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The ‘80s were a great time for buddy cop movies. The decade featured a number of crime-fighting adventures that were action-packed and funny—and just plain fun to watch. With just a few exceptions (like 21 Jump Street), they just don’t make movies like that anymore. So, every once in a while, it’s good to go back to re-watch some of the classics—like Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon.
Mel Gibson stars as Martin Riggs, a reckless young cop who’s lost his will to live after losing the love of his life. Concerned about his wellbeing, the department partners him with fellow Vietnam vet and straight-laced family man Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover).
The unlikely pair’s first case together is an extremely personal one for Roger: the investigation into the death of his old friend’s daughter. In the years since Roger last saw his friend, Michael (Tom Atkins) has made a fortune trafficking heroin—and Roger suspects that his illegal activities are the cause of his daughter’s death. Soon, a routine investigation turns into a dangerous mission to track down a group of ruthless drug smugglers.
Mel Gibson may have gotten his big break when he starred in the cult favorite Mad Max films, but it was really Lethal Weapon that made him a big Hollywood star—and for good reason. In a way, this is a role that Gibson already knew quite well. It may not have the same post-apocalyptic setting as Mad Max, but the character is similar: a crazy tough guy with a tragic back story. As Riggs, Gibson gives Max a little more charm—and an easy-going sense of humor—and the result is the kind of adorably unhinged character that you can’t help but root for.
Glover’s Murtaugh, meanwhile, offers the perfect contrast as Riggs’s reluctant partner—the stuffy, by-the-book straight man who looks on with eye-rolling disapproval. Now, more than a quarter of a century later, the pairing seems like such a cop movie cliché, but it just works so remarkably well. Both characters are eccentric in their own way. Both bring a little bit of drama and a little bit of humor. And both actors are irresistibly charming.
Of course, while the film’s likable stars (and their equally likable characters) make Lethal Weapon a buddy-cop classic, there’s also plenty of over-the-top action and adventure to keep audiences highly entertained. And the abundance of ‘80s nostalgia (not to mention Gary Busey’s role as tough guy Mr. Joshua) serves as icing on the cake. So if it’s been a while since you last tagged along with Riggs and Murtaugh, it’s about time you reconnected with these old buddies.
DVD Review:
It’s time to upgrade your old VHS copy of Lethal Weapon—because the buddy cop classic is now available as a part of the Best of Warner Bros. 20 Film Collection: Thrillers. Each disc comes with its own collection of extras, and the set comes with a full-color booklet that offers a little bit of information on each of the films included.
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a shame that these collections are only available in DVD format—but they’re still worth checking out. After all, it’s a quick way to add great films like The Maltese Falcon, Dirty Harry, Dog Day Afternoon, Natural Born Killers, and many others to your movie collection.
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