LETHAL WEAPON (1987) MOVIE REACTION - LOVING THESE 80'S FLICKS! - First Time Watching - Review
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- Опубліковано 15 гру 2023
- Welcome to our first-time watching Lethal Weapon (1987). Diving in head first into the world of '80s action films. This iconic buddy cop film starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover was such a fun and thrilling ride! Both of these actors did an amazing job. The dynamic chemistry between Riggs and Murtaugh is through the roof and made us root for both of them almost immediately.
Directed by Richard Donner there are many elements we enjoyed from this. The grittiness, the comedy, the action and specifically the way those scenes were filmed etc.
"Lethal Weapon" introduces us to the mismatched detective duo, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), as they navigate the dangerous underworld of Los Angeles. The film has some pretty intense action sequences and explores how these characters learn to work with each other finding their own strengths and learning from their partner. It's safe to say this film has had a lasting impact on the action genre and we believe it's for a lot of good reasons!
We hope you enjoy our reactions, commentary and discussions as we delve into this '80s classic in the action genre, what makes us root for Riggs and Murtaugh so much, and how the explosive set pieces combined with witty banter makes Lethal Weapon such a joy to watch.
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This was a blast! We really enjoyed the dynamic between the two leads. Hit like and subscribe if you enjoyed (it helps us out a lot) and if you'd like to support the channel and gain access to the full length reaction become a member of our patreon bit.ly/3ICVrJ6
As the series progresses,it gets more comedic and the banter and chemistry gets better. I personally think (although not a bad movie) number one is my least favourite from the lot. So hopefully you will get around to the rest too ;)
That is a huge compliment! When people say the first one is good but it only gets better! That is a very rare quality to have in a series. Can’t wait to see what’s next 😀
I know you called the opening song “Jingle Bells”, but it’s actually “Jingle Bell Rock”. 😁
An absolute banger!
@29:35 Coincidentally, Mel Gibson starred alongside Robert Downey, Jr. in a movie called “Air America”. Not a great film, but not too bad either.
i am today as old as Danny Glover was when this movie came out (42)..... and i now why he thinks he's too old for this shit and what this shit actually is.....
41 here, same
And you realize to reach life expectancy you have to live your life all over again time wise.
I saw this movie when it first came out. Just turning 65 this year, I'm not still old.
I am 43 and I feel it too. Still as capable as I've ever been but I feel every moment😂😂
I am 40 and 2 months. I feel all the same as i did when i was 25. Guess it depends on how lazy the person is. I run 6 days a week for 25 years now. So me still being in elite shape, makes life easy breezy. I even still get carded for snuff/alcohol. Life is good.
What's even better is that Lethal Weapon is renowned for having every sequel be a good one. Watch 'em all!
Now that I think about it, that’s a good point. All 4 are really good and I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone crap on any of them. Now, you can argue which one is the best but they’re all good in their own right.
Hell yeah, after #2 the flavor changed abit but they all still echo eachother in a wonderful way.
Beverly Hills Cop. Lethal Weapon. 48 Hours. The R Rated buddy cop. The 80s never get the credit for spawning this genre.
Yeah. I had a blast introducing my grandson to Beverly Hills Cop. If you haven't reacted to it, you really should.
Beverly Hills Cop 4 has been made. Def one series to react to. Awesome. The first 2 are tremendous.
The 80's did not spawn buddy cop films, the 1970's did. Watch Freebie and the Bean (1974) which this film draws heavily on - its brilliant.
@ AsylumSaint Thank you for mentioning 48 Hours. Not only is it Eddie Murphy's first movie it's a good movie. Don't know why it gets no love.
Buddy cop movies go WAY back before the 80's, but the 80's definitely perfected it.
Of course you guys enjoyed this buddy cop masterpiece of an action film, Lethal Weapon is one of the all time greats, and I hope you guys watched the sequels as well, they are worth watching!!!!
We absolutely loved this one, it was such a great time!! We're definitely game to check out the rest of the series!
@@OfficialMediaKnights Lethal Weapon 2 is more Dark, and Lethal Weapon 3 and 4 are more action humor, but personally my favorite one out of the four is definitely Lethal Weapon 3, but don't worry I won't spoil it for you guys lol!!!
