10 Most Iconic Moments In The Lethal Weapon Franchise
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From huge finales to immortal one-liners, here are the 10 most iconic moments from the action-packed Lethal Weapon movie franchise.
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With the success of 1987’s Lethal Weapon, one of the most popular action movie franchises begun. The series starred Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as two Los Angeles cops who take a destructive approach to fighting crime in their city. The series produced four films, a television series and there is even talk of a fifth adventure on the way.
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The movies are not all remembered as fondly as the original, but they do all provide some solid action and even some good laughs. Take a look back on the epic movie series with the most epic moments from the Lethal Weapon films.
10 Burning Down The Houses (Lethal Weapon 3)
Lethal Weapon 3 is probably the weakest entry in the franchise but even it has its moments. For instance, the film really delivers on an exciting and over-the-top final set-piece in which Riggs, Murtagh, and their new partner Lorna Cole (Rene Russo) take on the bad guys at a housing development funded through arms deals.
Riggs always knows how to make the bad guys really mad, so he takes a truck that is leaking fuel, lights the fuel line, and drives through the development, burning down all of the houses. It makes for a fiery finale.
9 Leo Getz (Lethal Weapon 2)
While Riggs and Murtagh are the stars of the show, the franchise does a great job introducing new and memorable characters with each new entry. In Lethal Weapon 2, the best supporting character of the series is introduced with Leo Getz (Joe Pesci).
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Leo is a fast-talking and annoying money launderer who is set to testify against his former employers. Immediately, Pesci is a welcome addition to the gang. He is funny, he has great chemistry with the two heroes, and the goofy character is a nice reversal from Pesci’s tough-guy roles.
8 Fireman (Lethal Weapon 4)
It is a tradition for each film in the series to kick off with a thrilling sequence and Lethal Weapon 4 really starts with a bang. During a downpour, Riggs and Murtagh respond to a call to find a man dressed completely in armor and armed with a machine gun and flamethrower going crazy in the middle of the street.
It has nothing to do with the rest of the movie, but it’s a really fun sequence. It has everything that makes this franchise great including humor, action, and some fun banter between the two main characters.
7 Riggs’ Torture Session (Lethal Weapon)
Mel Gibson already had a few Mad Max movies under his belt by the time Lethal Weapon came along but this movie really solidified him as an action hero and his standout moment as a real badass comes when Riggs is being tortured by the bad guys.
As he is strung up by his arms and drenched in water, a bad guy electrocutes him. Riggs is not tough enough to pretend it doesn’t hurt or to hide his fear, but he eventually has enough and uses his feet to break the torturer’s neck.
6 Comparing Scars (Lethal Weapon 3)
Lethal Weapon is not a franchise known for its romances, but it does manage a few lovely moments here and there. But the best moment in the burgeoning relationship between Riggs and Lorna is very much in keeping with the action genre of the series.
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As these two combative officers take a moment to catch their breath after taking on some bad guys, they begin comparing battle scars from the job. It’s a great moment of establishing a bond between these two and stoking those fires between them.
5 Riggs And Murtagh Meet (Lethal Weapon)
When one thinks of the best buddy cop duos in film history, it’s hard for one’s mind to not go directly to Riggs and Murtagh. From the chemistry between the actors to the contrast of the characters, these two were perfect together from the start.
In fact, their very first scene together is a classic that starts their relationship off just right. As the seasoned Officer Murtagh scans the police office, he spots Riggs with his gun and assumes he is a madman. He charges Riggs and is promptly thrown on his back. It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
4 Showdown With Wah Sing Ku (Lethal Weapon 4)
There are a lot of stellar villains in the Lethal Weapon series, but certainly, the toughest Riggs and Murtagh mad to face was Wah Sing Ku, a deadly member of the Triad gang. As he is played by Jet Li, it’s not surprising that he is an expert fighter.
Their final showdown with Ku starts with the two heroes trying to talk themselves out of fighting this guy who has beaten them up several times. Of course, they can’t back down, so they get into a brutal brawl with him as Ku takes both men on until getting stabbed through the gut with a metal pole, dragged underwater with Riggs and then shot with an assault rifle.
3 It’s Just Been Revoked (Lethal Weapon 2)
Lethal Weapon 2 is a solid sequel that introduces an interesting idea for its villains. They are South African diplomats who operate as drug dealers while hiding behind their diplomatic immunity.
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In the film’s climax, the leader of the villains guns down Riggs then arrogantly holds up his credentials and proclaims “Diplomatic immunity”. Murtagh responds by shooting him in the head and saying, “It’s just been revoked.” It remains one of the best action movie one-liners of all time.
2 Toilet Bomb (Lethal Weapon 2)
It seems like an ongoing theme of the series that Murtagh’s house is targeted by the bad guys. But one of the most memorable attempted attacks comes from Lethal Weapon 2 as Murtagh gets a surprise on his toilet.
Murtaugh’s toilet is rigged with a bomb that will explode if he tries to stand up. It’s an inventive threat and provides some of the unique humor the series is known for. But it also cements the bond between Riggs and Murtagh as Riggs refuses to leave his partner’s side.
1 The Jumper (Lethal Weapon)
The gimmick between these two cops in the first film is that Murtagh is a man nearing the end of his career and looking to slow down while Riggs is a wild man who everyone thinks has a death wish.
During their first assignment as partners, Murtagh gets a glimpse of how crazy his new partner is. Responding to a call about a man threatening to jump, Riggs goes up on the ledge with the man then handcuffs himself to him. As the man panics, Riggs jumps off the roof, taking the man with him and landing safely on an inflatable crash mat.
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Colin McCormick is a Senior Writer with Screen Rant and has been a proud member of the team since 2019. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Colin has had a long passion and obsession with movies going back to the first time he saw The Lion King in theaters. Along with movies, Colin stays up-to-date on the latest must-see TV shows. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard.
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