer of '92 (behind "Batman Returns" respectively). Moviegoers clearly hadn't had enough yet and Mel came away with the power to make any movie he wanted but he couldn't resist another lucrative go around with his "Lethal" family.

"Lethal Weapon 4"(1998)
One of the great things about these films is the strong feeling of continuity. The whole extended cast of characters is present and accounted for and that's impressive for a series that went this long. Was the franchise showing signs of age? Yeah, but our affection for Riggs and Murtaugh goes a long way. These guys are like old friends to the audience by this point and I didn't mind spending another two hours with them. Chris Rock stalls the action occasionally to do some of his shtick as a motor mouthed detective with a secret that Roger won't like, but Donner delivers the thrills with another explosive opening and a wild freeway chase. Jet Li steals the show as the lead villain, a truly lethal martial arts enforcer for the Triad which leads to one of my favorite scenes in all four films- Riggs and Murtaugh trying to decide if they should take one last deadly chance and fight him. They do, of course, in a bloody, brutal, rain-soaked battle that eclipses Riggs' scrape with Busey in the original.

   Donner brings the story full circle and provides some nice closure that should satisfy longtime fans. "LW" may not have the awards or the same reverence as some other cinematic sagas, but for pure entertainment, the number one reason we watch movies, this duo is hard to beat. Accept no substitutes.