Lethal Weapon Is One Of The Best Action Movies Of The 1980s. Richard Donner’s 1987 Classic Has Great Characters, Plenty Of Action And A Perfect Mix Of Crime, Comedy And Buddy Cop Chemistry.
Lethal Weapon Is One Of The Best Action Movies Of The 1980s. Richard Donner’s 1987 Classic Has Great Characters, Plenty Of Action And A Perfect Mix Of Crime, Comedy And Buddy Cop Chemistry.
Lethal Weapon is one of those movies that basically defined the buddy cop genre. It has everything you want from an 1980s action movie, including explosions, gunfights, criminals, car chases and plenty of comedy, but what really makes it work is the relationship between its two completely different main characters.
Mel Gibson stars as Martin Riggs, a Los Angeles police detective who is dealing with some serious personal problems after the death of his wife. Riggs is reckless, unpredictable and seemingly has no concern for his own safety. Gibson brings a wild energy to the character that immediately makes him interesting.
Danny Glover plays Roger Murtaugh, a veteran detective who is almost the complete opposite of Riggs. Murtaugh is older, married, has children and is thinking about retirement. He wants to do his job and get home safely, which becomes considerably more difficult once he is partnered with Riggs.
The chemistry between Gibson and Glover is really the heart of the movie. They argue, annoy each other and approach police work in completely different ways, but you can slowly see the friendship developing. That is what separates Lethal Weapon from a lot of other action movies. The characters actually matter.
The story begins when Murtaugh is assigned to investigate the apparent suicide of a young woman. Riggs gets involved with the case and eventually becomes Murtaugh’s new partner. Their investigation leads them into a much larger criminal operation involving drugs, former military personnel and a dangerous group of criminals.
Gary Busey is fantastic as Mr. Joshua, the main villain. He gives the character a strange and unpredictable personality that makes him feel genuinely dangerous. Busey has always been capable of bringing a certain intensity to his roles, and Mr. Joshua is one of his most memorable performances.
The supporting cast is strong as well. Mitchell Ryan plays General Peter McAllister, while Tom Atkins plays Michael Hunsaker. Darlene Love plays Murtaugh’s wife Trish, and Damon Wayans plays Murtaugh’s son. These characters help make Murtaugh’s life outside the police department feel like an important part of the story.
Richard Donner directed the movie, and his direction is a huge part of why it works so well. Donner knew how to handle action, but he also understood that the quieter scenes between the characters were just as important. The movie can go from a funny conversation to a violent shootout without either side feeling out of place.
And the comedy is a huge part of the appeal. Lethal Weapon is definitely an action movie, but there are funny moments throughout the entire film. A lot of the humor comes from Riggs and Murtaugh constantly getting on each other’s nerves, with Riggs being completely unpredictable and Murtaugh repeatedly wondering what he has gotten himself into.
The movie also does a great job giving Riggs some emotional depth. He is not simply the crazy cop who does dangerous things. His behavior is connected to the loss of his wife and the depression that follows it. Murtaugh slowly realizes that Riggs is not just reckless. He is a guy who has lost his reason to care about what happens to him.
That gives the movie an emotional side that many action comedies do not have. There are plenty of jokes, but the movie also takes Riggs’ situation seriously. The friendship between the two detectives eventually becomes something that helps both of them.
The action is still fantastic. The shootouts, car chases, explosions and fights all have that classic 1980s style, but Donner keeps the action connected to the characters and story. The final confrontation between Riggs and Mr. Joshua is especially memorable because it becomes a brutal fight between two men who are both completely willing to take things to the limit.
What makes Lethal Weapon so good is the balance. It is funny without becoming a comedy, serious without becoming depressing and action packed without turning into nothing but explosions. Gibson and Glover make the movie work because their personalities are so different, yet they somehow fit together perfectly.
It is also easy to see why the movie became such a massive success and eventually turned into a franchise. The formula was simple, but it was executed extremely well. Put two completely different cops together, give them a dangerous case and let their personalities create the entertainment.
For me, Lethal Weapon is one of those movies that still holds up because the characters are more memorable than the action. You can take away the explosions and gunfights and still have an entertaining movie about two cops who slowly become friends.
That is the real reason Lethal Weapon became a classic. Richard Donner put together a fantastic cast, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover created one of the greatest buddy cop partnerships in movie history, and the combination of action, drama and comedy is almost impossible to beat. It is exactly the kind of 1980s movie that Hollywood was making at its best.