@@OfficialMediaKnights No spoilers; but this 4 movie series has a fantastic character development for both Riggs and Murtaugh. Some will say that the stories get "weaker" as they go on, but I disagree with that. It tells an overall story of the two men, and their lives as they grow together. While I love the "original" release of this movie, you should also check out the "Director's Cut", as it does add to the story (especially Riggs character). Gibson and Glover have a fantastic chemistry together, and you truly care about them.
Also, I can relate to Riggs in this movie more than most people, as I was widowed in 2006. Different cause of death (my first wife had cancer, where Victoria was killed in a car accident). Gibson pulled off the "widowed" part very accurately. After her death, I also had that "I don't care if I live or die" mentality for a long time. It took me a few years to finally "cope with the New Normal" I was living in. I have since remarried, but those scars left by such a traumatic event never fully heal. It's the kind of emotional pain I wouldn't wish on anyone.
Lastly, if you know of anyone going through losing a spouse, point them to www dot widownet dot org, a support site run by and for people who have lost their spouse or significant other. The forums on there helped me get mentally healthy again.
@@IggyStardust1967 All four LW movies are equally perfect.
@@OfficialMediaKnights Its one of the few franchises that actually get better with every addition mostly because they not only maintain the audience connection with the main characters but add new ones that become hugely important parts of the lore moving forward. Can't wait to see ya'lls reaction to Leo Getz
I hope you watch the second movie. The "ride or die" friendship between these two only grows stronger as the explosions get bigger and the quips get funnier! One of the best franchises out there!
We’ll absolutely give the rest of this series a watch! Loved the first one and we can’t wait to see what else is in store for us 😃
This is one franchise that all of them are good!!
@@OfficialMediaKnightsyou will love the movies :)
@@OfficialMediaKnights they just keep getting better. 2 3 4 and a part 5 might be in the works.
Yes, and the second one brings in an amazing character😍😍😍
Richard Donner is such a great director. From the first Superman movie to 80s action flicks like The Goonies and Lethal Weapon franchise, he really gives the audience what they want.
I always wondered why Sloth had a superman shirt on
goonies never die!
The Omen
IMO Shane Black's writing is a pretty big factor in what makes this work too...
If you noticed…Riggs really pulled the trigger after the “jumper” scene. He went through with it. Murtough literally saved his life by blocking the hammer with his hand. There is a lot of significance to that. This is THE quintessential buddy cop series
The names of the main characters have real meanings in this movie. Martin means “martial” or “warrior.” Murtaugh is an archaic word meaning “navigator.” When Roger Murtaugh needed a warrior to help him save his daughter, Martin was that warrior. When Martin needed a navigator to help guide him through a difficult time in his life, Roger was that navigator. Their names describe what they were for each other when they needed it most.
One of the great things about this series is how the characters truly evolve, how they age together, the families grow together, how the stories explore what family really means, and so on... You are in for a treat as you go through these movies, all 4 are terrific.
"We're not friends, we're family!"🥰
I clicked to hear Denise say “and I’m Denise” ❤ seriously though I’m glad y’all loving the 80’s. I think people are realizing how special that decade was
So far it’s been a blast! This decade truly is the gift that keeps on giving ❤️
Two great Mel Gibson movies:
"Conspiracy Theory" (with Julia Roberts)
"Bird on a Wire" (with Goldie Hawn)
Bird on a Wire is a fuckin riot, highly recommend
And the Maverick (with Jodie Foster) is the 3rd one!
Mel openly struggled with alcoholism through a lot of his career, saying he would drink 7-8 beers every morning to feel stable. His talent is immense acting and directing. APOCALYPTO is a masterpiece along with Hacksaw Ridge, When We Were Soldiers, Ransom, and others. Great review and reactions as always! Love you guys
Nearly a perfect movie
The cast. The acting. The storyline. The camera work. Comedy. Action. Darkness. Character development. The total package
The 80s has to be most influential decade in cinema history. Look how many franchises were created at that time and are still going strong. 80s movies are a pop culture juggernaut!!
I would say the 70's with the rise of the directors and the 90's with the rise of independent cinema were more influential than the 80's. Nothing against the 80's at all.
