Fun fact: Director Richard Donner frequentely told Mel Gibson and Garry Busey that the other kept eating the last waffle to add tension beetween the two characters.That's a true story.
woah. those two crazy bastards fighting over a waffle is a terrifying idea. they've only got crazier as the years have passed - I reckon it would end in tears if it happened today. My moneys on Mel.
When Riggs asks murtaugh about why his friend says “you owe me” murtaugh says “1965 ia drang valley” he’s referring to the battle at lz xray. The interesting part is that Mel Gibson ended up starring in the movie about this exact battle made 15 years later in “we were soldiers”
Samuel Martin I was the same way as a kid in 1990s I liked Lethal Weapon 3 and 4 but now think they are the most boring and definitely a big fan of the first 2 Lethal Weapon movies along with other 80s and 90’s action movies from the classic action stars like Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Willis and Gibson among others.
Lethal Weapon for sure. It’s a forgotten Christmas classic🎄I try to watch that every year instead of Die Hard. I tried watching part 2 not too long ago. It has its charm, but sometimes Riggs takes it too far with the jokes and craziness. Especially in the beginning, when it opens to Riggs just screaming like maniac all excited for nothing during a car chase. I always roll my eyes so hard at that scene 🙄
@@TheSolfilm I can see why u were bored with LW3 but it wasn't boring for me. Joe Pesci returning as Leo Getz with his loud mouth and the explosion in the first scene of the movie with Gibson debating about what color wire to cut and the armored car chase right after that scene...I mean come on...none of 3 bored me for a second and not even LW4 with Jet Li as the new and final main villain in the franchise.
I love all 4 films! I don't care how much people hate on either one of them or even a scene in either one...that's there opinion. I actually saw LW4 in theaters in 1998 and that was one of the best experiences ever! Jet Li as the main villian beating the shit out Gibson and Glover throughout the film kind of cracked me up in a way. I love the final fight scene when it's pouring rain and there both fighting him. Gibson needed help killing Jet Li where as he basically fought the main villian in the previous films himself. As the LW4 trailer says Jet Li is the new main villain causing them 4 times more trouble.
Just like Alien (1979) and Die Hard (1988), Lethal Weapon inspired a ton of copycat movies. LW will always be a cult classic. To be honest, I love all 4 films in this series. I re-watch them every single year
This movie is legit the definitive buddy cop movie. It blends action with comedy so good, I literally can't breath at times because I'm laughing so hard.
I laughed my ass off at the scene when Riggs is on the roof of a building with a guy who has an Egon from Ghost busters looking hairstyle with the tall hair and who has a similar life style as he does with being suicidal, hurt and alone and Riggs just loses his shit later in the scene and grabs him by his shirt and says "DO U REALLY WANNA JUMP..DO YA WANNA..WELL THEN THAT'S FINE WITH ME!" Cracks me up everytime.
When Gibson is considering killing himself but puts the gun down and makes this hopeless, guttural moan because he knows he'll have to live with his pain is some of the finest acting I've ever seen. Oh and the rapping too. "My name is Roger, a heeba hooba habba". That's fire right there. EDIT: Oh, you mentioned the scene. Good on you. Great video as always.
You are so right. You really felt his anguish and pain. Gibbo might be mad in real life, but you can’t argue with his acting. I love his final line lines to Roger and Roger’s response at the door. A beautiful way to say they had come full circle with each other.
As a Christmas movie, Lethal Weapon is often compared to Die Hard, of course. And it makes some sense, they both feature Christmas and are set during Christmas. But it can be argued that Lethal Weapon is much better suited as a Christmas movie. Here's why: Die Hard is an intense, very suspense-ful action thriller simply set in a Christmas setting. Lethal Weapon, on the other hand, feature themes of friendship, family, broken hearts and loneliness as prominently as the chase of the action itself. It's about broken people coming together and fixing and saving each other, while also alluding to other relationships of a romantic or familial nature for these 2 guys. If you want a movie about coming together without actually being a preachy, cheesy Christmas movie, Lethal Weapon is the one to go for. Also, Merry Christmas to you all, my dudes!
Loved your comment. Nothing like movies about friendship. Except for actual friendship, the real thing (if it exists, meh). Though you can't do "this shit" with your friends irl, usually 😏 we're too old(?) for this... Merry quarantines!
Bit of trivia, the UFC famous family of the Gracies who brought to the fighting world the style of Brazilian Jujitsu were part of the choreographers of the end fight between Joshua and Riggs.
Being a martial artist myself, I always enjoyed seeing Riggs use Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the fight with Mr. Joshua. It is thrilling to see these techniques years before they gained popularity from Royce Gracie's UFC fights. Michael Kamen really hit a home run with his score for Lethal Weapon. I can see why he worked on so many other action movies following his work on this film.
Im 38. My dad who passed away in February, sat my brother and I down every Friday night when we were kids and hed have a stack of VHS tapes from the video store. I saw this and all the classics like that. Thanks for these Oliver, makes me think of my old man. I remember watching Full Metal Jacket with him when I was 9 . Lol
I’m 41, and I lost my dad in 2014. We had a similar ritual in our house. My old man would take me to the movies on a regular basis. The earliest experience was Wrath of Khan when I was just 2 years old, unfortunately he didn’t get to finish the movie because I got really really sick. I’m sorry for your loss, but it’s the good memories that were made watching movies with him that you can look back on.
