(Review originally written at 31 December 2005)
Of all the cop-buddy movies, the Lethal Weapon series is the best of the bunch. The reason for this is very simple; Mel Gibson, Danny Glover and Richard Donner. The three of them form a golden trio and makes the movie entertaining and memorable.
To be honest the story of this movie is pretty standard action-movie stuff and fairly uninteresting to follow. But this is one of those movies were the story comes totally secondary and the power of the movie is in its main characters and their chemistry they have on the silver screen. They make you forget the story and make you sit back, relax and just enjoy this professionally made action-comedy.
Both Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are acting wonderful in this movie. They are believable in their roles and give the characters some real depth and sense of credibility. It's rare for good actors to play the main role in action movies, since action movies (especially in the '80's) always have a though and cool main character in it. "Lethal Weapon" is an exception and it is an action movie with realistic main characters in it, of flesh and blood and with real emotions and personalities. It makes "Lethal Weapon" a very original action movies that has been much imitated ever since but has never been surpassed yet, by any other action movie franchise.
Gary Busey plays a good typical 'Gary Busey villain role'. Whatever happened to his career by the way? I rarely ever see him in new movies anymore. A real shame because he is one of those typical actors that can basically play a villain in whatever movie comes on his path and whatever his role is.
The action is fairly good but it's typical '80's stuff'. There are some spectacular sequences but in general it all is nothing really memorable. The main essence of the movie is truly on the entertainment value, rather than on its action.
All in all this is a fun and entertaining action movie that is a 'classic' thanks to it's two main characters, perfectly played by Gibson and Glover, who have some great chemistry and thanks to Richard Donner's directing, who with this movie delivers yet another entertaining and fun movie that is very likable.
8/10
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