Review of Lethal Weapon (1987) by Johnathon W — 02 Dec 2017

Classic action film that set a new standard for the buddy cop genre, thanks to a superb cast & filmmakers willing to go a little dark with the content. Gibson & Glover are excellent as Riggs & Murtaugh, playing off each other perfectly & giving career best performances.

Gibson channels his crazed intensity to perfection while Glover is a fantastic straight man, giving brilliant reactions to every one of Riggs nuttier moments (his "I'm too old for this shit" line remains a classic).

They get great support from the rest of the cast, particularly Gary Busy as the villainous Mr. Joshua. Behind the camera, Richard Donner adapts Shane Black's script perfectly and one forgets, after the numerous sequels & current TV show, how dark & edgy the original is.

Riggs is a truly disturbed, suicidal man and you truly don't know what will happen next with him, making his tension with Murtaugh palpable. The action is edge of your seat and Black's dialogue is as good as you can get in action movie.

All that plus being set during Christmas, it makes for one of the best action movies ever made and another great addition to the holiday movie rotation.