With the MacCallister family in there, I like to think this is a shared universe with Home Alone. They could afford that nice house with the millions the family made from heroin.
There should be a movie where Mel Gibson acts as grumpy old cop and Macaulay Culkin is his new partner. They would investigate wetbandits who have killed one of the ghostbusters while raiding his house.
Joe pesci is the link.I like it twin brothers both involved in crime Leo geets aka Leo Lime the money launderer the much more intelligent twin brother of Harry lime unsuccessful house burgular.
@@markstiburski8924 That actually makes sense, since "Leo Getz" is an obvious alias. He could easily have changed it after getting out of prison and splitting with his brother after a burglary gone wrong. Now I feel kind of sad for Harry really. Marv might be a substitute for the brother he never speaks to anymore :'(
@Oliver Harper: This was one my late father's favorite film series, as he and I would often watch all 4 "Lethal Weapon" movies back-to-back before he passed (he died from cancer almost 13-years ago)
Ruben Aerts yes sir, Royce and Rorion Gracie helped out. There was no UFC at this time but still cool that they helped out. Google Gracie Lethal Weapon, there’s pictures of them with Mel and Gary on set for that scene.
While this movie is set around Christmas, it has none of it's themes like say, Die Hard which is all about Christmas in music, themes and how it resolves its conflict (such as the main character learning what family and fellowship means, fights off greed/Hans Gruber, overcomes his fears and learns to let go).
nolan palmer Far better explanation than I usually see. Still kind of generic scriptwriting, but I suppose we should be glad that it wasn’t handled in a saccharine manner, like in Home Alone and many others. Was there a similar fear of that for Willis (Moonlighting), a la Michael Keaton from Mr. Mom being cast as Batman? Anyway, Die Hard 2 deserves more credit for its winter/Christmas themes, as the dangers are not only made part of the plot with the winter weather conditions, but gives us some creative kills, like the icicle to the eye...
@@drakenfist Die hard isn't a christmas movie either. Just beacuse they use christmas songs doesn't make it a christmas movie either. Just like Lethal weapon it's not a christmas themed movie. It could have taken place at any time.
@@basquat76 Did you not read my whole comment?. Everything in that film is about Christmas. You take away the setting and you take away the film. Why is there?. Because it is Christmas eve and he is there to see his wife who he hardly see's. They aren't on the best of terms. The entire plot of the film, terrorists trying steal bonds from the plaza. Is all about greed. Then there is cop that helps John and he has regrets over accidentally killing a kid. Through fighting greed, they both learn to overcome their problems, forgive others and celebrate christmas, free of their own burdens. All the themes are there. You take away christmas and it would make no sense. Die Hard is a christmas movie through and through.
Another option for Christmas is a lesser known movie called The Long Kiss Goodnight. While it is not a Christmas movie, it is as much as Lethal Weapon or Die Hard.
The fight with Riggs drunk in the bar is my favorite deleted scene. He knocks one out and snaps anothers arm in just a few seconds and asks "We done?" Wish it had made the film.
Perfect timing. Watched it this past weekend and still holds that excitement factor for me. Great review, Oliver. It never dawned on me at the time that the writer was Hawkins. Always a Xmas favorite
A little bit of trivia the film features Red Hot Chili Peppers Anthony Kiedis' father, hes one of the drug dealers with the Xmas trees and he's the absolute spit of his son too.
Is that the guy that Riggs headbutted in the face in that scene? Speaking of the headbutt...nobody can pull that move off in an action movie as well as Mel Gibson can. Danny Glover never headbutted and I think the best one is in LW4 when he headbutts Jet Li 3 times in a row during the final fight. U gotta admit the final fight at the end of LW4 was way bloodier than in the previous films with the main villain especially when Jet Li is choking the life out of Gibson and Glover stabs him in the back. One of the best movie theater experiences was going to see LW4.
As a child, I thought Lethal Weapon and Die Hard were part of one series, because Die Hard (difficult to translate into Czech) was called "Lethal Trap" in this country.
I believe the theory works if we pretend that _Predator 2_ is the "alternate _Lethal Weapon 3"_ if _LW2_ had instead stuck with the alternate ending where Riggs did die at the end. After the tanker-ship battle and Riggs dies, Murtaugh decided to make an oath to stay in the LAPD in Riggs' honor.
Same here. For me it goes 1,3,2, then 4. I was surprised when I revisited Lethal Weapon 2, some of the improv between Gibson and Glover seemed a bit much, or more noticeable than I remembered, in particular in the opening sequence. But I still liked the second one. However the fourth one I was disappointed honestly, the whole plot and feel of the movie, and by the end it just felt like a big reunion, taking a group picture and then going into an end credit scrapbook sequence of all the films.
This is why I love your retrospectives on some of my favorite films. I learned so much, and can look at this film I've seen dozens of times with a new perspective.
4 ปีที่แล้ว +1
I stole away from middle school in Chula Vista to the vogue theater to watch this back in the day. Worth the detention at school for me.