70 for ethos. 80s for action.
"Christmas action movies" are a whole sub-genre now, but oddly enough, Die Hard only contributed two movies to it. "Lethal Weapon" creator Shane Black has essentially made his whole career out of them. "The Last Boy Scout" "The Long Kiss Goodnight" are all scripts he wrote and "The Nice Guys" "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "Iron Man 3" are all movies he wrote and directed that blow up a lot of sh!t and kill a lot of people during the Christmas season.
(Joel Silver produced both Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. Ironically he's Jewish. As far as I know, there has never been a Hannukah action movie)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a good recommendation for reaction on this channel.
Damn, I never realized how many movies I love are the work of Shane Black. That guy is awesome, and it's his 62nd birthday today.
@@SilentBob731 And then somewhat randomly, on top of all of that, he's IN Predator. He's the guy that kept messing up the delivery of his dirty jokes."Get it? Because of the echo..."
@@chrisleebowers 👍 😂😂😂
The Last Boy Scout is such a classic too
This is a great movie. One of my all time favorites. I like Lethal Weapon 2 just as much. Maybe even a bit more than the first one 😊
It really is, we had a blast with this one!! Can't wait to watch the rest of this series!
You’ll love 2
I walked into LW2, not wanting to watch it. I hated most sequels. I didn't expect much. But I was caught up in it instantly, and ended up liking it even better than the first. Perhaps it's because my expectations were so low, that I was just surprised at how good and fun it was. It was just pure fun. What makes it clear that this series is just good all away around is that everyone has a favorite. Even three, which I liked least, is a favorite of others. That says so much about this franchise and its worth.
The 2nd on is my favorite sequel, I like 3 as well, but not as much as the first two.
The best thing about the Lethal Weapon movies is that along with having great action in each one, the characters really grow from movie to movie.
You 2 are on amazing. You both appreciate movies on a different level. You both pick up on things deeper than most people watch. I loved watching you react to Total Recall, Forrest Gump and Die Hard. Keep up the great work. While I was lucky enough to grow up watching these movies, I'm glad you're both enjoying these older movies now.
The entire Quadrilogy is excellent. Each movie holds completely up and builds on itself. Its wonderful. Don't wait long to watch the rest.
There's nothing excellent about the fourth movie.
@@SCharlesDennicon It's tied as my favorite along with the 1st one...
@@SCharlesDennicon yes there is! It has jet li who steals the the show.
@@Mr.Sequiro Wow. Sure. It's not a very nice thing to say to a classic, but to each his own.
@@SCharlesDenniconit’s awesome. What you talking about. It wraps everything up perfectly.
All of the Lethal Weapon movies are great. If you think you like the characters now, the next instalment will always make you love them even more. All the characters experience growth.
Any movie featuring Darlene Love (who plays Danny Glover's wife) is a Christmas movie! Her version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is the greatest Christmas song of the rock-pop era, bar none!
Lethal Weapon is a classic. Used to rent it out all the time back in the video store days. Good times. Modern movies have nothing on the stuff that came out of the 80s. What a decade of great fun movies.
You have just been introduced to arguably the best cop buddies duo of all time. The dynamic between Riggs and Murtaugh is fantastic, portrayed perfectly by Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, and the rest of the cast is great too. Please keep watching the sequels; the second one is one of the best sequels of any franchise, and I think it's even better than the original.
I thoroughly enjoy watching movies with you two! You have great insights, you appreciate the sounds and visuals of a movie, you don't talk too much, and you're just plain fun! 😊 Keep up the great reactions!!
One of the few films where it’s definitely worth watching the sequels. The gift that keeps on giving.
All of the Lethal Weapon movies are a lot of fun to watch. I've watched many times, and I always like to do a marathon and see one right after the other.
It is very cool that you watched this so close to your viewing of "Signs". Mel Gibson is one of our most versatile actors.
I really enjoy watching through the eyes of filmmakers. As I have noted before, I learn something about the craft each video. You guys are like Siskel & Ebert 2.0. Happy Holidays!
Thank you for watching these with us! It means a lot to us. Glad we all get to share our appreciation for these great films! We wish you Happy Holidays!
