Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers (WGA):

Jeffrey Boam (screenplay)
Shane Black (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 July 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The magic is back!

Plot:

Riggs and Murtaugh are on the trail of South African diplomats who are using their immunity to engage in criminal activities.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Chase | Sequel | Police Officer | Revenge

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Martin Riggs
Danny Glover	...	Roger Murtaugh
Joe Pesci	...	Leo Getz
Joss Ackland	...	Arjen Rudd
Derrick O'Connor	...	Pieter Vorstedt
Patsy Kensit	...	Rika Van Den Haas
Darlene Love	...	Trish Murtaugh
Traci Wolfe	...	Rianne Murtaugh
Steve Kahan	...	Captain Murphy
Mark Rolston	...	Hans
Jenette Goldstein	...	Meagan Shapiro
Dean Norris	...	Tim Cavanaugh
Juney Smith	...	Tom Wyler
Nestor Serrano	...	Eddie Estaban
Philip Suriano	...	Joseph Ragucci
Grand L. Bush	...	Jerry Collins
Tony Carreiro	...	Marcelli
Damon Hines	...	Nick Murtaugh
Ebonie Smith	...	Carrie Murtaugh
Allan Dean Moore	...	George
Jack McGee	...	Carpenter
Paul Tuerpe	...	Hitman
Philip Maurice Miller	...	Hitman
Sherman Howard	...	Hitman
Bruce Young	...	Hitman
Guy Mack	...	Hitman
Danny Wynands	...	Hitman
Pat Skipper	...	Hitman
Robert Fol	...	Consulate Guard
Virginia Shannon	...	Consulate Office Worker
Dan Ondrejko	...	Consulate Clerk #2 (as Danny Ondrejko)
Jim Piddock	...	Consulate Envoy
Kenneth Tigar	...	Bomb Squad Leader
Jim Birge	...	Bomb Squad Cop #2
Patrick Cameron	...	Bomb Squad Cop #3
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Police Psychiatrist
David Marciano	...	Cop #1
Tommy Hinkley	...	Cop #2
Norm Wilson	...	Detective in Squad Room
Jeanne McGuire	...	Computer Operator #1
Catherine Guel	...	Computer Operator #2
Lionel Douglass	...	Officer Friesen
James Oliver	...	Officer Moss
Salim Jaidi	...	Policeman
Al Weber Jr.	...	Poolside Card Player
Edward J. Rosen	...	Poolside Card Player
Jay Della	...	Poolside Card Player
Marian Collier	...	Poolside Card Player
Orlando Bonner	...	Tow Truck Driver
Cynthia Burr	...	Owner of Honda
Sam the Dog	...	Sam the Dog
Burbank the Cat	...	Burbank the Cat
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Clardy	...	Policeman (uncredited)
J. Mills Goodloe	...	Eddie (uncredited)
Beau Lotterman	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Norman D. Wilson	...	Cop (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Donner

Writing credits (WGA)
Jeffrey Boam		(screenplay)
Shane Black		(story) &
Warren Murphy		(story)
Shane Black		(characters)

Produced by
Richard Donner	....	producer
Peter Frankfurt	....	associate producer
Jennie Lew Tugend	....	co-producer
Steve Perry	....	co-producer
Joel Silver	....	producer

Original Music by
Eric Clapton
Michael Kamen
David Sanborn

Cinematography by
Stephen Goldblatt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stuart Baird

Casting by
Marion Dougherty
Gail Levin

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva

Art Direction by
Richard Berger
Virginia L. Randolph		(as Virginia Randolph)

Set Decoration by
Marvin March

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist (as Scott Eddo)

