Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers (WGA):

Shane Black (characters)
Jonathan Lemkin (story) ...

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The Gang's All Here.

Plot:

With personal crises and age weighing in on them, LAPD officers Riggs and Murtaugh must contend with a deadly Chinese crimelord trying to get his brother out of prison.

Plot Keywords:

Triad | Lapd | Immigrant | Baby | Private Investigator

Awards:

4 wins & 10 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 20

10:00 AM

BRAVO

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Martin Riggs
Danny Glover	...	Roger Murtaugh
Joe Pesci	...	Leo Getz
Rene Russo	...	Lorna Cole
Chris Rock	...	Detective Lee Butters
Jet Li	...	Wah Sing Ku
Steve Kahan	...	Captain Ed Murphy
Kim Chan	...	Benny 'Uncle Benny' Chan
Darlene Love	...	Trish Murtaugh
Traci Wolfe	...	Rianne Murtaugh Butters
Eddy Ko	...	Hong, Chinese Refugee
Jack Kehler	...	State Department Man
Calvin Jung	...	Detective Ng
Damon Hines	...	Nick Murtaugh
Ebonie Smith	...	Carrie Murtaugh

Also Known As:

Lethal 4 (USA) (promotional abbreviation)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

127 min | Philippines:125 min | Portugal:123 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Cantonese | Mandarin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M (cut) | Australia:MA (uncut) | Philippines:PG-13 | Iceland:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (original rating) | Canada:G (British Columbia) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) (video rating) | Finland:K-14 (cinema release) | USA:R (certificate #36137) | South Korea:15 (video rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Belgium:KT | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:18 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Italy:T | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | New Zealand:R16 (video re-rating) | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 (cut)

Filming Locations:

Bradbury Building - 304 S. Broadway, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Kim Chan also played a crime lord nicknamed Uncle Benny in The Corruptor (1999).

Goofs:

Continuity: During the big car chase scene on the freeway, Riggs throws a table leg through the windshield of the bad guy, and the glass fractures around the hole. In subsequent shots, there is just a hole, and no fracturing of the windshield.

Quotes:

Wah Sing Ku: If this was Hong Kong, you'd already be dead

Movie Connections:

References Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. (1966)

Soundtrack:

Why Can't We Be Friends

An excellent movie

Who said all movie series become worse with every installment? Lethal Weapon 4 is probably the best fourth movie in a series ever. I find it incredible that the magic is still there. The main characters still feed of each other and their friendship (both on set and off set) is clearly felt in every scene they have together. Mel Gibson has finally laid the ghost of his wife to rest and is as chipper as ever. He does this without seeming truly obnoxious (even though that is a part of his character). In fact he seems more likable in this film than he did in all the previous films. Danny Glover reprises his role from the previous movies and that is not a bad thing because the Murtaugh role is the best of his career. Rene Ruso returns in her part and although it has been cut down considerably its still a decent role. Joe Pesci is also back and this time around he gets to add some depth to the character (something that was missing in the previous film). Chris Rock is decent. He isn't much of an actor but he is pretty funny and fresh. His part also adds a little something to the all-round comedy of the film, but if you want to know what it is you will have to watch the movie yourself. Jet Li is the villain in this movie and while he is the weakest villain in the series acting wise, he is definitely the most menacing.

The action is still brilliant despite the fact that the actors are getting older. The story is decent for a fourth film and the overall execution is brilliant. I actually prefer this film to the second and third of the series because I find it to be more entertaining overall. It cuts down on the seriousness (even though its still there) and adds a lot to the comedy and this is a very good choice.

All in all an excellent film. Highly recommendable for all fans of action movies and the series in particular.

8/10