3:58 It's hard to call *48 HRS.* a buddy-cop film (technically) because it has only ONE cop ☝ but nevertheless has the tone and feel of one and the chemistry of Nolte and Murphy is UNDENIABLE 👍👍 *Running Scared* is an often overlooked gem that needs WAY MORE respect (oh, please do a review of this one 🙏)
You know, I can think of two other 80s Christmas action movies. First Blood, and The Terminator. I cannot believe it's a coincidence that the first installment of nearly every big 80s action franchise is also a Christmas movie.
Your reviews are very thorough, and excellent. Can tell you are definitely a film appreciator/enthusiast. Like how you even discussed the music from the trailer, indeed it's quite good, and memorable.
My aunt (who's only 7 years older than me) is a huge fan of this movie (and Mel Gibson). She owned it on VHS in the late 80s/early 90s and it was on quite a few times during vacations and holidays when I stayed at my grandparent's house, so I'm very familiar with this movie. I've seen it a lot and it's fun to revisit it once in a while. Definitely one of my fave 80s movies! 🙂
Yes!!! God I love these retrospective reviews. I love the amount of information you always have in them. Not just the film itself but the games and soundtracks. These are one of my favorite series on all ofTH-cam. I have watched them all atleast 3 times apiece since discovering them. THANK YOU for this christmas present. Merry christmas and keep up the good work.
One of the OG "cop buddy flicks" I view this as second only to the original 48 hours. Gibson and Glover were a great paring and tho every single sequel would be worse they were all at least fun. This original film however is a gem and still holds up terrific to this day and THANK GOD (at least so far has not been remade and no I am not counting the TV show)
One of the very few movie franchises where each instalment are well worth viewing. And the music, my God... I absolutely love, loveeeeeeeee the music in these classics. So stylish, so cool.
My absolutely favorite film series... my father introduced me to... and we still watch it to this day. Also really amazing and underrated fight scenes and an early film that utilized Gracie Jiu-Jitsu techniques (with Royce Gracie as a technical advisor) for Mel Gibsons fighting style. With Rorion Gracie appearing in lethal weapon 3! Fantastic action and a fantastic film series. Classic... also a film that deeply inspired me to pursue a career in law enforcement.
Awesome review Ollie, you always show films in such a positive and brilliant way. Everything's bang on like the intro and the music throughout. I bloody love the Lethal Weapon films, like so many retro films, it's timeless. It's great how Mel Gibson and Danny Glover had such a chemistry, it really shows. Michael Kamen's music is proper magic just like his Die Hard score. I got the score for the 3rd film and the track called Lorna / Quiet Night By The Fire is my favourite, it's warm, lovely and cosy. I don't feel that Lethal Weapon's Christmasy regardless of it being set at that time, Die Hard though definitely is. Have a very happy Christmas everyone.
20:47 Did Amanda Hunsaker have a twin sister? I know Michael Hunsaker (Tom Atkins) mentions having another another daughter to Roger when he is coming clean about the heroin operation. What this something that may have been mentioned in the original script? BTW, another excellent review. I'm only a couple of years older than you and I can tell you they used to play this film all the time on HBO or Showtime or one of those premium stations. I was probably too young to be watching this movie but that didn't stop me from watching it when my parents went to bed late at night. The same can be said for Terminator, Red Dawn, Platoon, Aliens, 48 Hours, etc..... Also, I agree that The Nice Guys was *VERY* underrated and didn't get the attention it so rightly deserved. It is quickly becoming one of those films that whenever it is on TV (not matter at what part) I am compelled to watch to the end.
When did u sneak this Retro out Ollie? lol I thought you would be away for a while editing your documentary that I cant wait to buy. You are a machine mate :) Great Retro, love this movie. Going to watch it tonight after watching this. Great work as always dude.
Lethal Weapon could be my favourite film of all time.I had a fixation with guns as a kid(toy ones,thankfully) and it was LW that was largely responsible due to it going into heavy detail with Rigg’s beretta.The story,actors and story influence me to this day and i still quote it almost daily
Concerning the Director's cut: It's funny because it's the version we had here in Europe (at least for the french and belgian market !!!) So, your Director's cut is in fact the Lethal Weapon cut we had in theaters and on all supports !
I love this series. Proves that characters (and the actors that play them) is key to a great film. Not explosions. This series and the friendship the leads have are the reasons I can never hate Mel Gibson no matter what he does.
Lethal Weapon 3, RIggs confronts a despondent Murtaugh and says: I have 3 beautiful children, they're yours. Playing the long game with the series worked really well and helps LW4 make more sense in a larger context.
Back in the late '80s, Lethal Weapon was part of a Warner Bros. VHS Crime Collection which also included Cobra, I The Jury, The Protector (Jackie Chan) and The Glitter Dome.
Man that Kamen and Clapton score was so epic, Freebie and the Bean is a seventies buddy cop comedy that was a similar type of movie before Lethal Weapon and quite a fun watch as well. Starring James Caan and Alan Arkin.
13:00 The jumper Riggs “talks down” off the roof was the same actor Max Rockatansky gave the handsaw so he could cut through the “high tensile steel” cuffs, or his leg.
