Retro Film Review: Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)

Retro Film Review: Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) | Ecency

(source:tmdb.org)

The most difficult and most traumatising chapter in the history of a film franchise (both for its makers and audience) is the end. It is hard to imagine modern Hollywood blockbuster being made with specific purpose of being the last in the series. Producers' greed mandates that even the supposedly final chapters in great film stories be open-ended and thus allow for the next "final" sequel. Big Hollywood sequels that are trying to truly wrap things up are, therefore, very rare. Lethal Weapon 4, 1998 action comedy directed by Richard Donner, is a movie that came closest to that seemingly unreachable ideal.

Lethal Weapon 4, the fourth installment in the series started with popular 1987 action hit Lethal Weapon, confronts protagonists with problems usually not seen in action genre films. LAPD detective Martin Riggs (played by Mel Gibson), once suicidal loner, now ponders marriage to his pregnant girlfriend Lorna Cole (played by Renee Russo). His best friend and partner Roger Murtaugh (played by Danny Glover) has to deal with another pregnancy - his daughter Rianne (played by Traci Wolfe) is expecting baby while refusing to name the father, who just happens to be young LAPD detective Lee Butters (played by Chris Rock). In the meantime, Chinese triads have started massive criminal enterprise that involves smuggling slave labour to USA, counterfeiting money and bribing Chinese generals. Murtaugh and Riggs stumble into this scheme by rescuing and adopting one of Chinese immigrant families. This brings them on the collision course with Triad boss "Uncle Benny" Chan (played by Kim Chan) and his vicious lieutenant Wah Sing Ku (played by Jet Li).

The shift from action thriller to action comedy, started with Lethal Weapon 2, is complete in Lethal Weapon 4. The surreal opening scene, featuring armoured-clad flamethrower brandishing villain, is a clear indicator that few things in this film should be taken seriously. Even more telling is the scene later in the film, which parodies the way in which original Lethal Weapon was parodied in Nation Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1. Despite all of Richard Donner's valiant attempts to impress audience with spectacular action scenes, most remembered moments of the film are going to be much more quieter scenes of comedy. Another major character is also introduced only to strengthen the cast with another comedian (with Joe Pesci, who failed to provide adequate comic relief in previous two instalments, still being in the film).

The most notable cast member in the film, however, was not chosen for his comedic abilities. Jet Li, famous Hong Kong action star, uses his American movie debut to display formidable martial arts abilities and does it with gusto. His character's deadly skills, as well as charismatic presence, make him into the most memorable villain in the history of Lethal Weapon franchise or, to be precise, the only one who gave impression of being able to defeat Murtaugh and Riggs. In this film two protagonists are showing the signs of old age and the reason why they manage to come out of fight alive has more to do with Hollywood conventions than with clever scriptwriting. Then again, the fourth film in Lethal Weapon series wasn't supposed to be serious or plausible. The main purpose (apart from snatching some money from Lethal Weapon fans) was to finish the series on the high note. Final scene, which looks like high school, family or veterans reunion (and has striking resemblance to the final episodes of long-lasting South American telenovelas) manages to do just that.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on March 10th 2004)