Production Management
Steve Perry	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albert Cho	....	second second assistant director
Michael Alan Kahn	....	second assistant director
Terry Miller	....	first assistant director (as Terry Miller Jr.)
Steve Perry	....	second unit director
Charlie Picerni	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Paul J. Campanella	....	standby painter
Jack Eberhart	....	lead person
Jaymes Hinkle	....	standby painter (as Jimmy J. Hinkle)
Gary F. Kieldrup	....	assistant property master (as Gary Kieldrup)
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (as Erik Nelson)
Dan Pemberton	....	propmaker foreman
J. Paul Riva	....	art department research assistant (as Paul Riva)
John Villarino	....	construction coordinator
Mike Villarino	....	construction foreman
Dianne Wager	....	set designer
Michael Denering	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator (uncredited)
David J. Negron Jr.	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Tom von Badinski	....	welder (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Bub Asman	....	sound editor
Carmen Baker	....	assistant adr editor (as Carmen Hocson)
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Willie D. Burton	....	production sound mixer (as Willie Burton)
Virginia Cook-McGowan	....	sound editor
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor
Jay Engel	....	supervising adr editor
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert W. Harris	....	cable person (as Robert Harris)
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor (as Robert Henderson)
David M. Horton	....	sound editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor
Michael Jiron	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator (as Marvin Lewis)
Darrin Martin	....	assistant sound editor
Karen Minahan	....	assistant sound editor (as Karin Minahan)
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor
Walter Newman	....	sound editor (as Walt Newman)
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hank Salerno	....	supervising adr editor
James Simcik	....	adr editor
Brooke H. Ward	....	assistant sound editor (as Brooke Henderson-Ward)
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
Bill Voigtlander	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Calvin Joe Acord	....	special effects (as Calvin Accord)
Jon G. Belyeu	....	special effects foreman
Chris Burton	....	special effects
Larry L. Fuentes	....	special effects (as Larry Fuentes)
Don Hathaway	....	special effects (as Donald Hathaway)
Richard L. Hill	....	special effects (as Richard Hill)
Steve Luport	....	special effects
David Peterson	....	special effects
Paul Sabourin	....	special effects
James D. Schwalm	....	special effects (as Jim Schwalm)
Doyle Smiley	....	special effects
Bob Stoker	....	special effects
Lucinda Strub	....	special effects
Matt Sweeney	....	special effects coordinator
Fred Tessaro	....	special effects
Greg C. Jensen	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (as Greg Barnett)
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
David Burton	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (as Steve Chambers)
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (as Gil Combs)
Gary Davis	....	stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Sparky Edmonston	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Tony Epper	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts (as Jim Halty)
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Hank Hooker)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Tom Huff)
Matt Johnston	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts
Bennie Moore	....	stunts
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Victor Paul	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt coordinator
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni)
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Chad Randall	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt coordinator
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (as R.A. Rondell)
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Craig Lietzke	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Keith Tellez	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tommy Mack Turvey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ric Roman Waugh	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kirk Bales	....	second assistant camera
Richmond G. Cogswell	....	video assist
Ray De La Motte	....	camera operator (as Ray DeLaMotte)
Danny Falkengren	....	dolly grip (as Daniel Axel Falkengren)
Frank M. Holgate	....	aerial photographer: second unit (as Frank Holgate)
Frank M. Holgate	....	underwater photographer (as Frank Holgate)
Gary Holt	....	chief lighting technician
Bob E. Krattiger	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Bob Krattiger)
Geary McLeod	....	first assistant camera
Hal Nelson	....	grip best boy
Charles Saldana	....	key grip
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer (as John Shannon)
Stephen St. John	....	panaglide operator
Bess Wiley	....	second assistant camera
Stephen Ashley Blake	....	cinematographer: second unit (uncredited)
Vincent Contarino	....	dimmer board operator (uncredited)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	musco light operator (uncredited)
Damon Marcellino	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Robert D. McBride	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barry Francis Delaney	....	costume supervisor (as Barry Delaney)
Barbara Siebert	....	costumer (as Barbara Seibert Bolticoff)
Vicky Snow	....	costumer
Michael Voght	....	costumer

Editorial Department
David Mann	....	assistant film editor
William J. Meshover	....	assistant film editor (as William Meshover)
Kevin Stitt	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Bruce Babcock	....	additional orchestrator
Chris Boardman	....	additional orchestrator (as Christopher Boardman)
Christopher Brooks	....	music editor
Robert Fernandez	....	orchestral recordist (as Bobby Fernandez)
Philip Giffin	....	additional orchestrator
Michael Kamen	....	orchestrator
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music producer
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jack Lietzke	....	transportation coordinator
John M. Woodward	....	transportation captain (as John Woodward)
Craig Lietzke	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach: S. African
Pamela Alessandrelli	....	assistant: Joel Silver
Lisa Cogswell	....	production secretary
Alexander B. Collett	....	assistant: Richard Donner
Frank DeMichelis	....	craft service
Terri Depaolo	....	assistant: Mel Gibson (as Terri De Paolo)
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot: second unit (as Jim Gavin)
Nancy Hansen	....	script supervisor
David Israel	....	location manager
Amy Jackson	....	production office assistant
Sati Jamal	....	production aide
Michael Klastorin	....	unit publicist
Gregory Manson	....	production accountant (as Greg Manson)
Joel Marx	....	location manager
Eveleen McCormack	....	production office assistant
Kari Ann Messina	....	production office assistant (as Kari Messina)
Cynthia Neber	....	secretary: Richard Donner
Scott Nimerfro	....	assistant: Jennie Lew Tugend
Michael Papac	....	weapons specialist
Gilbert O. Parra	....	technical advisor (as Art Fransen)
Heidi Peterson	....	production office assistant
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Frank Reinhard	....	production aide
Alicia Rivera Frankl	....	production accountant (as Alicia Alon Frankl)
Antoinette Simmrin	....	location manager
Michael Thau	....	producer: Rianne's beach commercial (as Michael Benjamin Thau)
Jennifer Todd	....	assistant: Joel Silver
Suzanne Todd	....	assistant: Joel Silver
Ellen Wolff	....	assistant production secretary
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	construction accountant (uncredited)
Pat Bentley	....	location liaison (uncredited)
Joyce Heftel	....	script supervisor: additional crew (uncredited)
Antoinette Levine	....	co-location manager (uncredited)
Brian McMillan	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator (uncredited)
Ladd Vance	....	assistant: Joel Silver (uncredited)
Lynnanne Zager	....	dispatcher (uncredited)

