Fun fact, all the main cast including all of Roger's kids, his wife, and even the Captain were in all four movies. You watch his family grow as the movies advance.
The first 2 films are the best and have seen all 4 films many times. The original set the tone and Lethal Weapon 2 was a classic as well and even went above the bar of original with the mix of action and comedy especially with the addition of Joe Pesci and more comedy between Glover and Gibson. The villains in first 2 films were the most memorable.
I think it goes underestimated just how much that first dinner with the Murtaghs helped Riggs. Real, genuine laughter at the two youngest kids rapping about their sister, social interaction in general. It marks where he starts to peek out of the shell of pain.
Lethal Weapon 5 is happening. Richard Donner did write the script before he died. There’s an interview where Mel Gibson said that he was asked by Richard Donner “Hey Kid, if I kick the bucket I want you to direct this movie…” so yeah Mel Gibson is directing Lethal Weapon 5
The whole Franchise is worth checking out. Another good Shane Black movie (written by him) is 'The Last Boy Scout' with Bruce Willis and Damon Waynes...it's hilarious!
Watch em all. It’s one of the very few action sequels that actually do work. Same actors, same director (Richard Donner), same production crew, same fans.
The scene where Riggs and Murtagh are having it out about Riggs being suicidal and Murtagh prodds him to commit suicide with his gun: Riggs didn't 'almost do it.' He pulled the trigger. However on that type of revolver pulling the trigger snaps the hammer (on the back of the gun above the grip) forward into the back of the cartridge firing the round. The only reason Riggs didn't die is Murtagh shoved his hand forward and 'catches' the hammer in the web between the thumb and forefinger keeping the hammer from hitting the cartridge and the gun from firing. You can hear the trigger snap and Murtagh yells 'OW!' as the hammer comes down on a sensitive part of his hand. Movie is darker than you think.
Danny Glover was playing a character whose age was 50 but he was actually only 39. Mel Gibson's character was supposed to be 38 but his actual age was 30.
@@ActionJackson1982 Cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke e-v-e-r-y-w-he-r-e. Even if you didn't smoke, you'd go home reeking of it after going out or some workplaces.
Definitely watch all of them. All 4 are great. Mel Gibson was always a superb actor. He has you laughing in one scene and almost rips your heart out with his portrayal of grief in the next.
The reason Gary Busy seems more "Mellow" in this movie compared to Predator 2 is because between this movie and that one, he had a serious motorcycle accident where he had a head on collision (into a wall if I am not mistaken) and suffered head trauma and if I am not mistaken again, was pronounced dead at one point and was brought back, and since then he is slightly unhinged and more "open" in his views about life and death and aliens and what not. So yeah, this is not the same Gary Busy we know of later in his career. This is still "Buddy Holly" Busy.
Roger's whole family is pretty prominent in all of the movies don't worry, honestly I think my favorite scene of the whole franchise is between Martin and Roger's wife in part 2 when Roger isn't even around, (no spoilers) but it is a wonderful character moment between the two of them and when Roger walks in at the end of the scene they don't tell him about their conversation, it really shows that Martin is fully a member of Roger's family and can confide in his wife about things he wouldn't be able to tell Roger. Really a wonderful series all together.
It’s set at Christmas because the holidays and summer are where the largest box offices come from. I think it’s more of a corporate decision to have a fun movie set at Christmas time.
@@NemeanLion- No-Not when its shane black. there are many other things he always does in every film, along with setting things at christmas. nothing to do with box office or corporate heads, everything to do with shane black being very habitual (in a good way)
Lethal Weapon is one of my favorite series. Murtaugh family is one of the best, wholesole dynamic, their relationship with Riggs is so great, and it keeps growing. Its one of the things i liked looking foward to in each entry it just gets better.
What I find is an interesting tidbit from this movie. When Roger is confronting Michael Hunsscker right before he's killed, Hunsacker references a group Air America. A few years later in 1990, Mel Gibson would star in a film about Air America with Rober Downey, Jr.
I think you should watch all four movies. It's very rare that the chemistry between Gibson and Glover stays powerful enough to carry on four movies without them ever losing that spark they developed in the first one. Richard Donner directed all four of them and he cared so much for his fellow actors and the characters they play that there's a reason why the charm and continuity throughout the franchise never lost their balance. It's too bad his passing prevented him from directing the fifth one, but Gibson took over the Director's chair as Donner's wish in case such an event were to happen. This is one of the franchises that's worth exploring entirely.
One of the best buddy cop duos of all time. All the movies are great but part 3 is my personal favorite. The first movie is definitely the darkest, but they do get funnier. Martin and Roger's partnership develops alot more throughout the movies. I really hope you guys decide to finish the franchise.
I think this where the cop buddy action movies began. It was so fresh and new when I saw it in theaters. I don’t remember anything else that had this vibe before then.
@@yankee291 I think technically you are right, it had a similar formula, but for some reason I still think the cop/buddy movies never really took off until 5 years later with Lethal Weapon. I think most people saw 48 Hours as a stand alone film, which is probably why we didn’t get a sequel until much later. It’s also probably because Eddie Murphy’s character was a felon and you can’t really create a franchise around a cop and a felon. Great movie though.
Well, actually you can go wrong with Mel Gibson. Just give him some alcohol, or ask him about Jewish people or have his girl talk to a black man. But if we're just counting acting & directing?? Yeah. He's great at those.
15:41 those kids saved their lives, if them singing "you're gonna bust Dixie" hadn't delayed them they'd have been standing at the front door when the house went kaboom💥
Names have meanings. Martin is from “martial” meaning “for war” or “warrior”. Murtaugh is an old Gaelic word for “navigator.” This speaks to how they needed each other. Martin Riggs needed a navigator to help him work through a very difficult phase of his life. Roger Murtaugh needed a warrior to help him save his daughter. They were both exactly what the other needed.
