Lethal Weapon 2
Encyclopedia
Lethal Weapon 2 is a 1989 action comedy film directed by Richard Donner
, and starring Mel Gibson
, Danny Glover
, Patsy Kensit
, Joe Pesci
, Derrick O'Connor
and Joss Ackland
. It is the first sequel to the 1987 film Lethal Weapon
, and is part of the Lethal Weapon film series.
Gibson and Glover respectively reprise their roles as LAPD officers, Martin Riggs
and Roger Murtaugh
, who protect an irritating federal witness (Pesci), while taking on a gang of South African drug dealers hiding behind diplomatic immunity
. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing
. The film received mostly positive reviews and earned more than $227 million worldwide.
Sergeants Martin Riggs
and Roger Murtaugh
engage in a car chase with other LAPD detectives. When their objective crashes, Riggs and Murtaugh search the abandoned car and discover the trunk is full of gold Krugerrand
s, leading to the conclusion that the criminals in the pursuit are from Apartheid South Africa
. Later that night, Arjen Rudd (Joss Ackland
), the minister of affairs for the South African Consulate, orders his head of security Pieter Vorstedt (Derrick O'Connor
) to warn Murtaugh and Trish at his home to cease the investigation around the Krugerrands. They do so, and in the wake of the attack on Murtaugh and his family, he and Riggs are reassigned to protecting a federal witness, Leo Getz (Joe Pesci
), a loudmouthed accountant who decided to blow the whistle on his money laundering clients.
Mere moments after arriving at Getz's hotel room, an assassin posing as room service enters the room and tries to kill Getz. Riggs and Murtaugh save Getz and discover he formerly laundered funds
for the same drug smugglers. Getz leads them to the smugglers' base of operations, a house on stilts. Riggs recognizes the assassin from the hotel, who then tries to make an escape by stealing a tow-truck parked outside the house. Riggs jumps onto the back of the tow truck, and Murtaugh and Getz chase after Riggs and the suspect. Later that day, Riggs and Murtaugh return to the house with full backup of detectives and uniform officers. Attempting to arrest the gang, Riggs and Murtaugh are confronted by Arjen Rudd and members of the South African Consulate. Vorstedt recognizes Riggs but before he can go any further, Rudd indignantly invokes diplomatic immunity
on behalf of himself and his 'staff', citing Riggs handling of the situation, "My dear officer, you could not even give me a parking ticket."
Although ordered to leave Rudd and his associates alone, Riggs infiltrates the consulate's building and catches the name "Alba Varden," a name that appears familiar to Murtaugh. At the same time, Riggs begins to openly harass Rudd, and also begins a romance with Rudd's secretary, Rika van den Haas (Patsy Kensit
), who strongly dislikes both her boss and her country's policies. Riggs invites her to a dinner at his trailer and they end up sleeping together.
Fed up with Riggs, Rudd orders Vorstedt to brutally murder the LAPD detectives investigating them. While guarding Getz, Murtaugh views an old birthday video and learns that Alba Varden is the name of a South African ship currently at the docks. He realizes that Rudd is planning to use the ship to smuggle his billions in drug money to Cape Town
. At the same time Getz is kidnapped from Murtaugh's unguarded car, and Murtaugh is attacked by two of Vorstedt's men but manages to thwart them with a nail gun
. On their part, Riggs and Rika manage to escape an attack by Rudd's men in two helicopters. When he returns Rika to her house, he is knocked out and captured by Vorstedt. Vorstedt confesses to murdering Riggs's wife years ago and drops him into the Los Angeles harbor in a straitjacket to drown. Riggs escapes by dislocating his shoulder, but finds Rika nearby, drowned. Vengeful, Riggs calls Murtaugh and announces that he is going after Vorstedt and Rudd. Leaving his own badge at the station, Murtaugh leaves to help him kill Vorstedt and Rudd.
Meeting at Rudd's stilt house, Murtaugh heads inside to rescue Getz. Meanwhile, Riggs uses his truck to dislocate the stilts, causing the house to collapse just as Getz and Murtaugh escape. The sergeants go to the dock where the Alba Varden is moored. They enter a cargo container and discover it is filled with millions in Rudd's drug money. When they are discovered and the cargo container is sealed, they use a Mercedes within the container to bust their way out. Riggs and Murtaugh rappel down ropes onto the deck of the Alba Varden, engaging the crew in a firefight and killing them one by one.
