fbpx

Lethal Weapon 2

In the opening chase, Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh stumble across a trunk full of Krugerrands. They follow the trail to a South African diplomat who’s using his immunity to conceal a smuggling operation. When he plants a bomb under Murtaugh’s toilet, the action explodes!
<%%item_is_not_adult%%

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

  • Martin Riggs: Mel Gibson
  • Roger Murtaugh: Danny Glover
  • Leo Getz: Joe Pesci
  • Arjen Rudd: Joss Ackland
  • Pieter ‘Adolph’ Vorstedt: Derrick O’Connor
  • Rika van den Haas: Patsy Kensit
  • Trish Murtaugh: Darlene Love
  • Captain Ed Murphy: Steve Kahan
  • Hans: Mark Rolston
  • Officer Meagan Shapiro: Jenette Goldstein
  • Tim Cavanaugh: Dean Norris
  • Tom Wyler: Juney Smith
  • Eddie Estaban: Nestor Serrano
  • Joseph Ragucci: Philip Suriano
  • Jerry Collins: Grand L. Bush
  • George: Allan Dean Moore
  • Mickey McGee, the Carpenter: Jack McGee
  • Police Psychiatrist: Mary Ellen Trainor
  • Rianne Murtaugh: Traci Wolfe
  • Carrie Murtaugh: Ebonie Smith
  • Nick Murtaugh: Damon Hines
  • Marcelli: Tony Carreiro
  • Hitman: Sherman Howard
  • Hitman: Pat Skipper
  • Consulate Envoy: Jim Piddock
  • Cop #1: David Marciano
  • Cop #2: Tommy Hinkley
  • Officer Friesen: Lionel Douglass
  • Officer Moss: James Oliver
  • Poolside Card Player: Marian Collier
  • Man in Squad Room: Norman D. Wilson

Film Crew:

  • Sound Editor: Bub Asman
  • Screenplay: Jeffrey Boam
  • Producer: Joel Silver
  • Story: Shane Black
  • Editor: Stuart Baird
  • Original Music Composer: Eric Clapton
  • Casting: Marion Dougherty
  • Production Secretary: Lisa Cogswell
  • Production Accountant: Gregory Manson
  • Second Unit Director: Steve Perry
  • Director of Photography: Stephen Goldblatt
  • Producer: Richard Donner
  • Set Decoration: Marvin March
  • Production Design: J. Michael Riva
  • Orchestrator: Michael Kamen
  • Special Effects Coordinator: Matt Sweeney
  • Casting: Gail Levin
  • Costume Supervisor: Barry Francis Delaney
  • Co-Producer: Jennie Lew Tugend
  • Associate Producer: Peter Frankfurt
  • Original Music Composer: David Sanborn
  • Art Direction: Richard Berger
  • Unit Publicist: Michael Klastorin
  • Aerial Coordinator: Charles A. Tamburro
  • Stunt Double: Mic Rodgers
  • Art Direction: Virginia L. Randolph
  • Set Designer: Dianne Wager
  • Still Photographer: John R. Shannon
  • First Assistant Director: Terry Miller
  • Story: Warren Murphy
  • Second Assistant Camera: Kirk Bales
  • Key Grip: Charles Saldana
  • Stunt Coordinator: Charlie Picerni
  • Stunts: Dick Ziker
  • First Assistant Camera: Geary McLeod
  • Storyboard: David J. Negron Jr.
  • Foley Artist: John Roesch
  • Hairstylist: Paul Abascal
  • Location Manager: David Israel
  • Technical Advisor: Gilbert O. Parra
  • Makeup Artist: Scott H. Eddo
  • Assistant Chief Lighting Technician: Bob E. Krattiger
  • Construction Coordinator: John Villarino
  • Boom Operator: Marvin E. Lewis
  • Foley Mixer: Greg Orloff
  • Stunt Driver: Craig Lietzke
  • Chief Lighting Technician: Gary Holt
  • Construction Foreman: Mike Villarino
  • Property Master: Erik L. Nelson
  • Supervising Sound Editor: Robert G. Henderson
  • Aerial Camera: Frank M. Holgate
  • Production Illustrator: Sherman Labby
  • Stunts: Gregory J. Barnett
  • ADR Editor: James Simcik
  • Foley Recordist: Carolyn Tapp
  • Transportation Coordinator: Jack Lietzke
  • Dialect Coach: Julie Adams
  • Music Editor: Christopher Brooks
  • Propmaker: Dan Pemberton
  • Script Supervisor: Nancy Hansen
  • Production Sound Mixer: Willie D. Burton
  • Scenic Artist: Michael Denering
  • Second Second Assistant Director: Albert Cho
  • Assistant Location Manager: Kristin Dewey
  • Supervising ADR Editor: Jay Engel
  • Second Assistant Director: Michael Alan Kahn
  • Craft Service: Frank DeMichelis
  • Production Office Assistant: Amy Jackson
  • Video Assist Operator: Richmond G. Cogswell
  • Assistant Sound Editor: Darrin Martin
  • Music Producer: Stephen McLaughlin
  • Dolly Grip: Danny Falkengren
  • Costumer: Vicky Snow
  • Assistant Property Master: Gary F. Kieldrup

Movie Reviews:

  • John Chard: A truly great sequel that expands upon the friendship that was born in the first picture.

    Intrepid cop partners Riggs & Murtaugh are on the trail of South African diplomats who are using their diplomatic immunities to engage in criminal activities.

    With the success of Lethal Weapon in 1987 it made common sense to follow it with a sequel. All the same elements were in place, cast, director and writers were all back for another slice of buddy buddy action bonanza. The only change of course is the villains, here represented by Joss Ackland & Derrick O’Connor’s weasel South African bastardos. Joe Pesci enters the fray as the comical Leo Getz, a Federal Witness that the cop duo have to “babysit” till trial.

    Right from the off the tone of the film is set as our ears split and our eyes get dazzled by a high speed car chase. Riggs & Murtaugh are in hot pursuit whilst exchanging a now customary difference of opinion as regards police work. We know they are mates and we know that Riggs is still the lethal weapon and Murtaugh is old school copper. So whilst there’s nothing new in that the formula remains the same, the makers do flesh out the relationship more as the film progresses – with one or two scenes absolute gold dust as the boys’ lives come under serious threat. We are now, in spite of the carnage that surrounds them, involved with them, yes, such is the charm of their relationship, we do care. It’s good writing, regardless of the charges from some quarters that these films are nasty shallow excuses for making money…

    It’s fair to say that this is Gibson’s movie, this is because it’s written that way. Some of Riggs’ back story is filled in and he even gets a love interest in the slender form of Patsy Kensit. Riggs cracks the jokes and does the outrageous mental stuff, while Glover’s (still doing fine work in Gibson’s shadow) Murtaugh continues to be the counter opposite, with some of the astute written sequences involving Murtaugh and the South African core of the story being excellently handled by Glover. Regardless of character development and nifty political observations, it’s the action that dominates proceedings. Director Richard Donner has a wail of a time putting the cast through their paces. There’s explosions, fights, shoot-outs, more high speed pursuits, and on it goes till we get to the finale, and it’s a potential cliffhanger one too.

    Two more inferior sequels would follow, all of which still made serious money, but this serves notice of the last time that all the elements came together successfully. A stylish Hollywood action comedy with two impressionable lead actors providing a lesson in on screen chemistry success. 7.5/10

  • JPV852: Fun sequel with plenty of action and the teamwork between Gibson and Glover was great. Joe Pesci was fine but kind of got a bit annoying. Still highly entertaining all these years later.

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Movie Reviews. TV Coverage. Trailers. Film Festivals.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading