Lethal Weapon 3

Even though this is in my opinion the weakest out of the Lethal Weapon series, that of course doesn't mean that this movie isn't fun and entertaining to watch.

It suffers from the same minor flaws as the previous 2 Lethal Weapon movies. The story is incredibly simple, standard action material. It's totally uninteresting and also told in a totally uninteresting way. Also the villain is yet again heavily underused. But it's true that none of the Lethal Weapon movies have ever relied on its story. Instead the movie heavily relies on its two main character; Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh. And when you have two such characters like Riggs and Murtaugh, who have such an amazing chemistry together, you just don't need much else to make a good and entertaining movie.

Unfortunately the movie does nowhere live up to its fantastic and memorable beginning. Everything that happens after the opening sequence isn't really that interesting or memorable. The movie doesn't always have the right pace and the way the story is presented make it seem even less interesting than it is on paper.

The movie is filled with some great characters next besides to the two main leads. Joe Pesci returns as Leo Getz and Rene Russo joins the team as a woman who knows how to take care of herself. The villain is this time played by the always great Stuart Wilson. It however is unfortunate that all of these characters are given too little screen time, especially Joe Pesci and Stuart Wilson. All of the Lethal Weapon movies always had great villains, that were also at the same time always heavily underused. Same goes for Wilson in this particular case, who's talent is practically wasted.

But luckily the movie is still of course a perfectly entertaining one. This is absolutely thanks to Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, who still have the magic chemistry together, after already 2 Lethal Weapon movies. The two of them provide some great and hilarious moments together, that alone is reason enough why this movie is a good and enjoyable one to watch.

Maybe not as good- but certainly just as entertaining as all of the other Lethal Weapon movies.

7/10

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I caught this movie on TV a few days ago, so I may as well voice my opinion. I've enjoyed all the "Lethal Weapon" flicks and I hope one day to buy a boxed set of DVDs containing all four in the series. Don't ask which one I think is best. They're all lots of fun to watch.

Of course, the original didn't have as much humor as its sequels. Mel Gibson's character was a downtrodden loner, who was established as a "loose cannon." But as the series continued, he suddenly turned into Buddy Hackett, cracking jokes left and right.

Needless to say, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover make one of the best on-screen duos in the history of film. Their characters of Riggs and Murtaugh are like polar opposites, but that's the beauty of it. That's the essence of the buddy cop genre. The two partners are always at each other's throats, yet they share a great bond and deliver much humor.

Richard Donner is a spectacular action film director, and there are some breathtaking stunts. The opening truck chase is extremely memorable.

And each and every scene is buoyed by great comic relief. Gibson says a great line when he arrests the fraudulent truck driver: "You have the right to remain unconscious. Whatever you say...ain't gonna be much." That's a priceless line!

OK, so the plot is meandering. There are scenes that are very entertaining, yet don't really move the story along. But the whole movie is so funny and exciting that I just think...who gives a damn? I'm having too much fun!

Joe Pesci's character, Leo Getz, adds additional comic relief. His bleached blond do is hilarious enough, and his nebbish schtick makes it all the more humorous. Rene Russo is also added to the cast, to provide some good eye candy. Just like the Bond girls, there's always a sexy love interest in the "Lethal Weapon" movies. In the second movie, there was Patsy Kensit.

And there are some human elements to the story. Danny Glover's Murtaugh still thinks "he's getting too old for this s**t" and is about to retire. He's suffering a severe middle-age crisis and to add to his problems, he ends up killing one of his son's friends--which he did out of self-defense. Sometimes I think Glover's acting talent is underrated. And though this is a fluffy action/comedy, he delivers the kind of powerful performance he would in any Oscar-winning masterpiece.

"Lethal Weapon 3" again showcases the immense talent of its two irreplacable leads. This sequel packs a lethal punch and delivers first-class entertainment from start to finish. And I love that Eric Clapton/Sting song "It's Gonna Be Me."

My score: 8 (out of 10)

This is undeniably the funniest of the first three films in the series. (After this one, I had no desire to see the fourth.) But laughs alone are not enough to carry an action movie. So let's throw in a lot of cool stunts. Okay, now we've got enough to entertain viewers for two hours, so why add anything else? I mean, we don't actually *need* to have a strong villain or emotional depth for the characters do we?

Well, we don't if we're just looking for a couple of hours of escapism. In that role, this movie delivers. Mel Gibson made me laugh in this movie, despite the utter silliness of the humor. The stunts kept me on the edge of my seat. What can I say? For two hours I had a good time.