Ex-armed police officer from the UK here. That scene where Murtaugh shoots a guy armed with a shotgun in the leg is total bollocks. There is no way to predict that the pain caused will cause the perp to completely give up. In fact, it almost certainly won't. Now you've got a perp already willing to use deadly force and now he's even fucking angrier and in pain and shock. You do not EVER aim for a limb. You aim for the visible centre of body mass, unless you suspect or know he's wearing an explosive vest, in which case you aim for the head. You hope and pray the guy lives to see court and a fair trial, but if he doesn't, tough shit. Murtaugh is 100% talking out of his arse here. He was NOT playing by the book. He was playing by some Hollywood fantasist's idea of the book.
Love the dynamic between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover classic buddy cop movie
The banter, witty dialogue and action made us love this! Can’t wait to watch the rest 😄
The chemistry between Glover and Gibson is the stuff of legends, and watching the evolution of the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh over the length of the franchise is an unforgettable experience.. 4 movies in a franchise and not a single one of them is a miss. Each on gets better.
That's because they're good actors that know what they're doing, however, I prefer the first two movies and don't really need the rest of them as they get more over the top each time.
The whole Lethal Weapon series is a lot of fun :) Glad you enjoyed this one!
Guys I am LOVING the fact that you are viewing all these absolute classic 80s (early 90s) that I grew up on. I still remember walking about of the theater after seeing Lethal Weapon for the first time. This movie was the perfect crucible - a hot script by a first time screenwriter (Shane Black), RIchard Donner directing who is absolutely at the top of his game at this point , and the amazing acting by both leads. The chemistry between Gibson and Glover is so undeniable. Guessing you will do the sequels which is great to revisit these characters. But for me, nothing tops this first one. Totally fierce :-). BTW, you've done so many classics (Die Hard, Predator, now Lethal Weapon...).... take my advice. THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER. You will NOT be disappointed (and it is the same director, John McTiernan, as Die Hard and Predator).
Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Predator, Michael Jackson, Prince, Bon Jovi, G 'n' R, E.T. Raiders of Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Empire Strikes Back.....We who were teens in the 80's didn't know how lucky we were back then with pop entertainment.
Written by Shane Black while he was still a student at UCLA. THIS and Die Hard ( both 80s films) are still among the best action films ever made.
The gold standard for Buddy Cop films (and series).
Speaking of the series, I hope you watch the whole lot of them. They only get better....
Great reaction. As a child of the 70's, and teen of the 80's (I saw the film during the summer before my senior year in HS), I appreciate your appreciation for the film, and other related 80's productions
The 80s was an amazing decade for art.
Movies were amazing, music was fabulous, we saw the birth of the video game industry...it was a great time.
This was the golden era of awesomeness cop films. Beverley Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Rush Hour, etc.. love em all but I'm especially bias when it comes to this film.
Love the Lethal Weapon movies. The action, comedy, the brotherhood bond between them. Awesome!
Just makes me sad that y'all never continue with part 2, 3 and 4. They are all great.
I know that there's debates about some of these movies not being "as good", but the character development, and the family dynamic, continues to grow throughout the series. I love each of the movies, and the series as a whole is a cinematic masterpiece. I hope that you react to the whole series, I really enjoy watching your channel.
There's no such debate for this franchise though. 😂
I'm in my mid 50s. Saw this in theater, countless times through the years. You two, made me feel like seeing it for the first time. Thank you. P.S. ... definitely a Christmas Movie. 😂❤
Denise called it. In the other films, The cops are ALWAYS betting on what Riggs will do. This is one of the rare franchises where the sequels all live up to the original, and they keep adding in new characters who are entertaining and you get to know all of them. Truly becomes a family like series.
The 80s was such an amazing decade for films. Nowadays you’ve seen half the film before it comes out. That didn’t happen then. This partnership just exploded on our cinema screens & was just so amazing. You will LOVE the next one! ❤
YES!!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE BUDDY COP ACTION COMEDY MOVIES!