Thanks
Jay Engel	....	we miss you

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents) (as Warner Bros.)
• Silver Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment (1989) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1989) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1992) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (????) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2002) (Sweden) (DVD) (director's cut)
• SubTV (2002) (2010) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (????) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (Germany)
• Warner Bros. (France)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1994) (1996) (2009) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• TAJ Soundworks  foley
• Massard Associates Inc.  consultant: stilt house
• The Lion Wild Animal Rentals  animals (as The Lion Wild Animals)
• Tony's Food Service  caterer
• Video Image  24 frame video displays
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting
• Paula Silver Ltd.  main titles
• Pacific Title  end titles and opticals
• Bill Young's Precision Driving Team  stunts (as Bill Young's Driving Team)
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack
• Califon Productions  tape excerpt: "The Wheel of Fortune"
• Columbia Pictures Industries  excerpt: Three Stooges "Three Missing Links"
• Vista Group  special thanks
• L.A.P.D. Bomb Squad  special thanks
• Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department  special thanks (as L.A. County Sherrif's Department)
• Los Angeles Police Department  special thanks
• Animal Makers  prosthetic animals (uncredited)
• BT Industrial Supply  expendables (uncredited)
• Movie Movers  cast trailers (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

114 min | Germany:108 min (cut version) | USA:118 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Afrikaans

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #29848) | Brazil:16 | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:M | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Peru:18 | Canada:R (Ontario) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2010) | UK:15 (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (director's cut) (1998) | Italy:T | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | France:U | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 (director's cut) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (original rating) (cut) | UK:18 (video rating) (cut) | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | West Germany:16 | West Germany:18 (director's cut) | Thailand:R-14 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1990) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1989)

Filming Locations:

2nd Street Tunnel between Hill and Figueroa, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The scene where Murtaugh does his 'Free South Africa' tirade - his statement of 'one man, one vote' did in fact, became part of then-South Africa's president F.W. de Klerk agenda to end apartheid, lift the ban on the African National Congress (in the film, protesters outside the South African Consulate had the ANC flag), and released Nelson Mandela from incarceration. Danny Glover did portray Nelson Mandela in the made-for-cable HBO film Mandela (1987), which was filmed prior to the release of the first Lethal Weapon film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Murtaugh pulls up right behind the pool guy's truck on the first visit to the stilt house. Later, when he and Leo get in to chase Riggs and the tow truck, the wagon is now some distance back from the pick-up to allow him to pull out without reversing.

Quotes:

Roger Murtaugh:George... Home!... Out!
George:But sir, I...
Roger Murtaugh:George, I got a gun!
George:Yes Sir!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pineapple Express (2008)

Soundtrack:

Still Cruisin' (After All These Years)

God, I love this job!

First of all this movie is almost as good as the original. It retains all of the elements that made the first film so darn entertaining and adds some new elements.

As all actors from the first movie appear in the second one as well its pretty clear what you can expect acting wise and surprise, surprise: The acting is still stellar, close to perfection. Mel Gibson is always good and in the second installment of the series he gets to be a little more wild and add even more nuances to the character. For example we get to see Riggs hit on women which adds an entire new side to him as the side we saw in the first film was of him mourning. Also we find out how his wife dies in a beautifully underacted scene (if you want to know how she dies you'll have to see the movie). Danny Glover returns as well and he plays the character pretty much as he did in the first film which is good because the character he plays is the one who is not supposed to change. He is meant to be square and combined with the character of Riggs this becomes highly entertaining. However, a new element is put into the mix to make it even more entertaining, Leo Getz, played beautifully by Joe Pesci and is to this day still one of his most memorable characters. He is funny and fast talking but most importantly: he is a crook and when you put him together with Riggs and Murtaugh the mix becomes explosive. The main villains are played by Joss Ackland and Derrick O'Connor and they are also good and a bit more developed than the villains of the first movie obviously because they had to focus more on the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh in the first movie. Riggs' love interest is played Patsy Kensit and she is good if a bit underdeveloped.

The story is excellent and is almost better than the story in the first one. It is entertaining and funny and best of all the incredible chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover is maintained and is almost as good as it was in the first movie. Furthermore the addition of Joe Pesci was a very nice touch because he immediately makes the scenes with him, Gibson and Glover even more interesting and entertaining. The plot with the villains is kept relatively simple like in the first film, which is good because the goal for the film is entertainment not to be thought provoking.

The action of the film is kept in the same style as in the first movie and it is still both exhilarating and entertaining. The effects are still relatively realistic and this of course gives the movie a level of credibility that is sorely needed in many modern action movies.

All in all a worthy sequel and an excellent film on its own.

8/10