“Cult” is a term often used in an inflationary way – and also quickly attributed to films, series or personalities experiencing a short hype. However, what is burned into the collective memory and what is not has to be shown over time. “Lethal Weapon”, on the other hand, is long behind: the action classic with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, along with its three sequels “Lethal Weapon 2 – Brennpunkt LA”, “Lethal Weapon 3 – Die Profis sind zurück” and “Lethal Weapon 4 – Two Professionals Clean Up,” one of Hollywood’s most iconic films.
It remains to be seen if we can still see the long-heralded part 5. Until then, you can at least kill time with the four previous films: You can currently stream “Lethal Weapon 1-4” at no additional cost with your Amazon Prime Video subscription. If you have the series on the watch list, don’t wait too long to check it off. Than: They are only available on the platform through Sunday (May 6, 2023).
If you haven’t watched the movies by then, that’s no reason to despair. You can then also stream “Lethal Weapon” as video-on-demand or just on DVD or Blu-ray* bring home. Both collections are available on Amazon for very little money – 12 and 15 euros respectively.
“Lethal Weapon”: timeless fun
Often misidentified as Hollywood’s first modern buddy action movie (this title probably goes to “48 Hours Only”), “Lethal Weapon” is still arguably the genre’s most famous representative – well ahead of “Bad Boys,” “Rush Hour’ and what they are called. And not just because it brings “Lethal Weapon” to four and therefore more films than the competition, with the series adaptation (2016 to 2019) still an issue.
“Lethal Weapon” combines brutal action, likable heroes and snappy sayings for the ultimate in buddy action fun. What also sets the series apart isn’t just the unique chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, but their multi-layered heroic characters. Because even if the two play, for all their cold-bloodedness they are also rough guys who have to deal with problems that are all too human. Glover’s Roger Murtaugh simply feels “too old for this crap” at age 50, while Martin Riggs, plagued by Gibson’s depression, cheats death regularly, but also seems to be looking for that thrill.
So you don’t just have fun as the two argue amid several hails of bullets and punch each other in the face with icy one-liners between chases and explosions. You also root for them, not only do you want them to complete their missions successfully, you also want them to grow.
Whether or not the planned “Lethal Weapon 5” will materialize remains to be seen. Originally, original director Richard Donner was going to stage it. However, after his passing in 2021, Gibson announced that he would take his place in the director’s chair. Richard Wenk, author of “The Equalizer,” provides the screenplay for what will likely be the final entry in the series, which should be titled “Lethal Finale.”