(Note. As with all my other Lethal Weapon reviews, possible spoilers contained)

The original Lethal Weapon was one of the best action movies of all time. Lethal Weapon 2 was just as good. Lethal Weapon 3, while a step down, was still very enjoyable.

Now we have Lethal Weapon 4. This one, while still fun is definitely the weakest film in the series.

The first two Lethal Weapon films had a good abundance of action, comedy and human drama. The third one showed signs that the emphasis was shifting more toward the action and comedy. With 4 the emphasis is definitely more on the comedy. And this time much of the comedy is geared more toward the slapstick.

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover return as LAPD cops Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh. They still have the same chemistry. Joe Pesci also returns as Leo Getz, although all he really does is recycle the same schtick he did in 2 and 3.

There are some changes. Riggs, the tough guy, shows signs that he may be settling down some. He will soon be a father to a baby of Internal Affairs investigator Lorna Cole (Rene Russo). Meanwhile Murtaugh's daughter Rianne is pregnant by new cop Lee Butters (Chris Rock) although Murtaugh doesn't know this so he doesn't understand why Butters is buddying up to him. Also because of all the things they have demolished and the massive insurance rates the LAPD is facing as a result, Riggs and Murtaugh are both promoted to captain so the department can keep them off the streets. Of course that still doesn't stop our boys from trashing cars and buildings in a quest for justice.

The action kicks in when Riggs and Murtaugh stumble on to a smuggling operation by a Chinese triad. The triad is smuggling people into the United States to use as slave labor so they can buy off the release of the "Four Fathers" (4 master criminals). The villains are led by Jet (no his father isn't as bold as a sgt major) Li, who is a better villain than Stuart Wilson in Lethal Weapon 3. While he doesn't have the vileness of the villains in the first two he is a more formidable foe for Riggs. His martial arts skills are superior to Riggs's.

Lethal Weapon 4, while an enjoyable movie, is definitely a minor step down from LW3 and a major step down from LW and LW2. The main drawback is that it really exists for no other purpose other than to bring the characters back for one more round. While it is fun to have them back on the screen, the fact that the filmmakers aimed lower with this one shows quite clearly, making it the weakest film in the series.

Lethal Weapon 4 is a pretty enjoyable movie overall and would be enjoyed by anyone who liked the first three. However it also indicates that the formula has more or less worn out its welcome. So I sighed with relief when both Mel Gibson and Danny Glover went on record not long after LW4s release to say that it would be the last in the series.





Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS