Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
Director: Richard Donner Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock, Jet Li Screenplay: Jonathan Lemkin, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Channing Gibson Producers: Richard Donner, Joel Silver Runtime: 128 min. US Distribution: Warner Bros. Rated R: violence, language
By Nathaniel R. Atcheson (nate@pyramid.net)
I try not to go into films with extreme expectations in either direction, but when it comes to a series that, in my opinion, has outstayed its welcome, I can't help but be skeptical. Such was the case with Lethal Weapon 4, the previews for which all made the film look like a big joke of a movie. Before seeing it, the biggest surprise I got was finding out that it's actually rated R, and that the producers hadn't wimped out and gone for the PG-13 rating to make the audience wider.
I love the first two films, because they center around the characters and their realistic struggles. Sure, they're funny movies, and quirky a lot of the time, but they're also gritty in such a way that sets them apart from other buddy-cop movies. Lethal Weapon 3 is a bore, a formulaic and mediocre action film in every way. I figured the fourth film would be even worse, going strictly for laughs without presenting its story with any degree of seriousness. And I was right -- Lethal Weapon 4 does go mostly for laughs, and doesn't take its own story seriously. And, oddly enough, it works. It's not risky, nor is it near the quality of the first two films, but it's fun and effective as entertainment. It also expands on the characters in a surprisingly full way, and any sequel that does this has my respect.
As the posters all say, "The gang's all here!" This, of course, refers to Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Murtaugh (Danny Glover). It also refers to the large assemblage of supporting characters, including Leo Getz (Joe Pesci), Lorna (Rene Russo), and now Detective Butters (Chris Rock). Five protagonists is a bit steep for any film, even a two-hour-plus action movie (especially a two-hour-plus action movie), but, thankfully, Lethal Weapon 4 doesn't regress to Batman & Robin status -- none of the characters are pointless or underused.
The story, however, is a little on the weak side. Well, it's actually about as weak as any story I've heard this year. It centers around some bad Chinese men (led by a very bad man played by Jet Li), who attempt to counterfeit a large sum of money to bring a few Chinese diplomats (perhaps they are diplomats...the film never quite explains their significance) into America, where, according to Li's character, laws can be avoided using money. What I've described takes place only in the final hour of the film; the first hour is spent in limbo, where we see our heroes delivering some truly well-written dialogue.
In any event, director Richard Donner is clearly more interested in the subplots, probably because the subplots are far more interesting. All the female characters begin the film pregnant; Riggs' struggles come when he realizes that Lorna wants to marry him. Meanwhile, Murtaugh's daughter is pregnant and married to Butters, but they've kept these rather large secrets from her father. Then there's Leo, who is, once again, present for no discernable reason except to profusely utilize the f-word and extract large bouts of laughter from the audience.
I don't often enjoy films when it's obvious that basically no thought was put into the story. This is a film that doesn't rely on plotting or pacing, but on dialogue and individual episodes. The film is so successful as a comedy that I'm strangely dictated to ignore the serious shortcomings in the story and simply enjoy it for the masterful and fluid way in which it's been presented. The action is nothing particularly new, but it holds with the standards of the series. There is, however, a truly excellent finale which takes place on a dock in the rain at night. And I liked the scene that had Riggs surfing the street on a wooden table.
It's odd, really, that the film entirely forfeits a chance at a story, and still manages character development. It's nice to see that the characters who've been brought back are the same, and fleshed out a little bit more (even Riggs and Murtaugh). It's also nice to see a colorful supporting cast put to good use -- Rock is terrific and hilarious as Murtaugh's new son-in-law, while Joe Pesci has removed himself from my Most Hated Actors list by delivering a strangely affecting and truly funny performance. Li makes an effective and sometimes-sympathetic villain. And, of course, Gibson and Glover maintain their undeniable chemistry which has made the series so popular over the last decade.
Some people think that sheer entertainment value isn't enough to make a film worth watching. I think that it is, and when a film is as skillfully assembled as Lethal Weapon 4, there's no reason to trash it just because the story is absurd. Sure, a better story would have made a better movie, and I didn't always get the feeling that the people involved were interested in making a good movie. But that's irrelevant -- I laughed, and the full theater of people with whom I watched this film laughed, too. I also cared about the characters, and felt good when Riggs sees his newborn daughter for the first time. Oh, who needs a story, anyway?
*** out of **** (7/10, B)
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Nathaniel R. Atcheson
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