Glad to see everyone doing Lethal Weapon this year! Fun franchise, mainly due to how good the chemistry between Glover and Gibson is. Definitely watch all 4! There is a spoof, (National Lampoon's) Loaded Weapon 1, for after you watch #3. It has Sam Jackson and Emilio Estevez 😉
And there is another "fan" sequel, Lethal Weapon 5, done in the show "Always Sunny in Philadelphia" where show characters are Lethal Weapon fans, then they film their own low-budget sequel and cast THEMSELVES playing Riggs and Murtagh. They hit ALL the inside jokes that you'll get after watching the series.
To me the whole lot of the Murtaughs adopting Riggs is basically the main thing that makes "Lethal Weapon" a Christmas movie. Sad loner finds a new lease on life thanks to the kindness of some strangers is a classic Christmas theme. And I love that Riggs being tight with the Murtaughs is a constant in the whole series.
15:29 The range scene was shot in an indoor shooting range in Arcadia, California. That very target was framed and hung in the entrance of the place for years. My dad took me to shoot there when I was a kid. Brings back memories as the range closed down years ago.
2nd favorite action movie of all time after Die Hard, you can't beat the bromance between Gibson and Glover. So many movies for the last 35 years has been trying to capture the magic that they had together but never came close in my mind. Also this whole series is good, I think LW 2 is almost as great as the first movie, I think LW 3 is underrated and even part 4 which is my least favorite is still very watchable.
The rest of the Lethal Weapon movies are good, but this is my favorite by far. The rest are very much the buddy cop genre, with more funny stuff, but still great action. But this one has so much depth of character, and drama, it's very different, and one of my favorite movies.
The whole series is excellent on my opinion. Every one of the movies adds a little something extra, characters, story arcs, etc. All 4 are worth watching to me. They ramp the comedy wayyyy up in 3 & 4 as well. Great reaction guys! Merry Christmas 🎄
The reason that Lethal Weapon was so dark at the beginning was because screenwriter Shane Black originally wrote it as a neo noir thriller with Martin Riggs as an 80-style noir protagonist similar to Miami Vice. The studio asked for the script to be reworked into more of a buddy-cop format, which was popular at the time following the success of 48hrs.
I couldn’t click on your reaction fast enough, I knew y’all were gonna love it! There will be more comedy in the sequels, which are still actioned packed. I hope y’all don’t wait too long to watch the sequels since this one is fresh on your minds. Wishing y’all a Merry Christmas!
Ok, Dixie's house blowing up is Sam's third biggest gasp behind 1. Steve Buscemi getting shot in the face in Fargo and 2. Shooter McGavin buying Happy Gilmore's grandma's house.
Yes. You need to react to all four films. They are all equally fantastic, and they do get progressively funnier. When you get to the third film, there is a humorous post credits scene, so be sure to watch it.
As you’re also covering Dirty Harry, it’s interesting to see how that film paved the way for Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. And the Rogue hero cop genre was born:)
Yay thanks for taking my suggestion or "ours" if others suggested this series too! If you guys want something scary i'd recommend "30 Days of Night" from 2007. The director is David Slade. It has Josh Harnett and Melissa George in it. This one is awesome, but the sequel sucks, wouldn't waste your money on it. I would honestly donate just to get you guys to watch this, if I was able to, it's that good
The organization, Shadow Company, was also the name of a cancelled John Carpenter Action Horror movie that Shane Black wrote in 1988 and the movie was going to released on Christmas Day 1989. The plot involved Vietnam veterans coming back home from the war, but there's just one problem: they're already dead, and have been since 1973! However, they come back to life 15 years later to wreak a horrible vengeance on a small town on Christmas Day that betrayed the war, where they raid the local armory and go on a kill crazy rampage. The script is online and has developed a cult following.
An interesting note is that your head villian, The General is Mitchel Ryan, the same guy who played Charlie McCoy in Magnum Force. Also, if you want another Shane Black Christmas movie in the same vibe of Nice Guys, check out KISS KISS BANG BANG
If you haven’t seen or reacted to ‘Silverado’, don’t miss it. Danny Glover has a great role, and the rest of the large cast is fantastic. Even though Westerns aren’t a big genre for me, it’s a solid favorite.
The director of all 4 movies passed away recently and had tried to get part 5 made but didn’t happen, with Mel Gibson directing this time. YES you should definitely watch them. Best buddy cop movies.
My favorite buddy cop franchise ever. At the end of part 1 Martin Riggs has become a part of the Murtaugh family. The lethal weapon family grows larger with each sequel. There are currently 4 movies all directed by Richard Donnor (R.I.P.) and a fifth one is coming out in 2023. Richard Donner also directed the movie Maverick a western comedy with Mel Gibson also a great watch.
The screenwriter Shane Black hated how everyone thought of Riggs as "comic relief" when he really wrote the character as an individual deeply affected by PTSD and the loss of his wife. When Warner Bros. asked him to write a script for the sequel with even more comedy surrounding Riggs he instead turned one in that was even darker and more violent than the first installment, in which Riggs was actually killed off. Warner Bros. booted Black off the project and he was never given the chance to work on any Lethal Weapon movie again.
Best “Buddy Cop” series all-time. Loved Rush Hour and Bad Boys (among others). But THIS series shows the most “heart” of everything I’ve seen. Which I feel sets it apart over the others. IMHO. Great reaction as always guys. Keep it up! You guys are the gold standard for reaction channels.
My great aunt used to talk about having Gary Busey in class. She was a teacher long ago and said he was a bit of a wild child. She wasn't surprised where he ended up in a lot of roles.
Danny Glover was a costar in the western movie "Silverado". One of my favorite movies. Unfortunately your Patreons haven't shown it much love on the western poll.😟
The opening credits has "Jingle Bells" as theme, the first scene is about a person jumping out of a building, and the plot is about some dudes trying to bring snow to L.A...... What can be more christmas than that???......
