Lethal Weapon 4

Talking about the other films for a minute, while not perfect, the first film is very good and one of the best buddy-cop films there is (important to the development of them too). 'Lethal Weapon 2' was almost as good, and while 'Lethal Weapon 3' was a little disappointing it was still fun.

Which is pretty much the same personal opinion for 'Lethal Weapon 4', though a slight improvement over the third. Like the third film, its weak link is the story, except it's even messier than that and sometimes has a going through the motions, tame feel, especially when one can't help comparing to the first two. It also could have done with having less going on and less characters, it did feel over-stuffed and muddled.

'Lethal Weapon 4's' script is also the weakest in this component of the series. Not awful, as some of it is very funny and still intrigues, but there seemed to be too much of an emphasis on sentimentality and especially humour. The humour works better, because there are actually some funny moments like the dentist scene and the fried rice line but there were other parts where it was overdone. The sentimentality really doesn't work, am aware it's for character development but it was done in a very mawkish and under-cooked way and felt really odds and tacked on with the rest of the film.

Was mixed on Chris Rock. Was expecting him to be a disaster and be completely out of place. The good news is that he is a little better than expected, there are times where he is amusing and has some good lines and moments with the rest of the cast. Not so good is that he featured in the film too heavily and some of Rock's shtick is overdone and annoying, when you already have Joe Pesci as a motor-mouth it feels overkill.

However, the way 'Lethal Weapon 4' is shot and designed screams slick and stylish while Richard Donner once again directs with an assured hand. The score is atmospheric and groovy.

Parts of the script doe entertain hugely and crackle in wit and tension, especially the aforementioned moments.

Once again, the action is slick and bursts with excitement and tension, with terrific stunts and the sheer scale of them being worthy of huge admiration. The freeway scene and Jet Li's final fight are two of the series' best action sequences It is very easy to see why the chalk and cheese chemistry of the polar opposite characters of Riggs and Murtaugh became so popular, very rarely in a buddy-cop film has this kind of chemistry been so entertaining and perfectly pitched.

Mel Gibson continues to excel in a performance as witty and intense has before. Danny Glover gives Murtaugh the right amount of spirit, subtlety and no-nonsense attitude.

Joe Pesci, despite the character being a thrown-in plot device, is closer to the funny character he was in the second and not the irritating one in the third. Rene Russo's role is not as fresh and fairly side-lined but she is a lovely presence. While underused, Jet Li is a calmly sinister villain with some truly indestructibly awesome fighting skills, for me the second best overall villain of the series after Gary Busey in the original.

In summary, fun if not blowing the mind. Doesn't see the series going out with a bang, but a long way from a whimper despite a few sizeable flaws threatening to make it so. 7/10 Bethany Cox

OK... so the language is gratuitous. Just having Chris Rock on set put it over the top. But his acting aside, I thought this was a worthy addition to one of the best cop/buddy series around. It was enjoyable to see the characters we love deal with the inevitabilities of aging and the fierce loyalty of friendship. Some of the mystery is gone and it feels like a pair of comfortable shoes. But aren't those shoes your favorite ones? It was interesting to see the development of Lorna and Riggs' relationship, as well as the growing up of the Murtaugh kids. It makes you feel like you're catching up with old friends at a reunion! Plenty of action and the incredible work of Jet Li make this movie a favorite at my house. Overall, a great wrap-up to the series and a lot of fun for long time fans. Worth seeing! If the language is a real issue, watch for it on TNT and enjoy the edited version.

This movie is the end of a series which spanned almost two decades.

This time around Riggs (Gibson) is facing three very personal problems. 1) Age is catching up to him, 2) his g/f is pregnant and he's facing being a daddy, and 3) he's facing the dilemma of wanting to remarry. Also, Murtaugh (Glover) is about to be a grand-daddy to a baby by his oldest daughter, and she is secretly married to Detective Butters (Chris Rock), which everyone is keeping a secret from him.

