Jithin K Mohan
As good as the first one, which starts off with a chase and keeps the tight pace throughout. There's more comedy than the first and Gibson and Glover are at the top of their game yet it manages to be much darker. Shane Black's first draft was supposed to be a much darker film which could've been a great film from what I've read about it nevertheless what we got isn't so bad after all.
Tweekums
After the success of the original 'Lethal Weapon' a sequel was only to be expected. This story sees partners Riggs and Murtaugh investigating drug gang they discover is operating out of the South African consulate in Los Angeles. These are particularly dangerous criminals who are hiding behind their diplomatic immunity
of course that won't stop our protagonists; especially after Riggs learns that they were responsible for the death of his wife four years previously. If that weren't enough our duo have been tasked with babysitting Leo Getz, a federal witness who had previously laundered money for the South Africans.Having really enjoyed 'Lethal Weapon' I looked forward to the sequel but when I watched it I was somewhat disappointed; instead of being an action film with a degree of comedy the level of comedy is cranked up to a silly level
although I did like the running gag about Murtaugh's car taking more and more damage. The politics of having racist South Africans as the villains was about as subtle as a kick in the head meaning they felt like pantomime villains rather than truly menacing
some poor South African accents didn't exactly help. So much for the problems; on the plus side there are some great moments too; it opens with an impressive car chase and later includes shoot-outs, explosions and even a couple of villains getting dispatched with a nail gun. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover have a good chemistry as Riggs and Murtaugh and Joe Pesci provides plenty of laughs as Leo Getz. The romantic subplot involving Riggs and a South African secretary, played by Patsy Kensit, was a bit unnecessary and ended in a most ridiculous manner when Riggs takes her home after they are nearly killed at his place
he might as well have killed her himself! Overall this is by no means a bad film but it was disappointing after the excellent opening instalment in the franchise.
bkoganbing
Lethal Weapon 2 finds the LAPD's most reckless cops Mel Gibson and Danny Glover going after some drug dealers and finding they are covered by diplomatic immunity.This was really a bit much to swallow. Back then in its last days before it finally fell, South Africa's white supremacist government was desperately trying to hold on to friends. I doubt very much that it would employ a Joss Ackland as a consul who uses their diplomatic immunity with impunity to allow him to run rackets. In fact right up to the end they were involved in a propaganda publicity offensive and this drug dealing would have truly counteracted that.This film also introduces Joe Pesci to the Lethal Weapon regulars. He's a wire puller and fixer who's been skimming some loose change from his money laundering for the South Africans and has defected for his own health which gets seriously put in jeopardy. Patsy Kensit plays a secretary at the consulate who gets something going with Gibson that proves fatal.Ackland because of the attention decides to declare war on the LAPD figuring they can't respond. Let's just say he pulls the diplomatic immunity card once too often.Fans of the series should be happy.
gavin6942
Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are on the trail of South African diplomats who are using their immunity to engage in criminal activities.This is not as "classic" as the original, and lacks that Christmas element, but we have some new fun. Joe Pesci is here, though not used to his fullest. The "diplomatic immunity" idea is great, and there still remains debate to this day (2016) if such a thing could be used to facilitate crime. Allegedly, the Chicago mob used this method in Panama.But the key scene that makes this film memorable is the "toilet bomb" scene. If nothing else, that one scene will make this go down in history as one of the essential buddy cop movies.
AD