The whole series is great and you should definitely continue with the franchise. Also you are getting pretty close to 100k so I just wanted to say congratulations a little early. Merry Christmas!!!
People on the edge need some kind of emotional connection in life to keep them anchored so they won't just throw themselves over that edge. "The job" gave Riggs that anchor and allowed him to (barely) hang on, but bonding with the Murtaugh family gave him an anchor that had life and warmth and heart, and that helped him to start living again rather than just survive barely hanging on.
Richard "Dick" Donner directed all four movies, but he was also very good in other genres as well. The Omen, The Goonies, the original Superman, Ladyhawke, even one of the best Twilight Zone episodes, "NIghtmare at 20000 Feet" with the gremlin on the wing of the plane. But if you're looking for a fun movie to watch that brings in both Mel Gibson and the Western genre, check out Donner's Maverick, with Gibson, Jodie Foster, and the original Maverick, James Garner. Watch for a delicious cameo by Danny Glover that continues the Riggs Murtaugh dynamic splendidly.
Feels like I've been waiting for this one ever since I started watching Your Channel, more than a year ago...and now, so glad y'all finally got around to it! Now BRING ON the Sequels, each one gets better and better...and better, in every way!!!! "Merry Christmas, Friends."
Shane Black earned $250,000 for writing this, his first script, aged 25, and eventually was paid a record $4 million for The Long Kiss Goodnight. Most of the movies he's written or directed since have been similar in style, content, humour and being-set-at-Christmas as Lethal Weapon, and most of them are pretty great - The Nice Guys, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Last Boy Scout and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are all especially good.
37:12 So glad you guys get it and aren't just 'oh another 80's action fight for no reason', first reactors I've seen pass the test ;) appreciate you both and look forward to rest of the franchise!
Glover was 40 at the time of filming but made up to look older in the face. Predator 2 came out 3 years later. I remember when P2 came out a lot of folks thought he was the "old guy" from Lethal Weapon 1 and 2 and wasn't to big on him in the role. But, this was during a time where your primary action stars were still the Arnolds, Stallone's, Van Damme, Seagal etc. Glover was a little ahead of his time starring in P2.. I'm glad that P2 and him got more fanfare as time went on.
@@Viglin123 *Star Wars is a saga. Unlike a film series, a saga is a single story across several films.* "Franchise" is a word used by those who see movies as products/properties/vehicles, instead of as a visual form of storytelling.
You got to watch them all. Especially number 4 for Americas first look at a certain Martial Arts legend (no spoilers). And your right they are working on No5 :)
A golden standard of the buddy cop genre. All 4 films were directed by the late, great Richard Donner (Superman The Movie, The Goonies). Shane Black wrote both Predator & LW. Released the same year and months apart. Btw, Murtaugh in the script was age 50 while Danny Glover was actually in his 40s. The tv series ran for 3 seasons. But it went on a much different path than the movies. Part 5 was in pre-production as R. Donner had just turned age 90 and ready to direct it. He asked Mel Gibson if he would takeover as director, just in case his health got worse. Mel said yes and even after Donner's passing with speculation of it never happening. It was confirmed that LW5 would be made.
There’s another name you’re forgetting Richard Donner. He is a big part of old with weapon movies, and you might know him most from his work directing superman in Superman 2.
RIP to the man, he had so much range with the multiple genres of movies he directed. Lethal Weapon movies, Superman, The Omen, The Goonies, Maverick, Assassins, Conspiracy Theory, Ladyhawke, Scrooged.
YES!! Before Mel Gibson was cast as Martin Riggs, Sylvester Stallone, William Hurt, Michael Biehn, Robert DeNiro, Christopher Reeve, Al Pacino, Nicolas Cage, Bruce Willis, Patrick Swayze, Christopher Lambert (Lamb bear), Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Michael Nouri, Charlie Sheen, Harrison Ford, Mickey Rourke, Nick Nolte, Matthew Broderick, Sean Penn, Michael Douglas, Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jeff Bridges, Alec Baldwin, Tom Selleck, Liam Neeson, Dennis Quaid, Pierce Brosnan and James Belushi were considered. Before Danny Glover was cast as Roger Murtaugh, Brian Dennehy, Nick Nolte, Clint Eastwood, Warren Beatty,Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall were considered. Before Gary Busey was cast as Joshua, David Bowie, James Woods, Christopher Walken, John Lithgow, John Saxon, Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, Keith Carradine, Scott Glenn, and Tommy Lee Jones were considered. Before Mitchel Ryan was cast as Gen McAllister, Peter Boyle, Bruce Dern, Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones, Lee Marvin and Richard Jordan were considered. Shane Black's original 1985 script was a lot darker and more violent than the movie: The Sniper scene in the Directors Cut was a lot different as it shows a dead kid being taken away in a gurney, and rather than have Riggs shoot the sniper with his Beretta, he blows up the guy with a rocket launcher, and the draft ended with Joshua being chased by a helicopter, which he shoots down with a napalm missile, causing helicopter to crash into the Hollywood Sign. Murtaugh kills Gen McAllister while he is driving a trailer truck filled with heroin which then crashes and explodes over the Hollywood Hills, where the heroin rains down like snow over the burning Hollywood Sign. Riggs kills Joshua by ripping out his eyes with the fingers. Riggs was an assassin trained by a CIA, and had been mentally unstable since the war ended. Murtaugh accidentally killed a fellow soldier in training with his bare hands before he leaves to fight in Vietnam.
This is one of the classic action movies. I'm glad that you two have started on the series! You should definitely watch all of them. Part 3 is the weakest, but it's still a good action flick, amd introduces some important characters.
This is one of my favorite movies and definitely is a Christmas classic! The next 3 are very good sequels, number 2 being the strongest. I surprisingly really enjoyed the recent tv series. They did a great job of honoring the original concept while making slight changes and modernizations.
