Wait! 1, 2, 3 Then Go, or Go On 3?
I loved the Lethal Weapon movie series, directed by Richard Donner, who co-produced with Joel Silver. For the uninitiated, Passion of the Christ director Mel Gibson plays troubled widower and sergeant detective Martin Riggs, newly partnered with, to the fear and chagrin of said latter cop, The Color Purple’s Roger Murtaugh, played by veteran Danny Glover.
Murtaugh is not far from planned retirement, and being thrown in with Riggs could jeopardize his family’s security if Riggs gets him killed in some careless or suicidal attempt to apprehend crooks. Despite this, a strong friendship develops between the two, and they help each other grow in positive ways.
Murtaugh’s loving family figure throughout all the films, well-portrayed by Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Damon Hines and Ebonie Smith. The cops in the series include portrayals by Steve Kahan as the put-upon captain, Mary Ellen Trainor as the overly-concerned police psychiatrist, with Jeannette Goldstein, Nestor Serrano and Grand L. Bush among others.
In Lethal Weapon, a rather dark tale of drug-dealers is told, with Gary Busey, Mitchell Ryan and Tom Atkins co-starring. A prostitute dies from a fatal overdose, sadly and ironically to a Holiday tune. Murtaugh and Riggs have to find out who’s selling deadly drugs before more people die.
In the still dark sequel, South African Arjen Rudd and his henchmen are smuggling Krugerrands. Our guys stumble on the loot in a bust gone wrong, and actor Joe Pesci as Leo Goetz lends comic relief as an accountant in witness protection the boys must guard. Patsy Kensit as Rika van den Hass provides a bright, pretty love interest for Riggs.
The third film brightens a bit and adds Rene Russo as tough and lovely female cop, Lorna Cole, more than a match for Martin Riggs. Pesci returns, and the quartet battle bad guys who’ve infiltrated police secrets in their misdoings. Things get rough for our crew at the end and there’s a near cliff-hanger. I loved it at age 25, but the critics did not.
As to some of the printable humor, Riggs’ jokingly referred to his two love interests as Rita van Häagen-Dazs and Lorna Doone, naive and insecure Leo Goetz’ doctor assures him he’ll get the real medicine (“…the other guys I just give Tic-Tacs.”), & Riggs manages to make friends with a vicious guard dog by sharing his dog biscuits with the later docile Rottweiler.
I don’t recall too much about Lethal Weapon 4. Maybe I was weary of the series, but I don’t believe I saw it more than once. Chris Rock joins the gang for still more comic relief, and Jet Li plays the bad guy. I’d like to go back and watch LW4 again, and have also heard that a LW5 is being talked about, but maybe the “four musketeers” were enough…
Wait! 1, 2, 3 and Go, or Go On 3?
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