L'arme fatale

I've seen Lethal Weapon over 100 times and it just keeps getting better! Mel Gibson plays a crazed cop who teams up with a family cop (Danny Glover). At first, they can't stand each other, but as the movie rolls along, they end up with this type of bond. I'm sure that most people or everyone has seen this wonderful movie. It has plenty of action and violence. I love the chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. And who could forget, Gary Busey, Mr. Joshua, a VERY fitting role for the wonderful actor. He couldn't have been replaced for that role. No one could have done a better job than Busey. Go Gary! I love the end! One of the best fitting scenes in film history. I also admire Gibson and Busey doing their own stunts, and studying martial arts, just to make 4 nights of filming a cult fighting scene for this excellent movie. This one is definitely a winner! If you haven't seen this superb film, then I STRONGLY recommend that you do! Great film!

One more year until Die Hard that set all the clichés for future action pics. Until then, you'll just have to settle for Lethal Weapon, the movie that set the buddy-cop clichés. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

What a fantastically realistic, original and fun movie the original Lethal Weapon movie was. In addition, it broke barriers by adding a lot of subliminal "Can't we all just get along" messages. Some less obvious than others and some in your face, like making the two "opposite cop partners" white and black. (Later in the series, they shove "Save the Dolphin" messages down our throats.) Still reeling in his wife's untimely demise, excellent/top notch/Jack Bauer Detective Riggs (Gibson) is suicidal, a la a "lethal weapon" and is teamed with over-the-hill Murtaugh (Glover) to solve a case involving someone in Murtaugh's war-laced past. They don't get along, have totally different personalities and must learn to work together for their common goal: justice. By means of…fists and gunpowder, for the most part.

A lot of this sounds eerily familiar and predictable. And it is…for someone watching this for the first time today. But, again, this is the movie that set the standards. You'll have to thank this movie for the countless, and I mean countless, like in the hundreds, of rip-offs. Thankfully, this beginning of the "new age" buddy movie was very well done, but not without its flaws.

It is said that the majority (if not all) of the Lethal Weapon films are improv'ed. Sure, they had somewhat of a script, but for the most part, the actors just did there thing. 90% of the time, it worked. When it didn't, it was slow and a little bit too realistic, like you were watching a dysfunctional family or cop partners on TruTV. Thankfully, that was only 10%.

My parents took me to Lethal Weapon 2 in 1989. I was 14 and was allowed in due to being accompanied by adults. I had yet to see the original for years to come. I fell madly in love with part two. Unfortunately, once I was able to see this, I was disappointed as it was not as action-packed or funny as part 2. That said, this is still worth watching. You will see excellent acting by Gibson, the iconic Busey of the 1980s and the origin of the buddy-cop movies to follow. Absolutely recommended.

I have watched Lethal Weapon dozens of times and it still entertains me like it originally did in 1987.

A good cop movie has to have the following ingredients; chemistry between it's stars, plenty of action, plenty of humour, action, car chases and a damn good villain.

American cops seemed to be stereotyped in movies. They always seem to be crazy and without any respect for their superiors. I hope they're not like that in real life but it's perfect for a movie.

It's great seeing Riggs and Murtaugh become good buddies by the end of the movie. I like cop films like that.

The really great thing about Lethal Weapon is the action. Riggs is crazy in this film-I wouldn't want to meet a cop like him. Riggs and Murtaugh are opposites but they say opposites attract. Riggs is mad and Murtaugh is sane. Together they spell bad news for the bad guys.

I would also like to give credit to Gary Busey who never disappoints when it comes to playing a villain (or indeed any other part).

Great movie!

LETHAL WEAPON (1987) ***1/2 Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mitchell Ryan, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe. One of the best action/comedy/buddy films of all time with Gibson as suicidal loose cannon maverick cop Martin Riggs mismatched with partner Roger Murtaugh (Glover in one great comic role), who is constantly reminded of his age and the danger he's constantly in: solving a drug-linked homicide of Murtaugh's friend's daughter. Busey is memorable as an albino mercenary, Mr. Joshua, unsusceptible to pain. Some great stunts and lots of thrills thanks to helmsman Richard Donner (who also directed the sequels).

This movie is an onslaught of action; beginning with the opening scene death to the captivating end, it's a bombardment of epic scenes and high emotions. The plot is okay but what definitively stands out is Mel Gibson's performance.

From start to finish, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) makes you feel excited just watching him. Whether it's with his psychotic bouts, unique demeanour or deep moments, his presence adds an energy to this movie that makes it both fun and insane (in a good way). His quality acting in Lethal Weapon is surely some of the best in cinema.

Besides the amazing casting, the overall story is mediocre. In this film, though, it's the acting that makes it special. There are so many aspects to entertainment, and Lethal Weapon hit the mark with Mel as the lead.