Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon (1987)

  • 84% of critics liked it
    (45 reviews)

  • 81% of users liked it
    (271,763 ratings)

L.A. cop Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), whose wife has recently died, is a loose cannon with a seeming death wish. This makes him indispensable in collaring dangerous criminals, but a liability to any potential partners. Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), a conservative family man who wants to stay alive… More

Play Trailer

R,
Directed By
Written By
Shane Black
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Mar 6, 1987 Wide
Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Johanna Steinmetz, Chicago Tribune

    As action-adventure, it's pointlessly puerile, a movie where the heroes are so childish they try to one-up each other with fancy shots at the pistol range.

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    From a distance, Lethal Weapon might appear generic, but a closer look reveals something special.

  • Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

    What a concept! Mad Max meets The Cosby Show

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    Lethal Weapon is a film teetering on the brink of absurdity when it gets serious, but thanks to its unrelenting energy and insistent drive, it never quite falls.

  • Pat Graham, Chicago Reader

    Empty glitz in search of a style.

Read all 19 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Alexander D


    At times here, the humor can be a "Lethal Weapon" to your lungs. Full review coming to themoviefreakblog.com on 5/30.

  • Directors C


    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Irresistible with brilliant chemistry shared between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, Lethal Weapon is one of the best action comedies of the 80's. This is what Bad Boys should have been, fast paced but also… More

  • Melvin W


    Roger Murtaugh: I'm too old for this shit!  "If these two can learn to stand each other... the bad guys don't stand a chance." Lethal Weapon is a classic buddy cop/action comedy. I really liked it, but just like Die Hard; I still feel it is a little overrated. It… More

  • Candy R


    Excellent action movie. Great cast and chemistry between Mel and Danny. One cop is near retirement and one is a loose cannon.

  • xGary X


    A veteran detective is paired up with a burnt out cop with a death wish when investigating the murder of the daughter of one of his old Vietnam war buddies. Lethal Weapon was probably the film that perfected the Hollywood buddy cop formula and is yet another example of the macho… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Currently unavailable on Flixster

Also available on

UltraViolet Retailers

Other Retailers

Subscription Services

Not Available
Not Available
Not Available

Cast

See more (57)

Trailers & Clips