And, no-one ever mentions the mirrored wedding pics, changing orientation. 'Victoria-Lynn' being on the left of the picture frame, throughout, and, during the suicide scene, being on the right of frame. Still my favourite film score, though ... bought two copies of the score(s) boxed-set, just to get the elusive, never released fourth score. Lost one in a move, but have one set, just above my eyeline, right now. Might give it a listen, shortly, actually
My best quote from an Lethal Weapon movie..Martin Riggs : "You're the only family I've got! I've got three beautiful kids, I love them, they're yours. Trish does my laundry, I live in your icebox, I live in your life! What am I gonna do? What am I supposed to do?"
@Oliver was brilliant to see your introspective intelligent take on this gem. Any chance of your series 7 and series 6 getting uploaded for your play list anytime soon good Sir?
Oh man Running Scared, the original, is probably the most overlooked buddy cop movie ever. Midnight Run is another really overlooked movie from the 80s.
hahaha one day ago i talked to a friend about lethal weapon. love the movie, love the franchise but the best thing to come from it is the loaded weapon movie. today i watch this and couldn't help cracking up about your mention of it ;))
For me the 'Buddy Cop' genesis was probably 1974's much forgotten but brilliant 'Freebie and the Bean' starring James Caan and Alan Arkin - this film obviously influenced Shane Black a lot and its such a shame its not better known or shown on TV very often.
The best thing to come out of these movies besides the movies themselves was the parody. Loaded Weapon 1 was brilliant, always hoped they would make a sequel to it. That movie was so dysfunctional is was hilarious.
Oh, how I love the 80's! Saxophone, mullet, sunglasses, mustaches, computers, heavy metal...! During the 90's everything great went slowly down the drain, and we still haven't fully recovered from that.
Fun fact: Director Richard Donner frequentely told Mel Gibson and Garry Busey that the other kept eating the last waffle to add tension beetween the two characters.That's a true story.
That. Is. Hilarious.😂
woah. those two crazy bastards fighting over a waffle is a terrifying idea. they've only got crazier as the years have passed - I reckon it would end in tears if it happened today. My moneys on Mel.
When Riggs asks murtaugh about why his friend says “you owe me” murtaugh says “1965 ia drang valley” he’s referring to the battle at lz xray. The interesting part is that Mel Gibson ended up starring in the movie about this exact battle made 15 years later in “we were soldiers”
Also in Lethal Weapon there is a mention of Air America which Mel Gibson starred in.
RIP Richard Donner. Not only he directed this brilliant buddy-cop film, he made us believe a man can fly with Superman.
His Superman is still the best . Still truest to the comic . I hope Mel Gibson sticks to Donner's style for #5 .
👍👍👍
Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2 are classics.
As a kid, I liked the 3 as well but I watched it months ago and.... mmm, yeah, I was bored !
Samuel Martin I was the same way as a kid in 1990s I liked Lethal Weapon 3 and 4 but now think they are the most boring and definitely a big fan of the first 2 Lethal Weapon movies along with other 80s and 90’s action movies from the classic action stars like Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Willis and Gibson among others.
Lethal Weapon for sure. It’s a forgotten Christmas classic🎄I try to watch that every year instead of Die Hard. I tried watching part 2 not too long ago. It has its charm, but sometimes Riggs takes it too far with the jokes and craziness. Especially in the beginning, when it opens to Riggs just screaming like maniac all excited for nothing during a car chase. I always roll my eyes so hard at that scene 🙄
@@TheSolfilm I can see why u were bored with LW3 but it wasn't boring for me. Joe Pesci returning as Leo Getz with his loud mouth and the explosion in the first scene of the movie with Gibson debating about what color wire to cut and the armored car chase right after that scene...I mean come on...none of 3 bored me for a second and not even LW4 with Jet Li as the new and final main villain in the franchise.
I love all 4 films! I don't care how much people hate on either one of them or even a scene in either one...that's there opinion. I actually saw LW4 in theaters in 1998 and that was one of the best experiences ever! Jet Li as the main villian beating the shit out Gibson and Glover throughout the film kind of cracked me up in a way. I love the final fight scene when it's pouring rain and there both fighting him. Gibson needed help killing Jet Li where as he basically fought the main villian in the previous films himself. As the LW4 trailer says Jet Li is the new main villain causing them 4 times more trouble.
I do love how they used the Sax for Murtaugh, and the guitar for Gibson.
The guitar sound explored Riggs' recklessness, and loneliness particularly in the attempted suicide scene in the trailer
Semiotics
Just like Alien (1979) and Die Hard (1988), Lethal Weapon inspired a ton of copycat movies. LW will always be a cult classic. To be honest, I love all 4 films in this series. I re-watch them every single year
irina1296 I don’t know if a movie that made $120 million in 1987 can really be called a “cult” classic.
@@Eletheo It isn't. Just like Die Hard isn't either.
@@Eletheo by your definition ET should be more popular since it made more than Star Wars. Box Office doesn't mean that it is not a cult classic.
A great series of action movies.
@@ruban8135 *Die Hard* actually didn't make over $100 million domestically
This movie is legit the definitive buddy cop movie. It blends action with comedy so good, I literally can't breath at times because I'm laughing so hard.
I laughed my ass off at the scene when Riggs is on the roof of a building with a guy who has an Egon from Ghost busters looking hairstyle with the tall hair and who has a similar life style as he does with being suicidal, hurt and alone and Riggs just loses his shit later in the scene and grabs him by his shirt and says "DO U REALLY WANNA JUMP..DO YA WANNA..WELL THEN THAT'S FINE WITH ME!" Cracks me up everytime.