But through it all, I still felt empty somehow. And as I left the theater, I actually looked back and asked myself, "Did I just see a movie?"

This is a great series! Actually I could stop right here because I have already said what needs to be said but just for people's enjoyment I'll elaborate a little.

The acting is, much like in the two previous films, excellent. Somehow Mel Gibson and Danny Glover never seem to get tired of each other and it shows because their playful banter never seems to get tiring to the audience. Mel Gibson is a class actor and this time around he develops the character of Martin Riggs even further than he did in the second film. He is so good at portraying emotions that the audience genuinely feels with him. When he is angry you feel his anger and when he is sad you feel sad, you get the picture. The fact that he is so versatile shows in the contrasts of the character. He is both great in action-sequences and in romantic sequences. As for Danny Glover he also does a great job in bringing his character further and he really does in this installment because you get to see the more negative sides of the character this time around. In the first two films he was the character who didn't evolve much but took pride in it. This time, because retirement is rearing its ugly head, we get to see, what I must suppose was, the facade stripped away and see Murtaugh in his raw, pure form. Joe Pesci also returns this time for the comic relief and he is still funny. There is just something about the character of Leo Getz that is incredibly entertaining. However, the best performance is perhaps done by Stuart Wilson, an incredibly underrated actor who has sadly never really achieved a commercial breakthrough. He is the villain of this film and is perhaps the best villain of the series simply because he has more depth than any other villain in the series. He is also given considerably more screen time than many of the other villains so he really has a chance to shine. Rene Russo appears in this film as Riggs new romantic interest and she may not be the most gifted actress ever to be on film but her chemistry with Mel Gibson is undeniable and her on-screen presence is pretty amazing considering that she is a new entry to the character gallery.

The story of the film is the weakest out of all the series (yes even the fourth one) and sometimes it kinda drags. Mainly, however, the story is still highly entertaining and funny. The best element of the script is the fact that villain is an ex-cop this time around and that does that the heroes can hate the villain even more because he is, aside from being a mean bastard, a traitor, almost a symbol of the back-side of the medallion.

The action of the film is just like in the two previous movies absolutely brilliant. The action is highly entertaining and well made and Mel Gibson is excellent as an action star as well as many other things.

All in all a great entry to a great series.

7/10

The first 'Lethal Weapon' wasn't perfect, but it is still a very good film and important to the development of the buddy-cop film as well as being one of the best examples. Its first sequel is almost as good, if just missing out on being on the same level or surpassing it.

'Lethal Weapon 3' is fun enough, and there is plenty to enjoy, but after the impressive first two films it was somewhat of a let-down. It didn't feel as fresh and had a ran out of ideas feel sometimes. Its weak link is the story, which does have some exciting moments and some good scenes but the first two films were much more focused and tight in plotting, here the story does meander in places and parts drag. Some of the dialogue is a lot of fun, some of it is repetitive and convoluted with a little too much emphasis at times on humour.

After being such a delight in the second film, Joe Pesci returns and one was hoping he would be a welcome presence. Sadly count me in as one of the people who found him underused, his character merely being a plot device and Pesci being irritating this time round (the first time ever he's had that effect on me). Was mixed on the villain, Stuart Wilson does enjoy himself immensely and does bring a sinister edge to easily the best acted head villain in comparison to the first two films where the henchmen were more memorable and better played. The character himself was a little sketchy in development however and he could have been used more.

However, the way 'Lethal Weapon 3' is shot and designed screams slick and stylish while Richard Donner once again directs with an assured hand. The score is atmospheric and groovy.

Parts of the script doe entertain hugely and crackle in wit and tension.

Once again, the action is slick and bursts with excitement and tension, with terrific stunts and the sheer scale of them being worthy of huge admiration. It is very easy to see why the chalk and cheese chemistry of the polar opposite characters of Riggs and Murtaugh became so popular, very rarely in a buddy-cop film has this kind of chemistry been so entertaining and perfectly pitched.

Mel Gibson continues to excel in a performance as witty and intense has before. Danny Glover gives Murtaugh the right amount of spirit, subtlety and no-nonsense attitude. Rene Russo brings some much needed freshness and gives a strong performance.

In summary, fun but the magic is not quite there for me. Not one of the best sequels there is, but hardly a disgrace and nowhere near among the worst. 6/10 Bethany Cox