Love the director's cut of this film..there's a good 20 or 30 mins before riggs even meets murtagh.. Riggs gets a call to a sniper in a school shooting at kids and there's other bits through the movie
This has to be the 3rd or 4th reaction to this I’ve seen this month but something tells me I’ll like this one the best😉. It’s the review at the end that sets this channel apart. That’s always the best part and no one else does it,it makes you guys legit professional critics. Btw Danny Glover was actually about 40 playing older,Idk how old Riggs is supposed to be but he’d have to be at least 35 to have been in Vietnam(maybe not if he was there up to 1973)….yeah I’m not sure I know what I’m talking about🤣. Also the drug dealer that Riggs head buts and disarms at the tree lot is played by Anthony Keidis’ dad which is some weird and random trivia. I’m voting you guys watch the entire series,the 4th one is a little weak but Gibson and Glover’s chemistry is still superb. It’s hard to say which of the first 2 is better and for every person that prefers 1 there’s an equal amount that think 2 is the best,I’m not even sure which one I prefer
Another criminally underrated buddy cop movie is Running Scared with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines. It's a bit lighter in tone but the 2 leads had great comedy chemistry and I don't think many channels have covered it
7:05 Two Fun facts: The 9mm Beretta gun that Riggs uses in this film is actually the same as the one that John McClane uses in Die Hard. No really, not just the same type... that is actually the same prop gun used by both actors for both films.
The big difference between Lethal Weapon and other buddy cop movies, like Bad Boys or Rush Hour, is the character development. The main characters grow noticeably in each movie.
Great that you finally got around to this one! Like Die Hard, this film is kind of an "archetype" when it comes to buddy cop movies. People just assume it's a simple, funny action movie, but it's actually quite dark and the acting is very good for this genre (especially Gibson). The second one is also a must watch. IMO, The 3rd one is not up to the standards of the first two, but the 4th was entertaining. BTW If you want to see a very good Shane Black movie that he also directed, check out "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" if you haven't already(?).
Favorite Christmas movie? Die Hard. Second favorite Christmas movie? Die Hard 2. Third favorite? Die Hard 3? No! Lethal Weapon! All the Lethal Weapon movies are great. It rare when I recommend watching all the sequels. Last franchise I recommend seeing all of was the Rocky/Creed movies (though Rocky V was a but weak, you still liked it). Even the worst Lethal Weapon movie is a fun ride. Die Hard feels like a Christmas movie without being a Christmas movie. But Lethal Weapon is just a movie that takes place during Christmas. Still enjoyable though!
Fun fact, all the main cast including all of Roger's kids, his wife, and even the Captain were in all four movies. You watch his family grow as the movies advance.
Please watch all 4. I know you'll enjoy them!
I think it starts dropping off after #2, but they’re all fun.
The first 2 films are the best and have seen all 4 films many times. The original set the tone and Lethal Weapon 2 was a classic as well and even went above the bar of original with the mix of action and comedy especially with the addition of Joe Pesci and more comedy between Glover and Gibson. The villains in first 2 films were the most memorable.
@@scottknode898 Diplomatic Immunity!
Riggs befriending the rottweiler in part 3 is legendary
@@Gurra88 that is a good scene and when Riggs and Lorna Cole share their scars
I think it goes underestimated just how much that first dinner with the Murtaghs helped Riggs. Real, genuine laughter at the two youngest kids rapping about their sister, social interaction in general. It marks where he starts to peek out of the shell of pain.
Agreed. When I'm depressed, the last thing I want to do is spend time with friends, but when I do, that's what starts getting me out of it.
Lethal Weapon 5 is happening. Richard Donner did write the script before he died. There’s an interview where Mel Gibson said that he was asked by Richard Donner “Hey Kid, if I kick the bucket I want you to direct this movie…” so yeah Mel Gibson is directing Lethal Weapon 5
The whole Franchise is worth checking out.
Another good Shane Black movie (written by him) is 'The Last Boy Scout' with Bruce Willis and Damon Waynes...it's hilarious!
Agreed, a few people have recently Reacted to "The Last Boy Scout" ...but we need More!
The Last Boy Scout is my second favourite Bruce Willis film after Die Hard. Yes definitely watch it.
I wish they had just called that die hard 3/4 as it’s superb but he’s still mclane ish
One of my fave films
How fat is she?
Oh you real cool for a guy about to take a bullet....
Bruce willis: yeah after fkn your wife ill take 2.... hahahah this movie is soo 👍
Watch em all. It’s one of the very few action sequels that actually do work. Same actors, same director (Richard Donner), same production crew, same fans.
The scene where Riggs and Murtagh are having it out about Riggs being suicidal and Murtagh prodds him to commit suicide with his gun: Riggs didn't 'almost do it.' He pulled the trigger. However on that type of revolver pulling the trigger snaps the hammer (on the back of the gun above the grip) forward into the back of the cartridge firing the round. The only reason Riggs didn't die is Murtagh shoved his hand forward and 'catches' the hammer in the web between the thumb and forefinger keeping the hammer from hitting the cartridge and the gun from firing. You can hear the trigger snap and Murtagh yells 'OW!' as the hammer comes down on a sensitive part of his hand. Movie is darker than you think.
10:00 "Damn, closed the door so hard it opened!" 😆
Danny Glover was playing a character whose age was 50 but he was actually only 39. Mel Gibson's character was supposed to be 38 but his actual age was 30.
And Traci Wolfe (daughter Rianna) was 27, playing a 16 year old 😲
Glover was actually 40 he was born in 1946 this was filmed in 1986 came out in 87
@@Hapkido82AUS really? man she looked 16 to me
Dang they looked old back then
@@ActionJackson1982 Cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke e-v-e-r-y-w-he-r-e. Even if you didn't smoke, you'd go home reeking of it after going out or some workplaces.
Definitely watch all of them. All 4 are great.