When Gibson is considering killing himself but puts the gun down and makes this hopeless, guttural moan because he knows he'll have to live with his pain is some of the finest acting I've ever seen.
Oh and the rapping too. "My name is Roger, a heeba hooba habba". That's fire right there.
EDIT: Oh, you mentioned the scene. Good on you. Great video as always.
Flayne009 fun fact about that scene there was an actual bullet in that gun Gibson wanted the scene to be as realistic as possible
@@matteckert7945 Now that's method acting.
You are so right. You really felt his anguish and pain. Gibbo might be mad in real life, but you can’t argue with his acting. I love his final line lines to Roger and Roger’s response at the door. A beautiful way to say they had come full circle with each other.
As a Christmas movie, Lethal Weapon is often compared to Die Hard, of course. And it makes some sense, they both feature Christmas and are set during Christmas. But it can be argued that Lethal Weapon is much better suited as a Christmas movie. Here's why:
Die Hard is an intense, very suspense-ful action thriller simply set in a Christmas setting. Lethal Weapon, on the other hand, feature themes of friendship, family, broken hearts and loneliness as prominently as the chase of the action itself. It's about broken people coming together and fixing and saving each other, while also alluding to other relationships of a romantic or familial nature for these 2 guys. If you want a movie about coming together without actually being a preachy, cheesy Christmas movie, Lethal Weapon is the one to go for.
Also, Merry Christmas to you all, my dudes!
Loved your comment.
Nothing like movies about friendship. Except for actual friendship, the real thing (if it exists, meh). Though you can't do "this shit" with your friends irl, usually 😏 we're too old(?) for this...
Merry quarantines!
Bit of trivia, the UFC famous family of the Gracies who brought to the fighting world the style of Brazilian Jujitsu were part of the choreographers of the end fight between Joshua and Riggs.
Yes sir!! Riggs defeated Mr. Joshua with a triangle choke !!
Thats cool! Always enjoyed that fight, it seemed so different to other movie fights. That will be the Gracie!
Being a martial artist myself, I always enjoyed seeing Riggs use Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the fight with Mr. Joshua. It is thrilling to see these techniques years before they gained popularity from Royce Gracie's UFC fights. Michael Kamen really hit a home run with his score for Lethal Weapon. I can see why he worked on so many other action movies following his work on this film.
Wow! I thought whilst watching this it looked like a jiu jitsu move. Didn't recognise it back in the day though!
That's really cool I never knew.
Im 38. My dad who passed away in February, sat my brother and I down every Friday night when we were kids and hed have a stack of VHS tapes from the video store. I saw this and all the classics like that. Thanks for these Oliver, makes me think of my old man. I remember watching Full Metal Jacket with him when I was 9 . Lol
I’m 41, and I lost my dad in 2014. We had a similar ritual in our house. My old man would take me to the movies on a regular basis. The earliest experience was Wrath of Khan when I was just 2 years old, unfortunately he didn’t get to finish the movie because I got really really sick. I’m sorry for your loss, but it’s the good memories that were made watching movies with him that you can look back on.
I used to love the trip to Blockbusters on a Friday night with my parents, choosing a film and getting loads of goodies. The best times
You had a cool dad .
@@volusizeBusters needed a credit card, back then ❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
With the MacCallister family in there, I like to think this is a shared universe with Home Alone.
They could afford that nice house with the millions the family made from heroin.
I smell a compelling fanedit ...
Best theory I have heard on Home Alone
There should be a movie where Mel Gibson acts as grumpy old cop and Macaulay Culkin is his new partner. They would investigate wetbandits who have killed one of the ghostbusters while raiding his house.
Joe pesci is the link.I like it twin brothers both involved in crime Leo geets aka Leo Lime the money launderer the much more intelligent twin brother of Harry lime unsuccessful house burgular.
@@markstiburski8924 That actually makes sense, since "Leo Getz" is an obvious alias. He could easily have changed it after getting out of prison and splitting with his brother after a burglary gone wrong.
Now I feel kind of sad for Harry really. Marv might be a substitute for the brother he never speaks to anymore :'(
*LETHAL WEAPON (1987)* is a Fantastic 80s Action Film classic !!!
@Oliver Harper:
This was one my late father's favorite film series, as he and I would often watch all 4 "Lethal Weapon" movies back-to-back before he passed (he died from cancer almost 13-years ago)
I like the directors cut, it adds more to Riggs character.
Is the director cut good???.
@@erickmaldonado9283 It drags the movie a bit too much. Lethal Weapon always seemed to be on the verge of molasses anyways.
@@grandmasbowlofnuts9887 oh. okay.
Director’s cut really adds to it in my opinion. Sadly not available on Blu-ray hence I’ve held onto my dvd copy.
*Lethal Weapon 3* had the best Director's Cut IMO
The fight scene with Mel Gibson and Gary was choreographed by the Gracies of the UFC. Fun little fact
Interesting
That armbar to triangle choke finish was strangely good I was wondering why
Is this true? There wasn t even a ufc yet in 1987 was there?