Eventually, Riggs runs into Vorstedt, and they engage in a brutal hand-to-hand showdown, which ends with Riggs dropping a cargo container on Vorstedt, crushing him. Rudd appears from a balcony on the "Alba Varden" behind Riggs and shoots him before Murtaugh draws his gun and attempts to arrest the diplomat. Rudd holds up his ID and gloats, "Diplomatic immunity." Murtaugh shoots him in the head, replying: "It's just been revoked!", and afterwards tends to Riggs while the L.A.P.D. arrives.
dinner with the Murtaughs, but the director decided to kill the character to increase Riggs' motivation to destroy the South African drug smugglers. The scenes of her rescue and the finale with her were shot, but not used. When the original Shane Black screenplay was changed, he left the series. The rewrites that resulted in the final film are by Warren Murphy
, co-creator of Remo Williams (the lead character of The Destroyer novels) and Jeffrey Boam
(screenwriter for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
and The Lost Boys
).
The film was the debut of Leo Getz (Joe Pesci
), a crooked but whistleblowing CPA
who is placed in protective custody by Riggs and Murtaugh, and makes the detectives' lives a living hell due to his neurotic behavior. The Getz character remained a regular throughout the remainder of the film series.
At two points in the film, Riggs intentionally dislocates his shoulder in order to get out of a straitjacket
and then slams it back into place. This becomes a running gag not only throughout the film series, but also throughout a lot of parody films.
Patsy Kensit
described her sex scene with Mel Gibson as having been very uncomfortable to act out. She stated that the reason was that she and Gibson were "both married" and "both Catholics."
The Star Wars
series and Ghostbusters
notwithstanding (which were released some years before), the film was among the first of the summer blockbusters to feature the 'title only' style of opening
that would become an established feature of 'event' movies from that point on.
, George Harrison
and Eric Clapton
.
The track list released commercially is as follows:
The soundtrack also includes "I'm Not Scared" performed by Eighth Wonder
and "Since I Don't Have You
", "This I Swear", "Lonely Way", "How Much", and "Believe Me" performed by The Skyliners
; however these are not included on the soundtrack album. The inclusion of Eighth Wonder in the soundtrack is notable as lead singer Patsy Kensit
also appears in a major role in the film.
and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
), earning nearly $
150 million domestically and $80.6 million overseas.
based on 34 reviews with an average rating of 6.6/10. Despite being an overtly anti-Apartheid film and being dismissed by the then South African Consul General in Los Angeles as "an awful film", Lethal Weapon 2 was released uncut in South Africa and was a box-office success.
Mel Gibson
, Danny Glover
, and Richard Donner
have all stated that this is their favorite film of the Lethal Weapon series.
Richard Donner
Richard Donner is an American film director, film producer, and comic book writer.The production company The Donners' Company is owned by Donner and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler Donner. After directing the horror film The Omen, Donner became famous for the hailed creation of the first modern...
, and starring Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
, Danny Glover
Danny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
, Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
, Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
, Derrick O'Connor
Derrick O'Connor
Derrick O'Connor is an Irish character actor, mostly known for his roles in Terry Gilliam films. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company....
and Joss Ackland
Joss Ackland
Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland CBE , known as Joss Ackland, is an English actor who has appeared in more than 130 films and numerous television roles.-Early life:...
. It is the first sequel to the 1987 film Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon is a 1987 American buddy cop action film and the first in a series of films, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives, and Gary Busey as their primary adversary...
, and is part of the Lethal Weapon film series.
Gibson and Glover respectively reprise their roles as LAPD officers, Martin Riggs
Martin Riggs
Martin Riggs is a fictional police officer and protagonist from the Lethal Weapon franchise. He is played in all four films by Mel Gibson.- Military career :...
and Roger Murtaugh
Roger Murtaugh
Roger Murtaugh is a fictional character and protagonist in the Lethal Weapon films, played in all four by Danny Glover.-Lethal Weapon:...
, who protect an irritating federal witness (Pesci), while taking on a gang of South African drug dealers hiding behind diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing
Academy Award for Sound Editing
The Academy Award of Merit for Best Sound Editing is an Academy Award granted yearly to a film exhibiting the finest or most aesthetic sound editing or sound design...
. The film received mostly positive reviews and earned more than $227 million worldwide.