Mel Gibson was always a superb actor. He has you laughing in one scene and almost rips your heart out with his portrayal of grief in the next.
They only get better! I can't wait for you to watch them all!!
2 is great, but 3 and 4 are objectively not better than this one.
LW4 is clear of 3 and comparable to the first two.
The reason Gary Busy seems more "Mellow" in this movie compared to Predator 2 is because between this movie and that one, he had a serious motorcycle accident where he had a head on collision (into a wall if I am not mistaken) and suffered head trauma and if I am not mistaken again, was pronounced dead at one point and was brought back, and since then he is slightly unhinged and more "open" in his views about life and death and aliens and what not. So yeah, this is not the same Gary Busy we know of later in his career. This is still "Buddy Holly" Busy.
Roger's whole family is pretty prominent in all of the movies don't worry, honestly I think my favorite scene of the whole franchise is between Martin and Roger's wife in part 2 when Roger isn't even around, (no spoilers) but it is a wonderful character moment between the two of them and when Roger walks in at the end of the scene they don't tell him about their conversation, it really shows that Martin is fully a member of Roger's family and can confide in his wife about things he wouldn't be able to tell Roger. Really a wonderful series all together.
This might not be a "Christmas movie" to some but can't deny it warms you up for the holidays
Even had "snow" in the form of heroin lol.
It is though-its another Shane Black movie-and he ALWAYS sets his films at Christmas time
It’s set at Christmas because the holidays and summer are where the largest box offices come from. I think it’s more of a corporate decision to have a fun movie set at Christmas time.
@@NemeanLion- No-Not when its shane black. there are many other things he always does in every film, along with setting things at christmas. nothing to do with box office or corporate heads, everything to do with shane black being very habitual (in a good way)
And if that's not enough of Christmas spirit for you, watch Gibson's ultimate Christmas movie: Fatman!
Lethal Weapon is one of my favorite series. Murtaugh family is one of the best, wholesole dynamic, their relationship with Riggs is so great, and it keeps growing. Its one of the things i liked looking foward to in each entry it just gets better.
Great reaction! Honestly, the buddy-cop chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover is unrivalled. Even the show couldn't replicate it.
👍🏼
What I find is an interesting tidbit from this movie. When Roger is confronting Michael Hunsscker right before he's killed, Hunsacker references a group Air America. A few years later in 1990, Mel Gibson would star in a film about Air America with Rober Downey, Jr.
I think you should watch all four movies. It's very rare that the chemistry between Gibson and Glover stays powerful enough to carry on four movies without them ever losing that spark they developed in the first one. Richard Donner directed all four of them and he cared so much for his fellow actors and the characters they play that there's a reason why the charm and continuity throughout the franchise never lost their balance. It's too bad his passing prevented him from directing the fifth one, but Gibson took over the Director's chair as Donner's wish in case such an event were to happen. This is one of the franchises that's worth exploring entirely.
I agree. I enjoyed all four movies.
One of the best buddy cop duos of all time. All the movies are great but part 3 is my personal favorite. The first movie is definitely the darkest, but they do get funnier. Martin and Roger's partnership develops alot more throughout the movies. I really hope you guys decide to finish the franchise.
I think this where the cop buddy action movies began. It was so fresh and new when I saw it in theaters. I don’t remember anything else that had this vibe before then.
I'm glad Lethal 3 is finally getting the respect it deserves!
@@NemeanLion- 48 Hrs is the first modern buddy cop film
@@yankee291 I think technically you are right, it had a similar formula, but for some reason I still think the cop/buddy movies never really took off until 5 years later with Lethal Weapon. I think most people saw 48 Hours as a stand alone film, which is probably why we didn’t get a sequel until much later. It’s also probably because Eddie Murphy’s character was a felon and you can’t really create a franchise around a cop and a felon. Great movie though.
@@NemeanLion- What has has 48 Hours being seen as a stand alone film got anything to do wit it at all?
Never gets old. Can't go wrong with Mel Gibson, acting or directing
Well, actually you can go wrong with Mel Gibson. Just give him some alcohol, or ask him about Jewish people or have his girl talk to a black man. But if we're just counting acting & directing?? Yeah. He's great at those.
@@DamonCzanik Did say acting and directing so glad ya caught that
@@JordanJMyers I mean, Passion is garbage. So Damon wasnt fully wrong.
Definitely one of the best out there.
@@erikjohnson3859 ok thanks
A favorite franchise of mine.
A Danny Glover movie that I alway liked Switchback a (1997) mystery/thriller.
Switchback is so underrated! It's crazy because the movie does not really hide who the killer is, and yet I ended up being surprised by it anyway.
I hope you guys continue the Lethal Weapon series. They do not disappoint.
15:41 those kids saved their lives, if them singing "you're gonna bust Dixie" hadn't delayed them they'd have been standing at the front door when the house went kaboom💥
The jumping off the building part was always the funniest part of the movie to me Riggs "do you really wanna jump?" 😂🤣
For a brief moment when the jump starts, you can see that the handcuffs are not connected. 🙂
Right! The prop handcuffs broke so they had to improvise in the moment and clutch hands.
I love Roger screaming at him afterwards "Get in here!" and slamming the door so hard it swings open 🤣🤣🤣
"Let's go again!"
"Do you really wanna? Will let's do it assh*$#".
we'll never be too old for this shit!
So glad you two are watching this series, it’s one of my all time favorites. I think you will enjoy them very much!
Yeah I'd keep watching the rest of the series, they're all really entertaining in their own ways.
Names have meanings. Martin is from “martial” meaning “for war” or “warrior”. Murtaugh is an old Gaelic word for “navigator.” This speaks to how they needed each other. Martin Riggs needed a navigator to help him work through a very difficult phase of his life. Roger Murtaugh needed a warrior to help him save his daughter. They were both exactly what the other needed.