Ruben Aerts yes sir, Royce and Rorion Gracie helped out. There was no UFC at this time but still cool that they helped out. Google Gracie Lethal Weapon, there’s pictures of them with Mel and Gary on set for that scene.
In my top 5 fight scenes behind They Live, The Quiet Man
Wow, did not know that was Richard's house. Nice touch, dude didn't have to travel far that day to go home and sleep or wake up early to go to work.
people forget this is a christmas movie aswell
While this movie is set around Christmas, it has none of it's themes like say, Die Hard which is all about Christmas in music, themes and how it resolves its conflict (such as the main character learning what family and fellowship means, fights off greed/Hans Gruber, overcomes his fears and learns to let go).
nolan palmer Far better explanation than I usually see. Still kind of generic scriptwriting, but I suppose we should be glad that it wasn’t handled in a saccharine manner, like in Home Alone and many others. Was there a similar fear of that for Willis (Moonlighting), a la Michael Keaton from Mr. Mom being cast as Batman?
Anyway, Die Hard 2 deserves more credit for its winter/Christmas themes, as the dangers are not only made part of the plot with the winter weather conditions, but gives us some creative kills, like the icicle to the eye...
@@drakenfist Die hard isn't a christmas movie either. Just beacuse they use christmas songs doesn't make it a christmas movie either. Just like Lethal weapon it's not a christmas themed movie. It could have taken place at any time.
@@basquat76 Did you not read my whole comment?. Everything in that film is about Christmas. You take away the setting and you take away the film. Why is there?. Because it is Christmas eve and he is there to see his wife who he hardly see's. They aren't on the best of terms. The entire plot of the film, terrorists trying steal bonds from the plaza. Is all about greed. Then there is cop that helps John and he has regrets over accidentally killing a kid. Through fighting greed, they both learn to overcome their problems, forgive others and celebrate christmas, free of their own burdens. All the themes are there. You take away christmas and it would make no sense. Die Hard is a christmas movie through and through.
Another option for Christmas is a lesser known movie called The Long Kiss Goodnight. While it is not a Christmas movie, it is as much as Lethal Weapon or Die Hard.
Just noticed the movie theater in the background is showing The Lost Boys @2:13
Yes it’s also executive produced by Richard Donner who did Lethal Weapon as Director and was a producer
The fight with Riggs drunk in the bar is my favorite deleted scene. He knocks one out and snaps anothers arm in just a few seconds and asks "We done?"
Wish it had made the film.
Peter McCalister? So this is how Kevin's dad affords that huge house and the trip to Paris? :P
His brother Rob paid for the trip. Lol
Perfect timing. Watched it this past weekend and still holds that excitement factor for me. Great review, Oliver. It never dawned on me at the time that the writer was Hawkins. Always a Xmas favorite
A little bit of trivia the film features Red Hot Chili Peppers Anthony Kiedis' father, hes one of the drug dealers with the Xmas trees and he's the absolute spit of his son too.
RighteousBrother He also played a role in the film point break with keanu reeves, he’s always one of the gang members to be shot first lmao
RighteousBrother your right Blackie Dammet was the one with red shirt and black hair
Is that the guy that Riggs headbutted in the face in that scene? Speaking of the headbutt...nobody can pull that move off in an action movie as well as Mel Gibson can. Danny Glover never headbutted and I think the best one is in LW4 when he headbutts Jet Li 3 times in a row during the final fight. U gotta admit the final fight at the end of LW4 was way bloodier than in the previous films with the main villain especially when Jet Li is choking the life out of Gibson and Glover stabs him in the back. One of the best movie theater experiences was going to see LW4.
As a child, I thought Lethal Weapon and Die Hard were part of one series, because Die Hard (difficult to translate into Czech) was called "Lethal Trap" in this country.
Last boy scout is my fav buddycop
That was also written by Shane Black.
Great movie
What a troubled production though 😨
Didn't Danny Glover play in that one Predator movie, too? There's probably a half-cocked fan theory about the connection there somewhere.
I believe the theory works if we pretend that _Predator 2_ is the "alternate _Lethal Weapon 3"_ if _LW2_ had instead stuck with the alternate ending where Riggs did die at the end. After the tanker-ship battle and Riggs dies, Murtaugh decided to make an oath to stay in the LAPD in Riggs' honor.
Lethal Weapon 1 and 3 are my favourites.
Same here. For me it goes 1,3,2, then 4. I was surprised when I revisited Lethal Weapon 2, some of the improv between Gibson and Glover seemed a bit much, or more noticeable than I remembered, in particular in the opening sequence. But I still liked the second one. However the fourth one I was disappointed honestly, the whole plot and feel of the movie, and by the end it just felt like a big reunion, taking a group picture and then going into an end credit scrapbook sequence of all the films.
This is why I love your retrospectives on some of my favorite films. I learned so much, and can look at this film I've seen dozens of times with a new perspective.
I stole away from middle school in Chula Vista to the vogue theater to watch this back in the day. Worth the detention at school for me.
A lethal weapon retrospective?
Merry christmas to me
Loved the first 2 LW..Riggs was lethal....less so in 3 and 4. Great script i do love Shane Blacks writing.