Add to this the fact that both they are now taking on one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the world, the Chinese Triads, in an effort to stop slave trading and money laundering. The task of a bad guy this time goes to Jet Li, who made his American debut (atleast from an American Film Company) in this movie. Yes, this is the movie which launched him here in the states, and he deserved it.

This movie is as good as the rest of them, though nothing beats part 2 in my opinion. Lethal Weapon 4 really hits home on a lot of subjects, such as facing responsibility, to coming to terms with who you are. And it ended the series in a way that makes you smile and love it even more.

I give it a 9 out of 10.

By this point in the series, it seems that they just aren't trying as hard with these films, which is kind of a shame. The Lethal Weapon series is really a good group of action films, but part 4 doesn't really seem to take itself seriously. It clearly had the biggest budget and probably some of the most elaborate stunts and action scenes (as well as some of the most exciting, such as that thrilling freeway chase scene), but many of the other elements of the film have deteriorated badly.

I think that with the addition of Chris Rock, while he delivered a satisfactory performance as far as the role that he was playing, caused the film to detract into too much goofy comedy, which unnecessarily diverted attention away from the surprisingly interesting smuggling plot involving illegal Chinese immigrants and counterfeit money. Joe Pesci was just as funny as ever, which is probably the reason the Chris Rock actually took away from the film as a whole. Pesci is all the comic relief that a Lethal Weapon movie ever needed, and Rock is another substantial addition of comic relief that just isn't necessary.

Danny Glover and Mel Gibson work great together for the fourth time; I'm beginning to wonder if they couldn't go on with this great duo forever. And of course, Renee Russo is back, with her and Riggs picking up with their quirky relationship, right where they left off at the end of part 3. But the person who really steals the whole show is Jet Li. Man, I thought Jackie Chan was fun to watch! Even though it's not all exactly real, this guy pulls out some unbelievable martial arts moves that give Lethal Weapon 4 a much-needed boost of energy. I wonder how long it will be before Jet Li and Jackie Chan come out with a movie together. Probably never, because if they worked together, no one could touch them, and if they were enemies, neither of them would be able to end up as the loser or the bad guy. Oh well, we can still hope, right? Even though the 4th installment in the Lethal Weapon series is not nearly as good as any of the previous three, it still remains a quality action film, despite its many weaknesses.

Lethal Weapon 4 starts out with a boring and ridiculous beginning. I remember watching it the first time and thinking, "oh no, another bad sequel."

However, once past the first ten minutes, the film starts to pick up its pace and retreat into familiar Lethal Weapon style.

Just like film 2 and 3, Lethal Weapon 4 isn't as good as the original, but it never gets to the point of unbearable. It is quite entertaining and fun to watch, with some very great actors, that have some very great chemistry between each other.

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover fit like a glove, and Joe Pesci is perfect as the comedy relief, not being like the recent "side kicks" we always see, that are so obnoxious we want to punch them. Mr. Pesci is a very talented actor, and he always makes me laugh, whether it's Lethal Weapon 4 or Raging Bull and Casino.

Rene Russo provides Mel's love interest yet again, and though I found the marriage thing a bit of a throw-in, it was still good for the story. It provided some laughs at the end of the film.

Chris Rock stars in one role where his character is not completely annoying or loudmouthed, mainly because he wasn't extremely famous yet, and had only been on SNL and a few small roles in film... Joes Pesci and him throw back and forth a few insults and jokes, and bounce off each other, which helps me welcom Rock a bit more.

Jet Li's first American film, I believe, proves he can be a quite and intriguing character, which later helped him get roles in films like Kiss of the Dragon and The One.

Another thing about this franchise is that director Richard Donner directed all four films, and it's always good to use the original director for a sequel, rather than a lesser director, as we have countless examples of. (especially horror films!)

From the opening jazz music we have come to love, Lethal Weapon provides enough entertainment and fun to keep one entertained, and it's definitely worth watching. I hope they stop while they're ahead, and do not make another Lethal Weapon film, because it's rare for a film series to still be entertaining and imaginative after these many sequels. 3/5 stars-