Shane Black's original 1985 script was a lot darker and more violent than the final cut of the movie: The Sniper scene is in the Director's Cut, a kid was actually shot and killed by the Sniper, until Riggs blows the guy away with his Beretta, but he blows up the guy with a rocket launcher, and that the draft ended with a helicopter chasing Joshua, who then fires a napalm missile at the chopper causing it to crash into the Hollywood Sign, Murtaugh kills General McAllister driving a tanker truck filled with heroin, which then explodes over the Hollywood Hills, next to the Sign. Riggs kills Joshua by ripping out his eyes with his fingers. Riggs was an assassin hired by the CIA, and had been mentally unstable after the Vietnam War ended.
Murtaugh actually killed a fellow soldier in training with his bare hands before fighting in Vietnam.
Oh wow! That is definitely a very different tone than what we got! Thank you for sharing this with us 😃
The alternate script is news to me. Interesting. Perhaps I'm biased since I grew up with these movies, but I like the tone they achieved with all 4. I feel like going that dark would have been a mistake. Glad they didn't go there.
These are fun buddy cop movies, even for Christmas.
Yesss, this was such a fun time! Loved their chemistry together!
@@OfficialMediaKnights Yeah, love Gibson and Glover together.
Die Hard is a Christmas movie because it takes place on Christmas, Christmas is the whole reason everyone was at the building, the entire setting was based on Christmas themes and dialogue, and the party gave Hans Gruber the ability to get the bearer bonds in the vault.
80s cop buddies movie. One of the best.
Clapton's music really helps sell the tortured soul that is Martin Riggs.
You guys just started my favorite 'buddy-cop' movie series. Subscribed!
All the Lethal Weapons are great. I've probably seen them a dozen times each. Glad you all enjoyed it. I love the insight you give throughout your reactions without talking too much at the same time.
Great reaction! Can't wait till you watch the LW2. It's easily on my top 10 greatest films list. LW1 set the bar for how to properly do a buddy cop duo. But it was LW2 that officially made Riggs & Murtaugh the platinum standard for which all other buddy cop duos are measured against. They will always be #1.
Braveheart needs to happen soon!! Brilliant film!! Many Oscars!!! Directed by Mel Gibson!! 🤩
Vulnerability is key. Helps us relate to the character, imagine ourselves in their shoes. That's why every movie Steven Seagal ever made sucks... If your hero character never gets a scratch on them, there's no threat, and therefore no entertainment value. Look at his films, it's EXTREMELY RARE for his characters to even get punched. So much so that when it happens it's a genuine shock.
Bruce Willis in Diehard was a key example. Vulnerable, every-man type saves the day. Makes anyone watching feel like they could be a hero too. ❤
Exactly! Also a bit off topic but this is precisely one of the main reasons Spider-Man is such a successful character as well. When he's not wearing the mask he's just an ordinary kid from Queens struggling to pay the bills! Vulnerability is where the story finds it's most interesting moments. There cannot be a catharsis without those grounded moments with the characters. This film understood that and implemented it in such a great way.
Glad you both got to watch Lethal Weapon finally.
The series is solid through all four films, with character arcs and storylines that extend across the franchise. The second film, for example, gives you more back story on Riggs' past, and weaves both Murtaugh's and Rigg's lives together on a deeper level. It also introduces a hilarious comic relief character played by Joe Pesci. The trailer for the second movie is downright hilarious.
Someone else probably pointed this out, but the filmmakers do something cool with the music. Roger’s theme song uses saxophone. Martin’s theme is the electric guitar. Their themes are separate until they become true partners, at which time the saxophone and guitar themes blend.
I saw this movie when I was 9 and all I remember is action, action & guns lol now that I watched your reaction...it hits different so much cooler of a movie. Thanks for making all these videos for all of us to watch and remember older films
It's an awesome film! And we totally agree with your sentiment. 9 year old me would've definitely missed out on a lot of the nuances. Glad we're watching these as adults because man they're all such a great time! Thank you for joining us and giving these films another watch ❤️
Ah, another wonderful holiday film. Great buddy cop movie! Enjoy 👍😄
Haha thank you, we LOVED this one! Thanks for the support!!
The chemistry between Gibson and Glover is palpable
Wait til you get to LETHAL WEAPON 2!!! That's not only one of the best action comedies ever made, but it's also one of greatest/underrated sequels in history!!!
