Lethal Weapon 4 *** (1998, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock, Jet Li) – Classic Movie Review 2,658

Gibson and Danny Glover return as rogue LAPD cops Riggs and Murtaugh, and reunite with Joe Pesci and Rene Russo for Richard Donner’s 1998 film Lethal Weapon 4, the fourth rumbustious buddy action thriller about cops on the trail of violent villains. 

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover return as rogue LAPD officers Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh. and reunite with Joe Pesci and Rene Russo for director Richard Donner’s 1998 film Lethal Weapon 4, the fourth rumbustious buddy police action thriller about cops on the trail of violent villains. Slightly surprisingly, it was the end of the road for Riggs and Murtaugh as it turned out to be the final instalment in the series.

It provides more of exactly the same – just as the fans want. But it is done with quite a bit more verve and conviction than the somewhat struggling Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) or Lethal Weapon 3 (1992).

This time the still-crazy Riggs and the level-headed Murtaugh must a deadly Chinese crime lord trying to get his brother out of prison, try to evade the bloodthirsty mercenaries sent by the Chinese Triads who have put them on their hit list, while trying to end their slave trade and counterfeit businesses.

On the personal front, Riggs’s pregnant girlfriend Lorna Cole (Russo) considers marrying him. Pesci returns as the bent accountant Leo Getz and Chris Rock joins the team as a new cop (and Glover’s son-in-law), Detective Lee Butters. But it is Jet Li who is the film’s major asset as the head assassin Wah Sing Ku, providing a shot in the arm for the series.

Lethal Weapon 4 was not considered a runaway financial success like the previous three films, but it still took a whopping $285 million in total on a $100 million budget and was among the top ten grossing films of its year.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2,658

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