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IMDbPro

Lethal Weapon

  • 19871987
  • RR
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
255K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,031
1,026
Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon (1987)
Trailer 2 for Lethal Weapon
Play trailer1:27
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Thriller
Two newly paired cops who are complete opposites must put aside their differences in order to catch a gang of drug smugglers.Two newly paired cops who are complete opposites must put aside their differences in order to catch a gang of drug smugglers.Two newly paired cops who are complete opposites must put aside their differences in order to catch a gang of drug smugglers.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
255K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,031
1,026
  • Director
    • Richard Donner
  • Writers
    • Shane Black
    • Jeffrey Boam(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Mel Gibson
    • Danny Glover
    • Gary Busey
Top credits
  • Director
    • Richard Donner
  • Writers
    • Shane Black
    • Jeffrey Boam(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Mel Gibson
    • Danny Glover
    • Gary Busey
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 371User reviews
    • 131Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 7 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos3

    Lethal Weapon
    Trailer 1:27
    Lethal Weapon
    Lethal Weapon
    Trailer 1:27
    Lethal Weapon
    Lethal Weapon | Franchise Supercut
    Video 1:00
    Lethal Weapon | Franchise Supercut

    Photos165

    Gary Busey, Sven-Ole Thorsen, and Paul Tuerpe in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson and Richard Donner in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Danny Glover, Damon Hines, Darlene Love, Ebonie Smith, and Traci Wolfe in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Chad Hayes and Traci Wolfe in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson and Michael Shaner in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon (1987)
    Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mel Gibson
    Mel Gibson
    • Martin Riggsas Martin Riggs
    Danny Glover
    Danny Glover
    • Roger Murtaughas Roger Murtaugh
    Gary Busey
    Gary Busey
    • Joshuaas Joshua
    Mitchell Ryan
    Mitchell Ryan
    • The Generalas The General
    Tom Atkins
    Tom Atkins
    • Michael Hunsakeras Michael Hunsaker
    Darlene Love
    Darlene Love
    • Trish Murtaughas Trish Murtaugh
    Traci Wolfe
    Traci Wolfe
    • Rianne Murtaughas Rianne Murtaugh
    Jackie Swanson
    Jackie Swanson
    • Amanda Hunsakeras Amanda Hunsaker
    Damon Hines
    • Nick Murtaughas Nick Murtaugh
    Ebonie Smith
    Ebonie Smith
    • Carrie Murtaughas Carrie Murtaugh
    Bill Kalmenson
    Bill Kalmenson
    • Beat Copas Beat Cop
    Lycia Naff
    Lycia Naff
    • Dixieas Dixie
    Patrick Cameron
    • Cop #1as Cop #1
    Don Gordon
    Don Gordon
    • Cop #2as Cop #2
    Jimmie F. Skaggs
    Jimmie F. Skaggs
    • Drug Dealer #1as Drug Dealer #1
    Jason Ronard
    Jason Ronard
    • Drug Dealer #2as Drug Dealer #2…
    Blackie Dammett
    Blackie Dammett
    • Drug Dealer #3as Drug Dealer #3
    Gail Bowman
    • Copas Cop
    • Director
      • Richard Donner
    • Writers
      • Shane Black
      • Jeffrey Boam(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

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    Lethal Weapon 4
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    Die Hard with a Vengeance
    7.6
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jackie Swanson performed the high fall on her own, trained by legendary stuntman Dar Robinson. Also, the stunt was done using an airbag covered with a life-size painting of the driveway and cars, which, like a foreground miniature, visually blends into the real scene. Thus, the editor is able to hold the shot until just as she makes contact with the airbag, for greater realism.
    • Goofs
      When Riggs jumps off the building after handcuffing himself to the jumper, a close up shot just after they step off the ledge shows that the rubber trick handcuffs break. When they get out of the air bag, they have connected real handcuffs on.
    • Quotes

      [Repeated line in all 4 movies]

      Roger Murtaugh: I'm too old for this shit!

    • Alternate versions
      The original home video and television prints had the 1984 Warner Bros. logo with the Warner Communications byline at the beginning of the film, current prints had plastered instead with the 1998 Warner Bros. logo, but with the 2003 TimeWarner byline, The logo was also used on post-2003 prints of other films in the series including Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), and Lethal Weapon 4 (1998).
    • Connections
      Edited into Belle da morire (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Jingle Bell Rock
      Written by Joe Beal and Jim Boothe

      Performed by Bobby Helms

      Courtesy of MCA Records

    User reviews371

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    This is the classic action film that introduces one of the best action duos ever to come to the big screen.
    Lethal Weapon is a nearly perfectly structured action movie. The acting, the story, the script, the directing, even the IDEA of the movie all combine to make up a fascinating and thrill-packed police film. The cross-cutting at the beginning of the film was particularly effective, in my opinion, as Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are introduced. The startling difference between their separate lives provides for tons of fun to be had later in the movie. Roger starts his day off as the family man reluctantly celebrating his 50th birthday party with his numerous children and his loving wife in the big family house, while Riggs is shown waking up naked in his trashy trailer and beginning his day with a healthy breakfast of a cigarette and a beer.

    The fact that both Roger and Riggs hated that they had to work together was especially effective in creating a touching atmosphere as they grew to be closer and closer friends. They worked so well together in this movie; it was a symbiotic relationship. It was almost like they fed off of each other, and kept each other in line and out of trouble. I also liked the way that they showed that Riggs was deeply angered when he learned that the bad guys had taken Murtaugh's daughter. Things like this, when done right, can really get you to sit up and really get into the movie, and it was definitely done right here. Riggs was also very amusing in his anxiousness about being a cop (`Why don't you let me go to sleep?' `No, come on, we gotta get up and catch bad guys!'), and Gary Busey delivers an excellent performance as the lead bad guy. This is the type of role that he plays best (see "Under Siege").

    Although the violence was painfully present in some parts (the torture scenes were short but extremely difficult to watch), the film never relied on violence to pull it along or keep the audience's attention. The story was sufficient enough so that there was no overindulgence necessary in anything like that. In this film you see the first of the now traditional Lethal Weapon scenes in which Riggs and Murtaugh stagger away from a smoking crime scene, seeming to hold each other up. The final fight scene between Riggs and Mr. Joshua (Busey) was a little excessive, and there were a few scenes which were a bit faulty (how did the guy on the building ledge expect to kill himself when there was such a huge air bag inflated on the ground directly below him?), but overall this was a spectacular crime thriller. The movie rushes along at a feverish pace, and particularly Gibson's and Glover's success working together on screen make this a timeless action film that is not to be missed.
    helpful•93
    26
    • Anonymous_Maxine
    • Nov 12, 2000

    FAQ8

    • What is 'Lethal Weapon' about?
    • Is 'Lethal Weapon' based on a book?
    • What type of sniper rifle is used by Riggs in the "limo shootout"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 6, 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Smrtonosno oruzje
    • Filming locations
      • International Tower - 700 E. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • Silver Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $65,207,127
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,829,949
      • Mar 8, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $120,207,127
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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