Glad to see everyone doing Lethal Weapon this year! Fun franchise, mainly due to how good the chemistry between Glover and Gibson is.
Definitely watch all 4! There is a spoof, (National Lampoon's) Loaded Weapon 1, for after you watch #3. It has Sam Jackson and Emilio Estevez 😉
Loaded Weapon is such a good spoof of Lethal Weapon
then do also Maverick, not the Tom Cruise recent movie, the Mel Gibson movie!
And there is another "fan" sequel, Lethal Weapon 5, done in the show "Always Sunny in Philadelphia" where show characters are Lethal Weapon fans, then they film their own low-budget sequel and cast THEMSELVES playing Riggs and Murtagh. They hit ALL the inside jokes that you'll get after watching the series.
To me the whole lot of the Murtaughs adopting Riggs is basically the main thing that makes "Lethal Weapon" a Christmas movie. Sad loner finds a new lease on life thanks to the kindness of some strangers is a classic Christmas theme. And I love that Riggs being tight with the Murtaughs is a constant in the whole series.
80's action films are just awesome. Ya'll need to see part 2!
15:29 The range scene was shot in an indoor shooting range in Arcadia, California. That very target was framed and hung in the entrance of the place for years. My dad took me to shoot there when I was a kid. Brings back memories as the range closed down years ago.
Thanks guys . Happy holidays.
2nd favorite action movie of all time after Die Hard, you can't beat the bromance between Gibson and Glover. So many movies for the last 35 years has been trying to capture the magic that they had together but never came close in my mind. Also this whole series is good, I think LW 2 is almost as great as the first movie, I think LW 3 is underrated and even part 4 which is my least favorite is still very watchable.
Die Hard and Lethal Weapon - Two amazing action franchises!
The rest of the Lethal Weapon movies are good, but this is my favorite by far. The rest are very much the buddy cop genre, with more funny stuff, but still great action. But this one has so much depth of character, and drama, it's very different, and one of my favorite movies.
The entire Lethal Weapon series is fantastic.
One of the best buddy cop franchises ever!!
You're going to love the other 3 films, guaranteed !
Not just a Christmas movie but Roger's wife (Darlene Love) is practically the queen of Christmas songs.
When Dave Letterman had his show, she made guest spots on it every Christmas.
The Lethal Weapon series is one of the best movie series. All four movies are great.
luv bromance movies
This is one of the rare series where every one is great. Great cast that only gets better as they progress.
The first Lethal Weapon and the last one are the best imo. Jet Li was a monster.
The whole series is excellent on my opinion. Every one of the movies adds a little something extra, characters, story arcs, etc. All 4 are worth watching to me. They ramp the comedy wayyyy up in 3 & 4 as well. Great reaction guys! Merry Christmas 🎄
You guys NEED to watch them all. They dont diminish in quality at all. So good.
The reason that Lethal Weapon was so dark at the beginning was because screenwriter Shane Black originally wrote it as a neo noir thriller with Martin Riggs as an 80-style noir protagonist similar to Miami Vice. The studio asked for the script to be reworked into more of a buddy-cop format, which was popular at the time following the success of 48hrs.
It had an even darker intro for Riggs originally.
I couldn’t click on your reaction fast enough, I knew y’all were gonna love it! There will be more comedy in the sequels, which are still actioned packed. I hope y’all don’t wait too long to watch the sequels since this one is fresh on your minds. Wishing y’all a Merry Christmas!
Ok, Dixie's house blowing up is Sam's third biggest gasp behind 1. Steve Buscemi getting shot in the face in Fargo and 2. Shooter McGavin buying Happy Gilmore's grandma's house.
Yes. You need to react to all four films. They are all equally fantastic, and they do get progressively funnier. When you get to the third film, there is a humorous post credits scene, so be sure to watch it.
As you’re also covering Dirty Harry, it’s interesting to see how that film paved the way for Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. And the Rogue hero cop genre was born:)
I love Riggs and Murtaugh. Classic Buddy Cop team. The entire Lethal Weapon franchise is always a great watch.
the series is great
Yay thanks for taking my suggestion or "ours" if others suggested this series too! If you guys want something scary i'd recommend "30 Days of Night" from 2007. The director is David Slade. It has Josh Harnett and Melissa George in it. This one is awesome, but the sequel sucks, wouldn't waste your money on it. I would honestly donate just to get you guys to watch this, if I was able to, it's that good
I agree, "30 Days of Night" was a scary, change of pace type movie for that genre. I just watched it about 2 years ago, and was pleasantly surprised.
agreed
Agreed, "30 days" is a masterpiece of suspence and action.
The organization, Shadow Company, was also the name of a cancelled John Carpenter Action Horror movie that Shane Black wrote in 1988 and the movie was going to released on Christmas Day 1989. The plot involved Vietnam veterans coming back home from the war, but there's just one problem: they're already dead, and have been since 1973! However, they come back to life 15 years later to wreak a horrible vengeance on a small town on Christmas Day that betrayed the war, where they raid the local armory and go on a kill crazy rampage.
The script is online and has developed a cult following.
An interesting note is that your head villian, The General is Mitchel Ryan, the same guy who played Charlie McCoy in Magnum Force. Also, if you want another Shane Black Christmas movie in the same vibe of Nice Guys, check out KISS KISS BANG BANG
If you haven’t seen or reacted to ‘Silverado’, don’t miss it. Danny Glover has a great role, and the rest of the large cast is fantastic. Even though Westerns aren’t a big genre for me, it’s a solid favorite.
I liked how all the main cast members are in all four movies. They even add one in the second and another in the third that you will enjoy.
Danny Glover was only 41 years of age when this movie was filmed. Damn, I'm older than that now and I look 10 years younger.
The director of all 4 movies passed away recently and had tried to get part 5 made but didn’t happen, with Mel Gibson directing this time. YES you should definitely watch them. Best buddy cop movies.
