Lethal Weapon (released in theaters on March 6, 1987), directed by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black, is a landmark action film that redefined the buddy-cop genre for a new generation. By masterfully blending explosive action, genuine drama, and dark, witty humor, the film created a template that would be imitated for decades. It is the vehicle that cemented Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as one of cinema’s most iconic duos.
The film introduces us to Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Glover), a weary, by-the-book LAPD homicide detective celebrating his 50th birthday and looking forward to retirement.
His stable, family-focused life is violently disrupted when he is partnered with Sergeant Martin Riggs (Gibson), a young, volatile detective whose wife was recently killed in a car accident.
Riggs, a highly decorated and highly trained former special forces operator, has become deeply suicidal, leading his colleagues to label him “lethal” and “crazy.”
The two men are assigned to investigate the apparent suicide of a young woman, which is soon connected to a massive drug-smuggling operation run by ex-CIA operatives from the Vietnam War.
The ring is headed by the seemingly respectable General Peter McAllister (Mitchell Ryan) and his brutal chief enforcer, Mr. Joshua (Gary Busey).
Murtaugh’s attempts to maintain professional distance are constantly thwarted by Riggs’s reckless, death-defying tactics, which are less about police work and more about seeking a way to die.
Their initial animosity slowly begins to evolve into a grudging respect and, eventually, a true partnership.
The investigation turns intensely personal for Murtaugh when his daughter, Rianne (Traci Wolfe), is kidnapped by the villains, forcing both cops to unleash their full, lethal potential in a desperate, climatic fight that involves hand-to-hand combat and spectacular explosions.
Tom Atkins, Steve Kahan, Darlene Love, Mary Ellen Trainor, Jackie Swanson, Ed O’Ross, Grand Bush and Jack Thibeau round out the supporting cast.
Lethal Weapon was followed by Lethal Weapon 2 in 1989, Lethal Weapon 3 in 1992, Lethal Weapon 4 in 1998 and a television series on FOX that starred Damon Wayans.
Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon (Photo/Warner Bros.)
Reception for Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon grossed $6.8 million on its opening weekend, finishing No. 1 at the box office.
The film would remain atop the box office for three weeks and in the top 10 for 13 weeks en route to grossing $120.3 million worldwide.
Roger Ebert gave Lethal Weapon four out of four stars in his review.
Lasting Legacy
Lethal Weapon is a monumental success that launched a highly lucrative franchise and established Black as one of Hollywood’s preeminent screenwriters.
Its legacy is twofold:
Formula: It perfected the formula of pairing two diametrically opposed cops—one black, one white; one loose cannon, one family man—in an escalating, holiday-set plot involving international villains and internal corruption.
Chemistry: The genuine, warm chemistry between Gibson’s frenetic energy and Glover’s memorable exasperation (“I’m too old for this shit!”) is the heart of the film, elevating it far beyond a simple action flick and influencing films like Bad Boys and Rush Hour.