Thanks for the reaction. A great movie - a great franchise. Besides BTTF one of the few franchises that are pretty much perfect. Every part has some really great scenes and the chemistry (later on with Joe Pesci and Rene Russo) of the cast is just unique and the bond between the characters gets stronger with every movie.
Thanks for watching! It means the world to us ❤️
@@OfficialMediaKnights - Agreed with Alex
Front to Back, you will never find a more consistent franchise (excluding LOTR which is one story in three parts, so that's different)
Other franchises may hit higher peaks, but they also have at least one that falls off pretty hard (*Side Eyes* Die Hard 5, Terminator 4-6 to name a few)
Lethal Weapon 1-4 there is not a even a "middling" movie in the bunch, let alone a "bad" one
@@kristopherheenk2710 I didn't hate Terminator 4, I liked it more than Terminator 3 🙁
This is one of my favourite movie series of all time. Watched this when I was younger and still watch it every Christmas 🎄 lethal weapon 2 next please. You will love it all 😊
Rianne's crush on Riggs definitely got ramped up at the end since he saved her and her dad. Those flames are supercharged for sure.
“get that $hit off my lawn!” best line ever spoken in a movie. 😆
The Lethal Weapon series is fantastic!! So happy to see you reacting to this one. Hope you make it around to doing the rest. They're worth it. On a side note, another Mel Gibson film called Air America (the company Huntsaker was working for in this film) is also worth watching. It also stars a VERY young Robert Downey Jr.
+1 for Air America
You guys are simply awesome. Love feeling like I'm watching this for the 1st time through your reactions. Don't stop - even if you watch all movies ever made, start over :p
This warms our hearts! Thank you for watching these with us. It means the world to us ❤️
They did a Lethal Weapon show for a few seasons with Damon Wayans as Murtaugh. Worth the watch even if you don’t do a reaction to it.
When anybody says "buddy cop movies" my brain automatically goes to the lethal wep series! I was born post this series but my dad would ALWAYS put this movie on if it was on tv. Super fun movie
All 4 movies are SO GOOD!! Excited you started them.💪
We’re gonna have a blast! Absolutely loved the first one and from what we’ve been hearing from you guys the sequels are fantastic as well!
Wonderful! Great to see this. I'm happy. Already grinning. Thanks! Here we go! :)
That makes our day as well! Thank you for always showing up ❤️ We wish you a great weekend
Mel was so huge in the 80s, and early 90s, he ruled 3 franchises plus did romcoms!
As good as this movie is and the character growth in it is, I love how the rest of the Lethal Weapon movies continue to develop those relationships and characters even further.
It really is a great series of movies.
The similarities to Die Hard are definitely there. I also sensed some similarities towards the ending that I felt were reminiscent of First Blood, the original Rambo from 1982. A really good movie that I would recommend y'all watch sometime in the future.
I love the chemistry between the leads, it fits perfectly with the "buddy-cop" portion of the film. Although, I think my favorite part of this film is the score. :)
I don't remember if this is actually said in the film, but there are scenes that imply that the title "Lethal Weapon" is referring to Riggs given how he is in the first half of the film.
Now...time for the BIG question... Is this a Christmas movie?
Yes! We've got a whole Stallone journey planned! Can't wait to share it with you guys. The chemistry between these two was through the roof! They did a fantastic job and the way the story develops is highly entertaining. I can't wait to watch the sequel!
@@OfficialMediaKnights Ooh! Much excitement! :D
Yeah especially considerin' Michael Kamen scored both Lethal Weapon and Die Hard.
Great reaction. If you take suggestions, I thoroughly recommend ‘To Live and Die in L.A.’ (1985) directed by William Friedkin of The Exorcist fame. It’s a great crime/thriller/action movie starring Willem Dafoe and a great supporting cast. It’s full of the 80’s goodness you enjoy, including a hot soundtrack.
If this was your first Shane Black (he played Hawkins in the first Predator film) written film, welcome down the rabbit hole. His dialogue is killer. Two of his writer/director films are totally brilliant too 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' and 'The Nice Guys' are quite simply must watch films.