Definitely one of the best movie franchises. None of them are disappointing
My favorite buddy cop franchise ever.
At the end of part 1 Martin Riggs has become a part of the Murtaugh family. The lethal weapon family grows larger with each sequel.
There are currently 4 movies all directed by Richard Donnor (R.I.P.) and a fifth one is coming out in 2023.
Richard Donner also directed the movie Maverick a western comedy with Mel Gibson also a great watch.
The screenwriter Shane Black hated how everyone thought of Riggs as "comic relief" when he really wrote the character as an individual deeply affected by PTSD and the loss of his wife. When Warner Bros. asked him to write a script for the sequel with even more comedy surrounding Riggs he instead turned one in that was even darker and more violent than the first installment, in which Riggs was actually killed off. Warner Bros. booted Black off the project and he was never given the chance to work on any Lethal Weapon movie again.
Best “Buddy Cop” series all-time. Loved Rush Hour and Bad Boys (among others). But THIS series shows the most “heart” of everything I’ve seen. Which I feel sets it apart over the others. IMHO.
Great reaction as always guys. Keep it up! You guys are the gold standard for reaction channels.
My great aunt used to talk about having Gary Busey in class. She was a teacher long ago and said he was a bit of a wild child. She wasn't surprised where he ended up in a lot of roles.
Danny Glover was a costar in the western movie "Silverado".
One of my favorite movies.
Unfortunately your Patreons haven't shown it much love on the western poll.😟
Yeah, that's crazy to me. Silverado is an amazing movie.
The opening credits has "Jingle Bells" as theme, the first scene is about a person jumping out of a building, and the plot is about some dudes trying to bring snow to L.A...... What can be more christmas than that???......
The whole series is great and you should definitely continue with the franchise. Also you are getting pretty close to 100k so I just wanted to say congratulations a little early. Merry Christmas!!!
“Oh my god its happening, stay calm everyone stay calm, stay calm, stay fkn calm” my reaction when someone get’s lethal weapon watched!
IMHO they just get better and better. 4 is my fav.
Hope you make 100k soon!
People on the edge need some kind of emotional connection in life to keep them anchored so they won't just throw themselves over that edge. "The job" gave Riggs that anchor and allowed him to (barely) hang on, but bonding with the Murtaugh family gave him an anchor that had life and warmth and heart, and that helped him to start living again rather than just survive barely hanging on.
Danny Glover is also in The Colour Purple, another movie well worth watching.
Richard "Dick" Donner directed all four movies, but he was also very good in other genres as well. The Omen, The Goonies, the original Superman, Ladyhawke, even one of the best Twilight Zone episodes, "NIghtmare at 20000 Feet" with the gremlin on the wing of the plane. But if you're looking for a fun movie to watch that brings in both Mel Gibson and the Western genre, check out Donner's Maverick, with Gibson, Jodie Foster, and the original Maverick, James Garner. Watch for a delicious cameo by Danny Glover that continues the Riggs Murtaugh dynamic splendidly.
Feels like I've been waiting for this one ever since I started watching Your Channel, more than a year ago...and now, so glad y'all finally got around to it! Now BRING ON the Sequels, each one gets better and better...and better, in every way!!!! "Merry Christmas, Friends."
Shane Black earned $250,000 for writing this, his first script, aged 25, and eventually was paid a record $4 million for The Long Kiss Goodnight. Most of the movies he's written or directed since have been similar in style, content, humour and being-set-at-Christmas as Lethal Weapon, and most of them are pretty great - The Nice Guys, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Last Boy Scout and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are all especially good.
Cool reaction as always Schmitt & Samantha, you both take care and Merry Christmas
"One down, even that guy was kind of nice other than the torture." 🤣
37:12 So glad you guys get it and aren't just 'oh another 80's action fight for no reason', first reactors I've seen pass the test ;) appreciate you both and look forward to rest of the franchise!
Glover was 40 at the time of filming but made up to look older in the face. Predator 2 came out 3 years later. I remember when P2 came out a lot of folks thought he was the "old guy" from Lethal Weapon 1 and 2 and wasn't to big on him in the role.
But, this was during a time where your primary action stars were still the Arnolds, Stallone's, Van Damme, Seagal etc. Glover was a little ahead of his time starring in P2.. I'm glad that P2 and him got more fanfare as time went on.
I'm so glad y'all are doing this franchise. It's awesome for sure.
*Film SERIES. "Franchise" is a chain of businesses.*
@@hulkhatepunybanner
Nope , just look at Star Wars…it’s a franchise.
It’s basically used for any brand. Lethal Weapon is a brand .
@@Viglin123 *Star Wars is a saga. Unlike a film series, a saga is a single story across several films.* "Franchise" is a word used by those who see movies as products/properties/vehicles, instead of as a visual form of storytelling.
@hulkhatepunybanner do you think I care about your opinion or something? I'll call them whatever I want lol.
@@hulkhatepunybanner I'm not the only person in the comments that call it a franchise 🤷♂️
My #1 favorite Buddy Cop movie ever.
You got to watch them all. Especially number 4 for Americas first look at a certain Martial Arts legend (no spoilers).
And your right they are working on No5 :)
A golden standard of the buddy cop genre.
All 4 films were directed by the late, great Richard Donner (Superman The Movie, The Goonies).
Shane Black wrote both Predator & LW.
Released the same year and months apart.
Btw, Murtaugh in the script was age 50 while Danny Glover was actually in his 40s.
The tv series ran for 3 seasons.
But it went on a much different path than the movies.
Part 5 was in pre-production as R. Donner had just turned age 90 and ready to direct it.
He asked Mel Gibson if he would takeover as director, just in case his health got worse.
Mel said yes and even after Donner's passing with speculation of it never happening.
It was confirmed that LW5 would be made.
Black never wrote the first Predator film. He only polished it while playing Hawkins on set.
