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Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon

Action · Thriller · Crime · 1987

A veteran cop and an unstable detective become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.

Movie details

Lethal Weapon

“If these two can learn to stand each other... the bad guys don't stand a chance.”

1987 Action · Thriller · Crime 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

A veteran cop and an unstable detective become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Lethal Weapon?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Lethal Weapon 2

Lethal Weapon 2

Action · 1989

Riggs and Murtaugh are on the trail of South African diplomats using their immunity to engage in criminal activities.

Lethal Weapon 3

Lethal Weapon 3

Action · 1992

Riggs and Murtaugh pursue a former officer who uses his knowledge of police procedure and policies to steal and sell confiscated guns and ammunition to local street gangs.

Lethal Weapon 4

Lethal Weapon 4

Action · 1998

With personal crises and age weighing in on them, LAPD officers Riggs and Murtaugh must contend with a deadly Chinese crime lord trying to get his brother out of prison.

Hard Target

Hard Target

Action · 1993

When a woman's father goes missing, she enlists a local to aid in her search. The pair soon discover that her father has died at the hands of a wealthy sportsman who hunts homeless men as a form of recreation.

Hard to Kill

Hard to Kill

Action · 1990

Mason Storm, a 'go it alone' cop, is gunned down at home. The intruders kill his wife, and think they've killed both Mason and his son too. Mason is secretly taken to a hospital where he spends several years in a coma. His son meanwhile is growing up thinking his father is dead. When Mason wakes up, everyone is in danger - himself, his son, his best friend, his nurse - but most of all those who arranged for his death

Code of Silence

Code of Silence

Action · 1985

A Chicago cop is caught in the middle of a gang war while his own comrades shun him because he wants to take an irresponsible cop down.

Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz

Crime · 2007

Former London constable Nicholas Angel finds it difficult to adapt to his new assignment in the sleepy British village of Sandford. Not only does he miss the excitement of the big city, but he also has a well-meaning oaf for a partner. However, when a series of grisly accidents rocks Sandford, Angel smells something rotten in the idyllic village.

Beverly Hills Cop

Beverly Hills Cop

Comedy · 1984

Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.

Tango & Cash

Tango & Cash

Action · 1989

Ray Tango and Gabriel Cash are two successful narcotics detectives who can't stand each other. Crime lord Yves Perret, furious at the loss of income they have caused him, plots an elaborate revenge against them.

Cobra

Cobra

Action · 1986

A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far reaching plans.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Richard Donner

Written by

Shane Black

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson

Martin Riggs

Danny Glover

Danny Glover

Roger Murtaugh

Gary Busey

Gary Busey

Mr. Joshua

Mitchell Ryan

Mitchell Ryan

General Peter McAllister

Tom Atkins

Tom Atkins

Michael Hunsaker

Darlene Love

Darlene Love

Trish Murtaugh

Traci Wolfe

Traci Wolfe

Rianne Murtaugh

Court is in session

Put Lethal Weapon on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.