Lethal Weapon (1987)
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The story
During the Christmas season, two mismatched LAPD detectives are forced into an uneasy partnership. Martin Riggs, a volatile former Special Forces soldier struggling with suicidal impulses following his wife's death, is paired with Roger Murtaugh, a seasoned homicide sergeant and devoted family man. The pair is tasked with investigating the apparent suicide of a young woman. As they delve deeper into the investigation, they must navigate their conflicting personalities and the dangerous reality of the criminal underworld in Los Angeles, ultimately uncovering a conspiracy that links their investigation to a shadowy past.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the death of his wife, LAPD Sergeant Martin Riggs becomes erratic and suicidal. Captain Ed Murphy pairs him with seasoned homicide Sergeant Roger Murtaugh. During the Christmas season, Murtaugh's former comrade, Michael Hunsaker, contacts him regarding his daughter, Amanda, who is found to have jumped to her death after being poisoned. The investigation leads Riggs and Murtaugh to a pimp and a prostitute named Dixie, whose home explodes. They discover a link to 'Shadow Company,' a defunct CIA paramilitary unit that evolved into a drug-smuggling operation led by General Peter McAllister and his henchman, Mr. Joshua. After a series of violent encounters, including a shootout where Riggs fakes his death and a rescue mission where Murtaugh's daughter is saved, the duo faces off against Joshua. After a final confrontation where Joshua is killed, Riggs shares a Christmas dinner with Murtaugh, finally finding a moment of peace.
- First release year
- 1987
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Richard Donner
- Writers
- Shane Black · writer
- Cast and characters
- Mel Gibson · Martin Riggs; Danny Glover · Roger Murtaugh; Gary Busey · Mr. Joshua; Mitchell Ryan · General Peter McAllister; Tom Atkins · Michael Hunsaker; Darlene Love · Trish Murtaugh; Traci Wolfe · Rianne Murtaugh
- Genres
- action; thriller; comedy
- Themes
- trauma; masculinity; moral decay
- Tone and mood
- gallows humor; high-energy
- Premise and plot tags
- buddy cop; urban Western
- Franchise connections
- Lethal Weapon
- Reception
- The film was both a critical and commercial success, praised for its high-energy, character-driven action and its role in redefining the buddy cop genre.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 81% · review count: 59; Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 23
- Production trivia
- The script was one of the highest-selling speculative scripts of the 1980s.; The film features a score by Michael Kamen with a guitar part by Eric Clapton.; An alternate opening and ending were filmed but not used in the theatrical release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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