Lethal Weapon Movies

[GHScorpiosRule]

So, I hope I won't be the only one posting here, but after watching the movies again, after watching the television pilot, I'd like to see how many still enjoy or hate these movies. Like I mentioned in the Unpopular Threads, it's been some years since I watched these movies, and they are among my favorite movies starring Mel Gibson.

I think the first one was the best...it had a certain...gravitas, that the succeeding sequels didn't. Well, maybe the second one had it. But by the third and definitely, the last, were more straight out action/comedies, whereas the first two were action, with dashes of comedy and drama. As much as I loved the addition of Renee Russo, I much prefer the first two. And like I said in the Unpopular thread, I found it disappointing that the seriousness of the Mary Ellen Trainor's character, had devolved into a caricature.

I think Mel did a really good job balancing whether his Martin Riggs was really crazy and suicidal. I really believed in the latter, but wasn't really sure on the former. But Gibson was just awesome.  And the chemistry between him and Danny Glover was just amazing.  And adding Joe Pesci was just a GEM. I LOVE Leo Getz! As you can see in the movie quote thread.

So, anyone out there who still enjoy these movies?

[VCRTracking]

Yeah I still like them, especially the first two.

[WendyCR72]

As I said in the series thread, I own the whole franchise set on Blu-Ray. I can separate (I know some can't, as is their right) Gibson from Riggs, so I still manage to have fun with these.

[scriggle]

I loved the first movie. I bought the VHS and watched it multiple times. I even bought the novelization. The second movie was okay.  The others I didn't care for. Then Gibson revealed his batshit crazy and I had a hard time watching anything he was in.  But a week or so ago I was flipping channels and landed on the first movie so I stopped to watch it. I'd forgotten at how good Gibson was as Riggs and the great chemistry between Riggs and Murtaugh.

[topanga]

I loved the entire series--though #4 was just okay--but I can't bring myself to watch them again because of Mel Gibson. Sorry, Danny Glover.

[truthaboutluv]

I loved the whole series but 4 was definitely a bit meh. Still, it was a nice end to the whole series. I loved 1 and 2 equally and I think you prefer one over the other, depending on your taste. The first movie was a lot darker and heavier because Riggs was still in such a dark place after his wife's death. His first scenes with Roger's family was kind of tentative and awkward and there was a heaviness to the whole thing. Plus he and Roger were just getting to know each other then. 

The second movie had way more humor. Riggs was still a little nutty but he wasn't suicidal anymore and the bond between him and Roger was great and of course that's when we met Leo, who just made the films more awesome. Thought it was cruel that the writers killed the love interest after Riggs had just gotten over being suicidal from his wife's death. But it did make for great drama.