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Lethal Weapon
1987 110 min United States of America R 16+
★8.0
Action, Thriller, Crime
Director: Richard Donner
Trailers
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Description
A veteran cop and an unstable detective become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.
Budget:
$15M
US Gross:
$65.21M
Worldwide:
$120.21M
Starring
Mel Gibson
Actor
Danny Glover
Actor
Gary Busey
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Sound
Key opinion
Lethal Weapon is widely regarded as the definitive buddy-cop film, credited with establishing a template that shaped the action genre for decades. While most reviewers praise the natural chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover and the sharpness of the screenplay, a minority find the plot thin or the leads' dynamic unpersuasive.
| Acting | Mel Gibson and Danny Glover display a widely praised, magnetic chemistry that anchors the film's buddy-cop dynamic. | |
| Screenplay | Shane Black's screenplay is lauded for its witty dialogue, effective blending of genres, and success in establishing an enduring action movie formula. | |
| Direction | The film functions as a seminal genre piece, with Richard Donner's direction and the core character archetypes setting a standard that remains influential in contemporary cinema. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is generally lauded for its high-octane energy and consistent drive, though some find the plot complications to be superficial or occasionally illogical. | |
| Acting | Opinions on the acting are split: while most see the pairing of Gibson and Glover as iconic, a dissenting view finds Glover uninspiring and the lack of chemistry between the leads a primary failure. |