I was born in 73 and was a teenanger around this time, Can you imagine all the classics that came out around the same time? Leathal Weapon, Die Hard, Predator, Aliens, Terminator, Robocop, Beverly Hills Cop, etc…..wow…and these films never gets dated either…..and can not be topped! So glad to see your great reactions!! 😊❤
A lot of actors were considered for Martin Riggs before Mel Gibson was picked:
Sylvester Stallone, William Huey, 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, Val Killer, Tom Cruise, Jeff Bridges, Alec Baldwin, Tom Selleck, John Travolta, Liam Neeson, Dennis Quaid, Pierce Brosnan, and James Belushi.
Woah! Talk about a long list! Pretty much every A lister back in the day
Kurt Russell & Mickey Rourke were on the short list.
michael kamen's brilliant score, using different instruments and styles to represent each character. avid Sanborn's brilliant saxophone represents Roger, Eric Clapton's guitar represents Riggs. RIP MICHAEL KAMEN.
The greatest on screen cop duo of all time. Fantastic movies especially this one
Hello from Ontario Canada I was a kid when this movie came out and all the 80s movies 80s movies will never go out of style I have fond memories of going too the video store on a Friday Saturday night getting a bunch of new releases on Vhs and the snack bundle and going home and watching them and yes Leathal Weapon and Die hard are Christmas movies .
It looks like the debate will live on in this comment section! Already the question “is this a Xmas movie” is divisive 😂 These movies rock! We’ve been having a genuine blast watching these. So glad there’s more to check out!
Fun fact: I was living in the big circular bldg the young lady jumps off in the opening scene at the time of filming. That is Ocean Blvd, Long Beach CA. I was like 6 years old, but I watched them throwing a dummy off of the side of our bldg for like 3 days.
This was one of my father’s favorite movies. We lost him in ‘91 when I was 9 and whenever I watch this it reminds me fondly of my father. “I’m too old for this shit” was one of his favorite sayings, which I find humorous since he was only 32 when he died and I am now a decade older than he was-it’s actually my birthday today.
Thank y’all for this reaction to one of my favorites and a true classic. It’s a great birthday gift. 😊 The rest of the series is just as good, in my opinion, and well worth the watch.
Thank y’all again and Merry Christmas! ❤
Riggs and Murtaugh are the best. Pure magic. Everything came together in this movie. Brilliant script. Perfect casting. And Richard Donner directing the hell out of it all. The rest of the series is great too (all directed by Dick Donner) but for me this original, which at heart is a character piece about the healing of Martin Riggs, is the best.
This was Directed by Richard Donner who also did Superman with Chris Reeve and the original The Omen Gregory Peck. A real loss to the movie world.❤
You know, for you guys to appreciate camera work, aesthetic shots, angles, acting and production artistry, it amazes me how many of the great movies that made my childhood had escaped you in yours.
Til now lol
Your channel is my favorite kind of younger people watching older films because you’re in the know with filmmaking rather than just young people reacting to old films- your critique from a filmmaker’s perspective is what I love and hearing you break things down that way reminds me of my days in film school. Your breakdown of how easy it is to get stuck in a box as a cinematographer really resonates with me; I remember feeling that way in my cinematography class where our professor would expect us to go by the book and if we made creative choices and deviated from a set formula we would get blasted and it took me awhile to turn off that inner voice when filming outside of school. Great stuff, y’all!
I love when Murtaugh slams the door and it just swings open.
Watching y’all react to the movies I grew up watching in the 80’s is so nostalgic
You'll also notice some of the same people that was in Die Hard in Lethal Weapon. Like the white lady talking to the captain about riggs. She was a reporter in Die Hard. The Black guy talking Murtaugh about his new partner was an FBI agent in Die Hard and the asian guy torturing riggs towards the end was the guy eating a candy bar in the building right before the breach. I think that's all I remember for now.
I was 19 when this movie came out. I love seeing younger people discovering that 80s action movies were more than just cliche action movies.
Great Reaction to this Awesome Movie..... Whole Series (4 Movies) are Great, Excellent World Building.....
Lethal Weapon is a Christmas Movie!!!
There are additional scenes in the Director's cut that give more to Riggs's mindset at the beginning of the movie.... I see there is another comment about the original script.......
