LETHAL WEAPON. Directed by Richerd Donner; written by Shane Black; produced by Richard Donner and Joel Silver for Warner Bros. Starring Danny Glover and Mel Gibson. Rated R (violence, language, a little nudity).
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The credits of Lethal Weapon let you know, right at the start: This is going to be an unusual cops-and-robbers movie. The music isn't pulsating, sinister, heavy metal, but the oldie "Jingle Bell Rock." And it's the original, too, not a new-wave imitation. Only after the song is almost over do some discordant strains from the bass register intrude, to signal that during this Christmas in L.A., not all is well.
Except for the predictability of the story, Lethal Weapon is as different an action picture as its peculiar opening suggests. Where most shoot-'em-ups emphasize action and special effects, here character development and interaction is more important (although there is plenty of the other stuff, too).
Part of the first half-hour is devoted to setting up what turns out to be a pretty preposterous story, but most of that time is used to acquaint us with the two main characters. The introductions are made efficiently, but with humor, and they get the job done. By the time the action heats up, we care about these guys, and are ready to overlook the wildly implausible, yet still predictable, plot—and even the gobs of violence that go along with it.
The story starts with a murder investigation and leads to a shadowy world of martial arts superman drug dealers. These bad guys use their covert experience from Vietnam and the supplier contacts they made during the war to dastardly but profitable advantage.
Before Lethal Weapon's over, many of these people have met violent ends. But, to the movie's credit, few of the deaths are vividly shown. There's an awful lot of automatic weapons fire, though, and a couple of graphic torture scenes that might turn off some viewers.
The scriptwriter should take major credit for making Lethal Weapon work. The snappy but believeable dialogue provides comic relief from the heavy action, while at the same time illuminating the characters and their relationship.
But the actors do their part, too. Glover is as good as expected in what is his most-well developed role to date. Murtaugh is a career cop who just turned 50. The occasion makes him feel his vulnerability with new appreciation, and his basically cautious instincts are reinforced—just in time to be involved in the most dangerous case of his career.
Gibson's success at playing Murtaugh's new partner, Riggs, is more of a surprise. He's certainly no stranger to violent movies, but the Mad Max series didn't exactly showcase character development, especially Gibson's.
Here, though, Riggs is a complex, believeable guy. He's tough, but on the edge of hysteria; confident about doing his violent job, but insecure about his ability to handle daily living.
What makes the character such a success, and what's the real welcome departure for Gibson, is Riggs' sense of humor. It keeps the character and plot from getting too pretentious and Rambo-like. And it makes Riggs more appealing than most of Gibson's previous roles.
Gary Busey is excellent, as always, playing the drug ring's chief "enforcer." He's a real cool customer, with no sense of humor whatsoever.
March 18, 1987
