The Christmas holidays are upon us so its a great time to get those festive movies out and here's an alternative Christmas classic for you...
Lethal Weapon
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: Shane Black
Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey
Released: 1987
Production: Warner Bros
Lethal Weapon is the original buddy cop movie crammed with wall to wall action and great character's epitomising the 80's male persona of hard edged heroic archetypes pitted against overwhelming odds. The villains are there to challenge the hero's courage and strength in times of personal dismay. This movie raised the action bar and inspired countless imitations that are still being churned out of Hollywood although not to this standard.
The story opens with a prostitute overdosing on heroin and swan diving out of a Los Angeles high rise. As the sun rises we are introduced to L.A cop Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) suicidal over the recent death of his wife, occupying his days with reckless drug busts while contemplating pulling the trigger on his 9mm Beretta hand gun by night. In contrast Detective Roger Murtough (Danny Glover) is a family man with a wife and 3 kids celebrating his 50th birthday setting out to work on the recent homicide case of the overdosed prostitute. He is unwittingly partnered with Riggs sending them both careening headlong into the heroin smuggling crime syndicate underbelly of L.A filled with mercenaries, hit-men and ruthless officials.
This action movie really broke the mold due to the cracking script by Shane Black coupled with the directorial skill of Richard Donner (Superman) The casting of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the lead roles is perfect as they are initially opposed to working together as partners and through the course of the ensuing action find a mutual respect albeit fraught with conflict. Supporting actors are well realised as is with mercenary Mr Joshua (Gary Busey) who becomes a relevant nemesis to Riggs and his aggressive tendencies due to his current state of mind.
The story opens with a prostitute overdosing on heroin and swan diving out of a Los Angeles high rise. As the sun rises we are introduced to L.A cop Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) suicidal over the recent death of his wife, occupying his days with reckless drug busts while contemplating pulling the trigger on his 9mm Beretta hand gun by night. In contrast Detective Roger Murtough (Danny Glover) is a family man with a wife and 3 kids celebrating his 50th birthday setting out to work on the recent homicide case of the overdosed prostitute. He is unwittingly partnered with Riggs sending them both careening headlong into the heroin smuggling crime syndicate underbelly of L.A filled with mercenaries, hit-men and ruthless officials.
This action movie really broke the mold due to the cracking script by Shane Black coupled with the directorial skill of Richard Donner (Superman) The casting of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the lead roles is perfect as they are initially opposed to working together as partners and through the course of the ensuing action find a mutual respect albeit fraught with conflict. Supporting actors are well realised as is with mercenary Mr Joshua (Gary Busey) who becomes a relevant nemesis to Riggs and his aggressive tendencies due to his current state of mind.
The Lethal Weapon series has recently been released on Blu-Ray as a box set. The DVD's have previously been released as theatrical and Director's cut editions although Lethal Weapon 4 remains heavily cut in the UK, not sure if that is the case with the recent Blu-Ray.
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