Plot
LAPDLos Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
Sergeants Martin Riggs
Martin Riggs
Martin Riggs is a fictional police officer and protagonist from the Lethal Weapon franchise. He is played in all four films by Mel Gibson.- Military career :...
and Roger Murtaugh
Roger Murtaugh
Roger Murtaugh is a fictional character and protagonist in the Lethal Weapon films, played in all four by Danny Glover.-Lethal Weapon:...
engage in a car chase with other LAPD detectives. When their objective crashes, Riggs and Murtaugh search the abandoned car and discover the trunk is full of gold Krugerrand
Krugerrand
The Krugerrand is a South African gold coin, first minted in 1967 to help market South African gold. The coin, produced by the South African Mint, proved popular and by 1980 the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the gold coin market. The name itself is a compound of Kruger and rand, the South...
s, leading to the conclusion that the criminals in the pursuit are from Apartheid South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Later that night, Arjen Rudd (Joss Ackland
Joss Ackland
Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland CBE , known as Joss Ackland, is an English actor who has appeared in more than 130 films and numerous television roles.-Early life:...
), the minister of affairs for the South African Consulate, orders his head of security Pieter Vorstedt (Derrick O'Connor
Derrick O'Connor
Derrick O'Connor is an Irish character actor, mostly known for his roles in Terry Gilliam films. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company....
) to warn Murtaugh and Trish at his home to cease the investigation around the Krugerrands. They do so, and in the wake of the attack on Murtaugh and his family, he and Riggs are reassigned to protecting a federal witness, Leo Getz (Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
), a loudmouthed accountant who decided to blow the whistle on his money laundering clients.
Mere moments after arriving at Getz's hotel room, an assassin posing as room service enters the room and tries to kill Getz. Riggs and Murtaugh save Getz and discover he formerly laundered funds
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
for the same drug smugglers. Getz leads them to the smugglers' base of operations, a house on stilts. Riggs recognizes the assassin from the hotel, who then tries to make an escape by stealing a tow-truck parked outside the house. Riggs jumps onto the back of the tow truck, and Murtaugh and Getz chase after Riggs and the suspect. Later that day, Riggs and Murtaugh return to the house with full backup of detectives and uniform officers. Attempting to arrest the gang, Riggs and Murtaugh are confronted by Arjen Rudd and members of the South African Consulate. Vorstedt recognizes Riggs but before he can go any further, Rudd indignantly invokes diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
on behalf of himself and his 'staff', citing Riggs handling of the situation, "My dear officer, you could not even give me a parking ticket."
Although ordered to leave Rudd and his associates alone, Riggs infiltrates the consulate's building and catches the name "Alba Varden," a name that appears familiar to Murtaugh. At the same time, Riggs begins to openly harass Rudd, and also begins a romance with Rudd's secretary, Rika van den Haas (Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
), who strongly dislikes both her boss and her country's policies. Riggs invites her to a dinner at his trailer and they end up sleeping together.
Fed up with Riggs, Rudd orders Vorstedt to brutally murder the LAPD detectives investigating them. While guarding Getz, Murtaugh views an old birthday video and learns that Alba Varden is the name of a South African ship currently at the docks. He realizes that Rudd is planning to use the ship to smuggle his billions in drug money to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. At the same time Getz is kidnapped from Murtaugh's unguarded car, and Murtaugh is attacked by two of Vorstedt's men but manages to thwart them with a nail gun
Nail gun
A nail gun, nailgun or nailer is a type of tool used to drive nails into wood or some other kind of material. It is usually driven by electromagnetism, compressed air , highly flammable gases such as butane or propane, or, for powder-actuated tools, a small explosive charge...
. On their part, Riggs and Rika manage to escape an attack by Rudd's men in two helicopters. When he returns Rika to her house, he is knocked out and captured by Vorstedt. Vorstedt confesses to murdering Riggs's wife years ago and drops him into the Los Angeles harbor in a straitjacket to drown. Riggs escapes by dislocating his shoulder, but finds Rika nearby, drowned. Vengeful, Riggs calls Murtaugh and announces that he is going after Vorstedt and Rudd. Leaving his own badge at the station, Murtaugh leaves to help him kill Vorstedt and Rudd.
Meeting at Rudd's stilt house, Murtaugh heads inside to rescue Getz. Meanwhile, Riggs uses his truck to dislocate the stilts, causing the house to collapse just as Getz and Murtaugh escape. The sergeants go to the dock where the Alba Varden is moored. They enter a cargo container and discover it is filled with millions in Rudd's drug money. When they are discovered and the cargo container is sealed, they use a Mercedes within the container to bust their way out. Riggs and Murtaugh rappel down ropes onto the deck of the Alba Varden, engaging the crew in a firefight and killing them one by one.
Eventually, Riggs runs into Vorstedt, and they engage in a brutal hand-to-hand showdown, which ends with Riggs dropping a cargo container on Vorstedt, crushing him. Rudd appears from a balcony on the "Alba Varden" behind Riggs and shoots him before Murtaugh draws his gun and attempts to arrest the diplomat. Rudd holds up his ID and gloats, "Diplomatic immunity." Murtaugh shoots him in the head, replying: "It's just been revoked!", and afterwards tends to Riggs while the L.A.P.D. arrives.
