OKAY OKAY OKAY! Lethal Weapon 2

We're back, we're bad. He's black, I'm mad." Sgt. Riggs

"Whatever you want, Leo gets." Leo Getz

Lethal Weapon 2 reunites Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as Detectives Riggs and Murtaugh, two of LA's finest. The two characters were introduced in Lethal Weapon - Murtaugh, a staid family man looking forward to retirement and Riggs a lunatic, perhaps suicidal, due to personal issues including the death of his wife. While the first installment was edgy, Lethal Weapon 2 is tamer by comparison, but still an enjoyable thrill ride well worth watching.

Lethal Weapon 2 has plenty of action and stunts, car chases, jumps from tall buildings, shoot-outs, and fights, but it also develops the characters of Riggs and Murtaugh further. They actually are comfortable with each other now and Murtaugh isn't always looking over his shoulder wondering when Riggs is going to lose it again. We spend more time with the Murtaugh family, especially teen-age daughter Rianne (Traci Wolfe) who has broken into acting with a commercial for an unmentionable product. OK, rubbers. This provides a running joke throughout the film as it always seems that the commercial starts playing whereever the boys turn up, much to Murtaugh's embarassment. If this were all the assets that the film had it would definitely be a cut down from the first episode as the story is mainly to provide situations for the outrageous stunts that the movie is filled with.

Luckily, a new character is introduced, and what a character! Joe Pesci plays Leo Getz, an obnoxious little man who is a federal witness. Riggs and Murtaugh are assigned to protect him. If this sounds like a familiar plot device, it is. The two detectives are on the #$@% list, having screwed up royally as all good movie detectives do. Protecting Leo Getz is a @#$# detail meant to keep the two cops out of sight and out of trouble. Naturally, they use the inactivity to get into much more trouble than they otherwise would. Joe Pesci provides tons of comic relief with his nonstop chatter about almost nothing. What he is witness for also ties into the main theme of the script which is a nice coincidence.

The main story thread concerns some corrupt diplomats, using their diplomatic immunity to engage in crime, drug running, money laundering, and so on. The fact that the diplomats represent South Africa and its controversial Apartheid policy adds a lot of fuel to the boys indignation and desire to bust the criminals. Since they can't touch them legally, they opt for vigilantism and knock them all off in a protracted shootout at the climax. While they would probably lose their badges and wind up behind bars if they were real cops, it's standard fare for a Hollywood script and provides the audience with catharsis.

As usual, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover prove excellent in their characters. Murtaugh's family is played well by the re-curring cast members Darlene Love and Traci Wolfe, and a couple of excellent villains in Joss Ackland and Derrick O'Connor. Patsy Kensit provides an attractive love interest for Mel Gibson. But the real news is Joe Pesci who breathes life into what could have been just another mindless action buddy cop sequel.

Lethal Weapon 2 was produced and directed by Richard Donner, who also did the honors on the original film. Stephen Goldblatt provided the cameras and lighting, film editing was by Stephen Baird, while Eric Clapton collaborated on the music with Michael Kamen and David Sanborn.

As buddy cop films go, both Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2 are good bets.

You can read about the original film Lethal Weapon here.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy a good film tonight!