There’s another name you’re forgetting Richard Donner. He is a big part of old with weapon movies, and you might know him most from his work directing superman in Superman 2.
RIP to the man, he had so much range with the multiple genres of movies he directed. Lethal Weapon movies, Superman, The Omen, The Goonies, Maverick, Assassins, Conspiracy Theory, Ladyhawke, Scrooged.
YES!!
Before Mel Gibson was cast as Martin Riggs, Sylvester Stallone, William Hurt, Michael Biehn, Robert DeNiro, Christopher Reeve, Al Pacino, Nicolas Cage, Bruce Willis, Patrick Swayze, Christopher Lambert (Lamb bear), Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Michael Nouri, Charlie Sheen, Harrison Ford, Mickey Rourke, Nick Nolte, Matthew Broderick, Sean Penn, Michael Douglas, Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jeff Bridges, Alec Baldwin, Tom Selleck, Liam Neeson, Dennis Quaid, Pierce Brosnan and James Belushi were considered.
Before Danny Glover was cast as Roger Murtaugh,
Brian Dennehy, Nick Nolte, Clint Eastwood, Warren Beatty,Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall were considered.
Before Gary Busey was cast as Joshua, David Bowie, James Woods, Christopher Walken, John Lithgow, John Saxon, Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, Keith Carradine, Scott Glenn, and Tommy Lee Jones were considered.
Before Mitchel Ryan was cast as Gen McAllister, Peter Boyle, Bruce Dern, Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones, Lee Marvin and Richard Jordan were considered.
Shane Black's original 1985 script was a lot darker and more violent than the movie:
The Sniper scene in the Directors Cut was a lot different as it shows a dead kid being taken away in a gurney, and rather than have Riggs shoot the sniper with his Beretta, he blows up the guy with a rocket launcher, and the draft ended with Joshua being chased by a helicopter, which he shoots down with a napalm missile, causing helicopter to crash into the Hollywood Sign. Murtaugh kills Gen McAllister while he is driving a trailer truck filled with heroin which then crashes and explodes over the Hollywood Hills, where the heroin rains down like snow over the burning Hollywood Sign.
Riggs kills Joshua by ripping out his eyes with the fingers.
Riggs was an assassin trained by a CIA, and had been mentally unstable since the war ended.
Murtaugh accidentally killed a fellow soldier in training with his bare hands before he leaves to fight in Vietnam.
This is one of the classic action movies. I'm glad that you two have started on the series! You should definitely watch all of them. Part 3 is the weakest, but it's still a good action flick, amd introduces some important characters.
This is one of the few franchises where each film is a winner imo. Granted some are better than others but they are all great in their own way
This is one of my favorite movies and definitely is a Christmas classic! The next 3 are very good sequels, number 2 being the strongest.
I surprisingly really enjoyed the recent tv series. They did a great job of honoring the original concept while making slight changes and modernizations.
Til Damon Wayans sabotaged it. I honestly loved it too.
The best thing about labeling this movie as an "Ultimate 80s movie" is that everyone can agree, whether you consider that a compliment or a slam.
Love the director's cut of this film..there's a good 20 or 30 mins before riggs even meets murtagh..
Riggs gets a call to a sniper in a school shooting at kids and there's other bits through the movie
This has to be the 3rd or 4th reaction to this I’ve seen this month but something tells me I’ll like this one the best😉. It’s the review at the end that sets this channel apart. That’s always the best part and no one else does it,it makes you guys legit professional critics. Btw Danny Glover was actually about 40 playing older,Idk how old Riggs is supposed to be but he’d have to be at least 35 to have been in Vietnam(maybe not if he was there up to 1973)….yeah I’m not sure I know what I’m talking about🤣. Also the drug dealer that Riggs head buts and disarms at the tree lot is played by Anthony Keidis’ dad which is some weird and random trivia. I’m voting you guys watch the entire series,the 4th one is a little weak but Gibson and Glover’s chemistry is still superb. It’s hard to say which of the first 2 is better and for every person that prefers 1 there’s an equal amount that think 2 is the best,I’m not even sure which one I prefer
Amen. Great reactions to the actual movie and the discussions at the end are always worth it.
👍
Another criminally underrated buddy cop movie is Running Scared with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines. It's a bit lighter in tone but the 2 leads had great comedy chemistry and I don't think many channels have covered it
Pleeeeease do All of them. They are all great. 2nd one is my favorite.
7:05 Two Fun facts: The 9mm Beretta gun that Riggs uses in this film is actually the same as the one that John McClane uses in Die Hard.
No really, not just the same type... that is actually the same prop gun used by both actors for both films.
Great reaction guys. You should definitely watch all of these movies
100k subs soon. Y'all deserve it ☺️
Check out Freebie and the Bean for the original buddy cop from 1973. It's awesome.
The big difference between Lethal Weapon and other buddy cop movies, like Bad Boys or Rush Hour, is the character development. The main characters grow noticeably in each movie.
Great that you finally got around to this one! Like Die Hard, this film is kind of an "archetype" when it comes to buddy cop movies. People just assume it's a simple, funny action movie, but it's actually quite dark and the acting is very good for this genre (especially Gibson). The second one is also a must watch.
IMO, The 3rd one is not up to the standards of the first two, but the 4th was entertaining.
BTW If you want to see a very good Shane Black movie that he also directed, check out "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" if you haven't already(?).
Favorite Christmas movie? Die Hard. Second favorite Christmas movie? Die Hard 2. Third favorite? Die Hard 3? No! Lethal Weapon!
All the Lethal Weapon movies are great. It rare when I recommend watching all the sequels. Last franchise I recommend seeing all of was the Rocky/Creed movies (though Rocky V was a but weak, you still liked it). Even the worst Lethal Weapon movie is a fun ride.
Die Hard feels like a Christmas movie without being a Christmas movie. But Lethal Weapon is just a movie that takes place during Christmas. Still enjoyable though!