Cast
- Mel GibsonMel GibsonMel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
- Detective Martin RiggsMartin RiggsMartin Riggs is a fictional police officer and protagonist from the Lethal Weapon franchise. He is played in all four films by Mel Gibson.- Military career :... - Danny GloverDanny GloverDanny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
- Detective Roger MurtaughRoger MurtaughRoger Murtaugh is a fictional character and protagonist in the Lethal Weapon films, played in all four by Danny Glover.-Lethal Weapon:... - Joe PesciJoe PesciJoseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
- Leo Getz - Joss AcklandJoss AcklandSidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland CBE , known as Joss Ackland, is an English actor who has appeared in more than 130 films and numerous television roles.-Early life:...
- Arjen Rudd - Derrick O'ConnorDerrick O'ConnorDerrick O'Connor is an Irish character actor, mostly known for his roles in Terry Gilliam films. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company....
- Pieter Vorstedt - Patsy KensitPatsy KensitPatricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
- Rika Van Den Haas - Darlene LoveDarlene LoveDarlene Love is an American popular music singer and actress. She gained prominence in the 1960s for the song "He's a Rebel," a #1 American single in 1962, and was part of the Phil Spector stable that produced a celebrated Christmas album in 1963....
- Trish Murtaugh - Traci Wolfe - Rianne Murtaugh
- Steve KahanSteve KahanSteve Kahan is an American character actor who has appeared many films, his best known film role is in the Lethal Weapon film franchise as Capt. Ed Murphy. Kahan's cousin is director Richard Donner, who has cast Kahan in many of his films...
- Captain Murphy - Mark RolstonMark Rolston-Career:Rolston played PFC M. Drake in Aliens , Hans in Lethal Weapon 2 , Stef in RoboCop 2 , Bogs Diamond in The Shawshank Redemption , J. Scar in Eraser , Chief Dennis Wilson in Daylight , Wayne Bryce in Hard Rain and Special Agent in Charge Warren Russ in Rush Hour...
- Hans - Jenette GoldsteinJenette GoldsteinJenette Elise Goldstein is an American actress.- Life and career :Goldstein was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Beverly Hills. Her first film role was in James Cameron's Aliens , playing the Hispanic character PFC Jenette Vasquez...
- Detective Meagan Shapiro - Dean NorrisDean NorrisDean Joseph Norris is an American actor currently starring as DEA agent Hank Schrader, the brother-in-law of main character Walter White in the AMC series Breaking Bad, which premiered on January 20, 2008.-Biography:...
- Detective Tim Cavanaugh - Juney Smith - Tom Wyler
- Nestor SerranoNestor SerranoNestor Serrano is an American film and television actor. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law.Serrano began his acting career in off-Broadway plays in the late 1970s. His first film was the 1986 Tom Hanks comedy The Money Pit...
- Eddie Estaban
Development
In the original script, the South Africans were even more vicious. At one point, they even torture Riggs in much the same manner as Mr. Joshua in the original. The ending climaxed with a distraught Riggs dying after the wounds delivered from Arjen Rudd. The character of Rika was originally intended to survive, with the last scene in the film being Riggs and Rika eating ThanksgivingThanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
dinner with the Murtaughs, but the director decided to kill the character to increase Riggs' motivation to destroy the South African drug smugglers. The scenes of her rescue and the finale with her were shot, but not used. When the original Shane Black screenplay was changed, he left the series. The rewrites that resulted in the final film are by Warren Murphy
Warren Murphy
Warren Murphy is an American author, most famous as the co-creator of The Destroyer series, the basis for the film Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. He worked as a reporter and editor and after service during the Korean War, he drifted into politics.Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal...
, co-creator of Remo Williams (the lead character of The Destroyer novels) and Jeffrey Boam
Jeffrey Boam
Jeffrey David Boam was an American screenwriter and film producer. He is known for writing the screenplays for Lethal Weapon 2 and Lethal Weapon 3, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Innerspace, and The Lost Boys. Boam's films had a cumulative gross of over US $1 billion. He was educated at...
(screenwriter for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third film in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford reprises the title role and Sean Connery plays Indiana's father, Henry...
and The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys is a 1987 American teen comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Alex Winter, Jamison Newlander, and Barnard Hughes....
).
