Review of Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) by Allen G — 18 Feb 2013

Right, I'm going out on a bit of a limb here-.

It's pretty great.

Several things should be taken into consideration with this one. First and foremost- it's number 4- not just a sequel or even a third but a fourth. The fact that it could even be considered worth watching is mad.

Secondly, it's Lethal Weapon- the Lethal Weapon series does not take it's self seriously, and nor should it, it has always been a Hollywood action popcorn series- sure, the first one had a more cutting edge to it but I don't think any of the instalments since then have been failures, they just took a less-serious approach which I don't mind at all.

Thirdly and finally- it's a wrap-up. Despite the rumours of a fifth one (I think it's been ruled out now though), this is the final instalment in a fairly iconic series. As a result of this it has some responsibilities which means it's a movie that's only going to appeal to followers of the series, it shouldn't be viewed simply as a stand-alone action flick.

With these things in mind I shall explain why I think this movie is a success-.

This is a real continuation- Joe Pesci doesn't suddenly become someone else and all the classic cast members are there. Not only that but the charm of the previous instalments is still there too.

It modernises without compromising- To keep things fresh there's new editions in the form of Jet-Li and Chris Rock. Now we needed a bad guy so you could say Jet-Li wasn't much of a modernisation so much as a necessary addition but the style and flash he brings is very much new to the series. His strengths were used well too- this is a well-shot action flick with strong action sequences.

Chris Rock's presence was more of a risk- I love Joe Pesci's performances in Lethal Weapon 2, 3 and 4 and so what's the point in Chris Rock being there then other than to add a fresh, successful name? I don't have an answer to that but I don't think it matters too much- he works in this film. His humour just fits- it's a good piece of casting if you ask me.

It satisfies a hardcore fan, albeit at the expensive of more casual audiences- It's got a big wind-up, it properly ends everything in the cheesiest way possible and this is something it's clearly building up to throughout- If it was my introduction to the series, I probably wouldn't enjoy it but you really shouldn't start at the end- as a fan of the series, I was satisfied with the ending and I wanted a lot from it, I wanted the cheesiness in all it's glory and I'm glad that I got it and I'm pleased this film placed such importance on ending everything for the fans. (Take note Die Hard, though it's far too late for you now *sigh*).

It still isn't old- maybe it's just me, but even with it following the structure of previous instalments (particularly a really cool and funny opening scene) it doesn't feel old or tired (though Murtaugh surely did).

I guess it comes down to what a 4th instalment should be. They are such rarities in the first place that it's hard to judge but I see it as an extension pack to the trilogy- it's the final act, a goodbye if you will. And guess what? It's a big nostalgia fest, quite a ridiculous one, it gets very sentimental which makes it pretty mental in general. All of this is good for me though, it's good for me because that's exactly what I wanted. What else should a 4th instalment be? If it was just another standard Lethal Weapon then I wouldn't be satisfied with it as a conclusion to the series. I think it made some smart moves to keep the film fresh and hopefully to make it relatively enjoyable to any action movie fan, not just someone who is a dedicated fan. I understand though, if I didn't care much about the previous instalments, or maybe only cared about one of them, since most people tend to enjoy the first one the most, then I would just want this movie to be over. I wouldn't have the connection with the series and I completely understand that people feel that way.

As a 4th instalment I think it ticks all of the necessary boxes. Subtlety certainly isn't what it's going for- I think this is a movie for the fans and that it's perfectly deserving of their appreciation, certainly of mine at least.