Lethal Weapon 4 - Zwei Profis räumen auf

Talking about the other films for a minute, while not perfect, the first film is very good and one of the best buddy-cop films there is (important to the development of them too). 'Lethal Weapon 2' was almost as good, and while 'Lethal Weapon 3' was a little disappointing it was still fun.

Which is pretty much the same personal opinion for 'Lethal Weapon 4', though a slight improvement over the third. Like the third film, its weak link is the story, except it's even messier than that and sometimes has a going through the motions, tame feel, especially when one can't help comparing to the first two. It also could have done with having less going on and less characters, it did feel over-stuffed and muddled.

'Lethal Weapon 4's' script is also the weakest in this component of the series. Not awful, as some of it is very funny and still intrigues, but there seemed to be too much of an emphasis on sentimentality and especially humour. The humour works better, because there are actually some funny moments like the dentist scene and the fried rice line but there were other parts where it was overdone. The sentimentality really doesn't work, am aware it's for character development but it was done in a very mawkish and under-cooked way and felt really odds and tacked on with the rest of the film.

Was mixed on Chris Rock. Was expecting him to be a disaster and be completely out of place. The good news is that he is a little better than expected, there are times where he is amusing and has some good lines and moments with the rest of the cast. Not so good is that he featured in the film too heavily and some of Rock's shtick is overdone and annoying, when you already have Joe Pesci as a motor-mouth it feels overkill.

However, the way 'Lethal Weapon 4' is shot and designed screams slick and stylish while Richard Donner once again directs with an assured hand. The score is atmospheric and groovy.

Parts of the script doe entertain hugely and crackle in wit and tension, especially the aforementioned moments.

Once again, the action is slick and bursts with excitement and tension, with terrific stunts and the sheer scale of them being worthy of huge admiration. The freeway scene and Jet Li's final fight are two of the series' best action sequences It is very easy to see why the chalk and cheese chemistry of the polar opposite characters of Riggs and Murtaugh became so popular, very rarely in a buddy-cop film has this kind of chemistry been so entertaining and perfectly pitched.

Mel Gibson continues to excel in a performance as witty and intense has before. Danny Glover gives Murtaugh the right amount of spirit, subtlety and no-nonsense attitude.

Joe Pesci, despite the character being a thrown-in plot device, is closer to the funny character he was in the second and not the irritating one in the third. Rene Russo's role is not as fresh and fairly side-lined but she is a lovely presence. While underused, Jet Li is a calmly sinister villain with some truly indestructibly awesome fighting skills, for me the second best overall villain of the series after Gary Busey in the original.

In summary, fun if not blowing the mind. Doesn't see the series going out with a bang, but a long way from a whimper despite a few sizeable flaws threatening to make it so. 7/10 Bethany Cox

It is extremely rare for the fourth film in a series to be just as good as it's three predecessors. Lethal Weapon 4 was awesome.

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover had no trouble recreating the magic from the first three films. The humour was there, the action was there and the chemistry between them was there. Joe Pesci was back as Leo Getz.

Lethal Weapon 3 was released in 1992, Lethal Weapon 4 was released in 1998. Six years had passed yet none of the actors or production staff involved in Lethal Weapon 4 had any problem in making a great movie.

The action throughout is brilliant (are real American policemen as mad as Riggs and Murtaugh?). And of course the humour is there; particularly the beginning of the movie where Murtaugh (Danny Glover) strips down to his underwear in the rain and acts like a chicken in order to distract the bad guy. There are other humorous scenes throughout and a great plot too.

Roll on Lethal Weapon 5.

This movie is the end of a series which spanned almost two decades.

This time around Riggs (Gibson) is facing three very personal problems. 1) Age is catching up to him, 2) his g/f is pregnant and he's facing being a daddy, and 3) he's facing the dilemma of wanting to remarry. Also, Murtaugh (Glover) is about to be a grand-daddy to a baby by his oldest daughter, and she is secretly married to Detective Butters (Chris Rock), which everyone is keeping a secret from him.

Add to this the fact that both they are now taking on one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the world, the Chinese Triads, in an effort to stop slave trading and money laundering. The task of a bad guy this time goes to Jet Li, who made his American debut (atleast from an American Film Company) in this movie. Yes, this is the movie which launched him here in the states, and he deserved it.

This movie is as good as the rest of them, though nothing beats part 2 in my opinion. Lethal Weapon 4 really hits home on a lot of subjects, such as facing responsibility, to coming to terms with who you are. And it ended the series in a way that makes you smile and love it even more.

I give it a 9 out of 10.

Lethal Weapon 4 is an incredible 4th installment and imporves over it's predecessor. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are incredible once again with perfect chemistry. The humour is extremely funny and Chris Rock is definitely a welcome addition. Jet Li is a great villain. Richard Donner's direction is great as usual, resulting in some of the biggest and most enjoyable action sequences in the franchise yet. As with the previous installments, the music by Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton and David Sandborn is really good. It even has a surprisingly strong emotional ending. However, it does follow the formula of previous installments, giving it some predictable moments.

OK... so the language is gratuitous. Just having Chris Rock on set put it over the top. But his acting aside, I thought this was a worthy addition to one of the best cop/buddy series around. It was enjoyable to see the characters we love deal with the inevitabilities of aging and the fierce loyalty of friendship. Some of the mystery is gone and it feels like a pair of comfortable shoes. But aren't those shoes your favorite ones? It was interesting to see the development of Lorna and Riggs' relationship, as well as the growing up of the Murtaugh kids. It makes you feel like you're catching up with old friends at a reunion! Plenty of action and the incredible work of Jet Li make this movie a favorite at my house. Overall, a great wrap-up to the series and a lot of fun for long time fans. Worth seeing! If the language is a real issue, watch for it on TNT and enjoy the edited version.