The film was the debut of Leo Getz (Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
), a crooked but whistleblowing CPA
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
who is placed in protective custody by Riggs and Murtaugh, and makes the detectives' lives a living hell due to his neurotic behavior. The Getz character remained a regular throughout the remainder of the film series.
At two points in the film, Riggs intentionally dislocates his shoulder in order to get out of a straitjacket
Straitjacket
A straitjacket is a garment shaped like a jacket with overlong sleeves and is typically used to restrain a person who may otherwise cause harm to themselves or others. Once the arms are inserted into the straitjacket's sleeves, they are then crossed across the chest...
and then slams it back into place. This becomes a running gag not only throughout the film series, but also throughout a lot of parody films.
Filming
The scene where Riggs is on the road outside Arjen's stilt house and grabs onto the front of the truck (the same scene with the surfboard killing a driver) was filmed on March 21, 1989. The opening chase sequence was filmed on November 28, 1988. The scenes where Riggs and Rika are ambushed by helicopters at night on the beach was filmed at Marineland of the Pacific in Palos Verdes California, on "Cobble Beach".Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
described her sex scene with Mel Gibson as having been very uncomfortable to act out. She stated that the reason was that she and Gibson were "both married" and "both Catholics."
The Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
series and Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
notwithstanding (which were released some years before), the film was among the first of the summer blockbusters to feature the 'title only' style of opening
Billing (film)
Billing is a performing arts term used in referring to the order and other aspects of how credits are presented for plays, films, television, or other creative works...
that would become an established feature of 'event' movies from that point on.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was compiled, written, and performed by Michael KamenMichael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
.
The track list released commercially is as follows:
- "Cheer DownCheer Down"Cheer Down" is a country rock song with music written by George Harrison and lyrics written by Harrison and Tom Petty. The title is attributed to Olivia Harrison, who would tell her husband, "Okay, cheer down, big fellow," when he would get too enthusiastic...
" - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other... - "Still Cruisin' (After All These Years)Still Cruisin'-Singles:* "Kokomo" b/w "Tutti Frutti" , July 18, 1988 US #1; UK #25* "Still Cruisin' " b/w "Kokomo" , August 7, 1989 US #93* "Somewhere Near Japan" b/w "Kokomo" , January 1990...
" - The Beach BoysThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962... - "Knockin' on Heaven's DoorKnockin' on Heaven's Door"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan for the soundtrack of the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. It reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Story line and song structure:...
" - Randy CrawfordRandy CrawfordRandy Crawford is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist...
/Bob Dylan/David SanbornDavid SanbornDavid Sanborn is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school... - "Riggs"
- "The Embassy"
- "Riggs and Roger"
- "Leo"
- "Goodnight Rika"
- "The Stilt House"
- "The Shipyard/Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
The soundtrack also includes "I'm Not Scared" performed by Eighth Wonder
Eighth Wonder
Eighth Wonder were a British pop band in the 1980s. They formed in 1983 and enjoyed major success in Japan and Italy between 1985 and 1987, before having hit singles in the UK and across Europe in 1988.-Early years:...
and "Since I Don't Have You
Since I Don't Have You
"Since I Don't Have You" is a song by the doo-wop group The Skyliners. Released in 1958, the single reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also the top five of the R&B chart...
", "This I Swear", "Lonely Way", "How Much", and "Believe Me" performed by The Skyliners
The Skyliners
The Skyliners are an American doo-wop group from Pittsburgh fronted by Jimmy Beaumont. The original lineup also included Wally Lester, Jack Taylor, Joe Verscharen, Louis M. Tutino and Janet Vogel...
; however these are not included on the soundtrack album. The inclusion of Eighth Wonder in the soundtrack is notable as lead singer Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
also appears in a major role in the film.
Box office performance
Lethal Weapon 2 was the third most successful film of 1989 in North America (after BatmanBatman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third film in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford reprises the title role and Sean Connery plays Indiana's father, Henry...
), earning nearly $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
150 million domestically and $80.6 million overseas.
Critical reception
The film received mostly positive reviews, although not as many as the original. It currently holds an 82% approval on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
based on 34 reviews with an average rating of 6.6/10. Despite being an overtly anti-Apartheid film and being dismissed by the then South African Consul General in Los Angeles as "an awful film", Lethal Weapon 2 was released uncut in South Africa and was a box-office success.
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
, Danny Glover
Danny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
, and Richard Donner
Richard Donner
Richard Donner is an American film director, film producer, and comic book writer.The production company The Donners' Company is owned by Donner and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler Donner. After directing the horror film The Omen, Donner became famous for the hailed creation of the first modern...
have all stated that this is their favorite film of the Lethal Weapon series.