LETHAL WEAPON 4 (1998)

Directed By: Richard Donner
Written By: Channing Gibson
Story By: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar & Jonathan Lemkin
Based on characters Created By: Shane Black
Cinematography By: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Editor: Dallas Puett, Kevin Stitt, Eric Strand & Frank J. Urioste

CAST: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Chris Rock, Jet Li, Rene Russo, Richard Riehle, Kim Chan, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Ebonie Smith, Damon Hines
Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, after escaping death from the previous movies are put on a hit list by The Triads. When blood thirsty mercenaries are on their tail they team up again with Leo Getz and Lorna Cole, a newcomer (Chris Rock) to finally put an end to the Triads for good.

Watching this film is like watching film that has been made by a paint by numbers kit. All of the plot and elements seem to be there to second guess what audiences will like. ”Hey they like comedy?”

“ more scenes of that with Chris Rock and Joe Pesci”

“You like Action?”

“How about Mel Gibson fighting one of the best Martial Arts superstar in the world Jet Li as the villain”

“Danny Glover is a political activist so how about a storyline that involves immigrants and indentured Slavery.”

This film is a shadow of itself and it’s origins. It’s almost like it belongs in a different franchise.

I didn't mind the Pesci influence or inclusion in part 2 as he was a fun comedic distraction, by part three his presence while fun only added to the ridiculous nature of the films and where the films really became too cartoonish over the action. With this film it became more of a comedy that had action sequences in them.

This film is a pale comparison considering how innovative and thrilling the first film was. This is more of an embarassment to how the series started. Mel Gibson’s dangerous character is more comedic now with an edge. He doesn’t even sport his iconic mullet. Which of course updates the character, but also signals the end of the classic quality of the character.

The end of this film has themes of aging and family. Which really comes out of nowhere, but is a good sendoff for the characters and the franchise. Which was showing it’s age even in the last film. Now it plays more like a cop sitcom. While the stunts in the film are impressive. They also seem more over the top. Which for the lethal weapon saga is very big. Take the being dragged on a table scene which then goes through a whole building.

Eight actors have played the same characters in all four Lethal Weapon films. Aside from Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as Riggs and Murtaugh, respectively, Darlene Love plays Murtaugh's wife, Traci Wolfe, Damon Hines, and Ebonie Smith are Murtaugh's kids, Steve Kahan is Captain Murphy, and Mary Ellen Trainor plays Dr. Woods, the police psychiatrist. In a way, Riggs' dog, Sam is the ninth regular character. He appears in Lethal Weapons 1, 2 and 4, and a deleted scene featuring him was reinstated for the director's cut of Lethal Weapon 3.

Not only was this Jet Li's first American-produced movie, it was also the first time he'd ever played a villain.

Richard Donner asked Jet Li to slow down during action sequences because he was moving faster then the camera shutter speed, and it wasn't registering on film.

Now I am all for political incorrectness, but even the jokes aimed at Asian Americans after awhile get cruel and mean spirited. Just because they are just aimed at the villains doesn’t take the bite out of them.

The film also leave Rene Russo the Action wildfire of the last film with nothing to do. She’s virtually grounded in this film. Like she did something wrong and is being punished. This is just a sequel that did not need to be made

Originally, Mel Gibson insisted his character be killed off in the movie as he felt this should be the last Lethal Weapon movie. After filming was completed he retracted his statements, saying he had such fun making the movie he'd be happy to do another one. The film teased fans with his original statements by hinting he was going to die by drowning after the concrete slab fell on him while Murtaugh was still unconscious.

The ending was still being written while the movie was in production.

Kim Chan also played a crime lord nicknamed Uncle Benny in The Corruptor.

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GRADE: D+