3:58 It's hard to call *48 HRS.* a buddy-cop film (technically) because it has only ONE cop ☝ but nevertheless has the tone and feel of one and the chemistry of Nolte and Murphy is UNDENIABLE 👍👍 *Running Scared* is an often overlooked gem that needs WAY MORE respect (oh, please do a review of this one 🙏)
@Kevin Cooper Or a ex-cop turned bounty hunter and an embezzling accountant? 😆
Kevin Cooper also could be buddy cop relationship like in Tequila Sunrise with Mel Gibson as a drug dealer and Kurt Russell as a cop.
Besides that, in 48 hrs they hardly seem like buddies for most of the movie. They couldn't stand each other
@@socialwarsmiejercito5608 "I'm already sorry."
A merry christmas to you!
You know, I can think of two other 80s Christmas action movies. First Blood, and The Terminator.
I cannot believe it's a coincidence that the first installment of nearly every big 80s action franchise is also a Christmas movie.
But seriously the best reoccurring theme of the franchise is Roger's house constantly being under construction because it is always under siege.
What a nice early Christmas present
23:20 always great to see someone give The Nice Guys some love...that film truly surprised me in how good it was
Wow, great review. Would love to see more of these type of reviews from the 80’s
Your reviews are very thorough, and excellent. Can tell you are definitely a film appreciator/enthusiast. Like how you even discussed the music from the trailer, indeed it's quite good, and memorable.
This is one of my favorite retrospectives you’ve done, Oliver.
4:40 sounds like the most 80s climax to a movie ever convinced
mel Gibson one of the best actors ever 👌
lol...Gibson is rocking a fabulous mullet!
My aunt (who's only 7 years older than me) is a huge fan of this movie (and Mel Gibson). She owned it on VHS in the late 80s/early 90s and it was on quite a few times during vacations and holidays when I stayed at my grandparent's house, so I'm very familiar with this movie. I've seen it a lot and it's fun to revisit it once in a while. Definitely one of my fave 80s movies! 🙂
Yes!!! God I love these retrospective reviews. I love the amount of information you always have in them. Not just the film itself but the games and soundtracks. These are one of my favorite series on all ofTH-cam. I have watched them all atleast 3 times apiece since discovering them. THANK YOU for this christmas present. Merry christmas and keep up the good work.
2:18 the cinema marquee is The Lost Boys!! Love it. Richard Donner produced that after being offered to direct it.
One of the OG "cop buddy flicks" I view this as second only to the original 48 hours. Gibson and Glover were a great paring and tho every single sequel would be worse they were all at least fun. This original film however is a gem and still holds up terrific to this day and THANK GOD (at least so far has not been remade and no I am not counting the TV show)
One of my fave franchises. Even if the last one was disappointing.
Wonder if we will get a reboot but with the kids
Great work as always Oliver, merry christmas!
One of the very few movie franchises where each instalment are well worth viewing. And the music, my God... I absolutely love, loveeeeeeeee the music in these classics. So stylish, so cool.
My absolutely favorite film series... my father introduced me to... and we still watch it to this day. Also really amazing and underrated fight scenes and an early film that utilized Gracie Jiu-Jitsu techniques (with Royce Gracie as a technical advisor) for Mel Gibsons fighting style. With Rorion Gracie appearing in lethal weapon 3! Fantastic action and a fantastic film series. Classic... also a film that deeply inspired me to pursue a career in law enforcement.
Another Christmas classic
Loaded Weapon 1 is one of my favorite comedy movies! :)
For the actual review: I really loved Danny Glover's performance in these movies.
Happy Christmas to you Oliver, the best TH-cam movie reviewer.
Awesome review Ollie, you always show films in such a positive and brilliant way. Everything's bang on like the intro and the music throughout. I bloody love the Lethal Weapon films, like so many retro films, it's timeless. It's great how Mel Gibson and Danny Glover had such a chemistry, it really shows.
Michael Kamen's music is proper magic just like his Die Hard score. I got the score for the 3rd film and the track called Lorna / Quiet Night By The Fire is my favourite, it's warm, lovely and cosy. I don't feel that Lethal Weapon's Christmasy regardless of it being set at that time, Die Hard though definitely is.
Have a very happy Christmas everyone.
In the new year, I'll be as old as Danny Glover was when he filmed this. And I will not stop saying, "I'm too old for this shit."
Oliver Harper gives some of the best reviews.
20:47 Did Amanda Hunsaker have a twin sister? I know Michael Hunsaker (Tom Atkins) mentions having another another daughter to Roger when he is coming clean about the heroin operation. What this something that may have been mentioned in the original script?
BTW, another excellent review. I'm only a couple of years older than you and I can tell you they used to play this film all the time on HBO or Showtime or one of those premium stations. I was probably too young to be watching this movie but that didn't stop me from watching it when my parents went to bed late at night. The same can be said for Terminator, Red Dawn, Platoon, Aliens, 48 Hours, etc.....
Also, I agree that The Nice Guys was *VERY* underrated and didn't get the attention it so rightly deserved. It is quickly becoming one of those films that whenever it is on TV (not matter at what part) I am compelled to watch to the end.
+Oliver Harper I don't think you know how to do a bad job on these. GREAT JOB MATE. Greetings from Hemel, Hempstead.
Gibson's mullet had a lot more dialogue in the original script but that was trimmed due to length. Thanks for a good review.