- Mel Gibson (Riggs) Mel plays this role in 4 movies, He plays Max Max in 3 movies, Plays other Great Characters Benjamin Martin in "The Patriot", William Wallace in "Braveheart",
- Danny Glover (Roger Murtaugh) starts the Movie series at age 41 playing a 50 year old cop, Played in "The Color Purple"
- Gary Busey (Mr Joshua) Also played in "Point Break",
- Grand L Bush Played in Lethal Weapon 1 & 2, Played FBI Agent Johnson in Die Hard,
- Al Leong (Endo) Also played the Gunman that "Stole" the candybar in Die Hard, He played an henchman is alot of 80's movies......
- Mary Ellen Trainor (Phyciatrist) Played Newscaster in Die Hard
Spoiler Alert: Only Lethal Weapon 1 happens at Christmas....... So can watch the others at any time....
The kings of 80s action-Donner, Hill, Scott, Bay, and s few others.
Midnight Run, 1988 with Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Classified as a comedy/action film.
This movie became the template for "Buddy. cop" movies, but I still think this one is the best. The dynamic between Gibson and Glover has never been matched, imo.
Little "Easter Egg" to show timeline/relavence is when Roger/Martin exit the store after Roger figures out Matrin is serious.... As they leave the store there is a movie Marquee for "The Lost Boys"...
I love that you talked about the noir and holiday theming. This movie gets so overlooked as a Christmas movie actually; more than a year before Die Hard came out. And I absolutely LOVE Die Hard, but even the final sequence is the same. I also loved your callout at the end of tequinique in flimmaking today. So many modern movies just don't hit me in the feels because of the way it's shot; it's just like a checklist, point A, B, C, done, instead of really feeling the scene.
Shane Black the writer of Lethal Weapon was Hawkins in Predator, t remember watching this as ten year old back in the 90's (my old man always fast fowarded the nudity and sex scenes 🙂) it was amazing, action packed, as I got older and watched it many times since, its like many films from that era and before and after, they layered their stories, everything serviced the story and characters and that seems to be lost today somewhat, especially with the big budget films. Keep up the GREAT work, love watching your reactions and seeing you both experience these classics 👍🏻
This is just the beginning. All four are amazing. My favorite cop tandem. Seen all of them hundreds of times and still not tired of watching. Riggs and Murtaugh the best ever. "My opinion of course". This and Die Hard are christmas action movies.
This always makes me nostalgic for the 80's. The mental health care. The kids playing outside the crack den. Rampant murder. Was it good for us to watch as kids? No. But it was sure as heck was fun.
Glad you enjoyed this. Please watch them all in order, you will grow to love the relationships between all the characters and all of the in-jokes like Trish's cooking and her car etc.
37:30 - Remember, Rhian is about 17-18 years old in this movie... and scared out of her mind right now. No way she was thinking anything about dodging that copter. That's the difference between youth and experience. Riggs wasn't too bothered, because he knew how he could potentially escape this situation, where Rhian was scared beyond rational thought. She didn't know that they needed her alive in order to get Roger to talk. She didn't process that "she's worth way more alive, than dead". If they had killed her, Roger would not only "clam up" about what he knows, but would also fight to the death to avenge her death. She IS his "first born", after all.
Also, you guys are spot on with your critique of the acting in this movie. It is 100% fantastic, and everyone plays their role perfectly. You'll find that holds true across the entire series, if I'm honest.
39:05 - Yeah, salt in an open wound is incredibly painful. Ask me how I know. (and no, it's not military related)
49:25 - No spoilers.... but that "grave-side" scene is going to come into sharp relief later on. Myself, I have my first wife's urn about 5 feet from me, right now. So, I don't need to visit a grave, but it's the context that really means something. I drink a toast every day to the two women who shaped who I am, my first wife, and my grandmother (who raised me). They were both instrumental in making me the man that I am now. I appreciate them both for that, too. My "daily toast" is a demonstration to them that I still love them and that I miss them both. My grandmother's urn is sitting with my first wife's urn. They both chose cremation over being put in a hole in the ground.
The best buddy cop movie there is in fact all these movies are pure gold.
The chemistry from the different casts of the Lethal Weapon films feels organic and earnest.
The writer and creator, Shane Black, was the actor who played Hawkins in Predator and was the first to die.