Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

I watched the first one today for the first time in ages, and I thought "This one is easily the best one, but not my favorite". That honour goes to the second Lethal Weapon.

Which one is your favorite? Heroin ring? Diplomatic immunity? Cop killers? Filed Lice?

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

The first two are definitely close but I'd say the second one just pips the first.
The third film comes in next with the fourth coming in last.

My order: 2, 1, 3 then 4.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

I love them all, but 4 was my favorite for the humor and Jet Li.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

Lethal Weapon 1. As you know....Mel Gibson has a bit of wildness in him. Now, his a deadshit! :D

Gotta go with the first one, for total intense action, and one of the last times Gary Busey was really great in a flick (although he's been good in a few since). But the second comes close and I still love to say, "Diplomatic immunity" in a Josh Ackland accent. Plus, Joe Pesci's rant about the drive-through (which is totally true!). :)

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

None, haven't seen one. But I have the first waiting in a pile of dvds to be watched that I've borrowed off someone.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

Number two. Don't forget, "They f*** you at the drive-through."

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

I voted 3 because the girl actually lives in the end *SPOILERS*. :D

But, i think the first two are superior films.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

I enjoy all of them, but the first one is the best.

Martin Briggs Vs John Mclane anyone?

First one easy.

Riggs is such a hardcore mo fo.

Can't believe everyone is saying second one with all the Diplomatic Immunity nonsense, Riggs getting shot about 300 times at the end and surviving, the plot hole about Rigg's dead wife.

Jet Li and Gary Busey are a tie for best baddies. Jet Li should play the Villain more often.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

I like 4, just because it's the one I remember the most. It had a nice ending for the whole series.

The fight between Riggs & Busey's character was so damn exciting to watch.
& yes, Jet Li made one of the finest villain.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

I gotta say Part 2 and the first half of P3, before it gets all serious again would be the perfect Lethal Weapon yarn.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

It's always between one and two. Went with two because I've always found Joss Ackland to be devilishly icky as the bad guy.

Third one tried to up the comedy by cramming more Leo, but ironically ended up being the most dull for me. Fourth one was pretty good, but kinda forgettable. It did manage to tie the bow nicely in the end.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

That's a difficult question.

LW1 has qualities. It's a bit gritty, a bit brutal, and introduces Riggs with his full gimmick : the temerity due to his death wish. It's what makes his character stand out. in the sequels, as he gets some "family" and sense of belonging, his madness ceases to make sense, it becomes the wacky adventures of the wacky cop for no reason.

But LW1 also has a few boring clichés. The long ritual-like fistfight duel at the end, the "princess" kidnapping, the capture and torture. So, beyond the nice gimmick, the story itself, the sequence of events, is a bit bland.

LW2 starts to lose the point of Riggs, as he gets less reasons to die, and re-ignites it near the end with one of the worst clichés, the "resolution" of the past as everything-was-on-purpose, everything-had-a-meaning. everything-is-tied-together. It ruins the death of Riggs' wife. But on the other hand, it has a little more humor, the story is a bit richer, the South African baddies are original, and there's Patsy Kensit, and there's George Harrison on the best crane zoom out. Also, the toilet scene.

LW3 introduces the Joe Pesci character. It's fun. It gets heavy pretty fast. And the snowballing family values arrives in full force. It becomes a sitcom, and gets worse from there.

So, it depends on the aspects. But I'd say Lethal Weapon 2 gets the best balance and the most highlights.

Overwhelmingly the original for me.
The second one was a lot of fun.
The third one I felt was an enormous drop-off.
I just didn't like the fourth one at all, really.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

While I loved the first one (I consider it one of the best crime movies out there) and somewhat enjoyed the second, the third and fourth are terrible. Riggs goes from a depressed and unhinged cop to just some wacky dude. The criminals get more and more cookie cutter and tension is replaced with cheap action.

Re: Favorite Lethal Weapon film
 

I keep thinking the 3rd one is the best, but I am surprised that it's ranked the lowest. I felt it had the perfect combination of everything and the two main characters really come into their own in that one. What was so bad about it that it is ranked the least?

To say the main character becomes uninteresting after his suicidal side, I think is looking at it the wrong way. Sure he's wacky and happy-go-lucky but I think it was a good character arc, and that is how he comes to terms with battling his own depression, and he heals that way.

I also didn't think the villains became more cookie cutter, because the villains were always just stock villains anyway, throughout the movies, so I didn't feel that got worse at all.

He got introduced in the second one. Personally I think he's better used there. In the third he's still funny, but doesn't serve a huge purpose in the plot and becomes a bit overkill.

Really ? I didn't even remember that. That's cool, means he's there without being too intrusive. Makes LW2 jump even higher on my list.