When did u sneak this Retro out Ollie? lol I thought you would be away for a while editing your documentary that I cant wait to buy. You are a machine mate :) Great Retro, love this movie. Going to watch it tonight after watching this. Great work as always dude.
Thanks Eddy!
Your channel is one of the greatest on TH-cam.
Mr. Joshua.
Lethal Weapon could be my favourite film of all time.I had a fixation with guns as a kid(toy ones,thankfully) and it was LW that was largely responsible due to it going into heavy detail with Rigg’s beretta.The story,actors and story influence me to this day and i still quote it almost daily
Concerning the Director's cut: It's funny because it's the version we had here in Europe (at least for the french and belgian market !!!) So, your Director's cut is in fact the Lethal Weapon cut we had in theaters and on all supports !
That's the trailer music from Lost in Space. Love it!
Merry Christmas, Oliver. Great to see you finally covering this fantastic film.
I love this series. Proves that characters (and the actors that play them) is key to a great film. Not explosions. This series and the friendship the leads have are the reasons I can never hate Mel Gibson no matter what he does.
Lethal Weapon 3, RIggs confronts a despondent Murtaugh and says: I have 3 beautiful children, they're yours. Playing the long game with the series worked really well and helps LW4 make more sense in a larger context.
I love the scene where they meet Alfred.
Back in the late '80s, Lethal Weapon was part of a Warner Bros. VHS Crime Collection which also included Cobra, I The Jury, The Protector (Jackie Chan) and The Glitter Dome.
Man that Kamen and Clapton score was so epic, Freebie and the Bean is a seventies buddy cop comedy that was a similar type of movie before Lethal Weapon and quite a fun watch as well. Starring James Caan and Alan Arkin.
This will forever be my favorite film
13:00 The jumper Riggs “talks down” off the roof was the same actor Max Rockatansky gave the handsaw so he could cut through the “high tensile steel” cuffs, or his leg.
I can't believe Shrader (from breaking bad) is in this film. More as an extra in the police department. He looks so skinny.
Just re-watched this one the other night. It holds up really well.
another smashing review Oliver!
And, no-one ever mentions the mirrored wedding pics, changing orientation. 'Victoria-Lynn' being on the left of the picture frame, throughout, and, during the suicide scene, being on the right of frame. Still my favourite film score, though ... bought two copies of the score(s) boxed-set, just to get the elusive, never released fourth score. Lost one in a move, but have one set, just above my eyeline, right now. Might give it a listen, shortly, actually
Fun Fact: I used the Lethal Weapon Trailer Music in 2 of my short films :)
My best quote from an Lethal Weapon movie..Martin Riggs : "You're the only family I've got! I've got three beautiful kids, I love them, they're yours. Trish does my laundry, I live in your icebox, I live in your life! What am I gonna do? What am I supposed to do?"
Absolutely wonderful video this 👏 concise yet detailed. Interesting and very well articulated, best I've seen. Thanks a lot 😁
Merry Christmas Oliver
Merry Christmas Oliver from sweden
The fight scene was under direction from Ririon Gracie who later went on to make the UFC.
@Oliver was brilliant to see your introspective intelligent take on this gem. Any chance of your series 7 and series 6 getting uploaded for your play list anytime soon good Sir?
30 fuckin years ..... jesus i remember when this came out in the cinema WOW i'm getting old
Glover and Gibson are the ultimate when it comes to the buddy cop genre. It just doesn't get any better. Oh, and Loaded Weapon is hilarious.
Lethal Weapon is a Christmas movie to me. One of my favorite movies along with Lethal Weapon 2.
Oh man Running Scared, the original, is probably the most overlooked buddy cop movie ever. Midnight Run is another really overlooked movie from the 80s.
hahaha one day ago i talked to a friend about lethal weapon. love the movie, love the franchise but the best thing to come from it is the loaded weapon movie.
today i watch this and couldn't help cracking up about your mention of it ;))
Kathy Ireland: "Make yourselves at home." Samuel L. Jackson sits down, Emilio Estevez drops his pants and sits down then says, "What?" lol
Nice one Olly, was gonna watch 1,2,3 & 4 over the hols. Now I will
out of all the lethal weapons i have seen this only once and have seen 2, 3 and 4 the most times. Time to revisit the original.
My favorite Christmas movie
Dude thats a Christmas gift.:)
Have you seen "The Last Boy Scout"?
It's probably Shane Black's best work since Lethal Weapon, and criminally underrated too.
please review all the other lethal weapon films
Been planing on watching this all month!
For me the 'Buddy Cop' genesis was probably 1974's much forgotten but brilliant 'Freebie and the Bean' starring James Caan and Alan Arkin - this film obviously influenced Shane Black a lot and its such a shame its not better known or shown on TV very often.
The best thing to come out of these movies besides the movies themselves was the parody. Loaded Weapon 1 was brilliant, always hoped they would make a sequel to it. That movie was so dysfunctional is was hilarious.
The cameo with Bruce Willis was icing on the cake. They were so over the top with the casting and acting.
Oh, how I love the 80's! Saxophone, mullet, sunglasses, mustaches, computers, heavy metal...! During the 90's everything great went slowly down the drain, and we still haven't fully recovered from that.
The first two films are the pinnacle of action movies along with Die Hard. Love them so much.