MEMORIES:
Tasha remembers...Like Mikey says, they could not have paired up two better individuals to have worked together for these roles. Mel ... More »
Posted on 03/03/08
CATCH PHRASE:
With visions of future movies dancing in their eyes, the producers of the first installment of the Lethal Weapon franchise upped the comedy antics and gave Riggs another lease on life.
Excepting the original writer, the production core stayed on board, as Richard Donner returned to direct the megastar duo of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. Joining them was Joe Pesci, who altered his slimy and effeminate character Leo Getz into the obnoxious, eager-beaver that gives Riggs and Murtaugh such headaches.
A routine bust for Riggs and Murtaugh becomes an all out fiasco when they discover a car full of illegal South American money. As a break from the excitement, Riggs and Murtaugh are sent to protect witness and mob embezzler Leo Getz. Of course, they arrive moments before Leo is attacked by an assassin that nearly kills Riggs. As they attempt to put the pieces together, the detectives discover that a major drug smuggling operation is being run through the South African consulate, whose “diplomatic immunity” protects them from police intervention. Forced to use underhanded means, Murtaugh tries to protect Getz while Riggs romances the South African consular secretary, Rika (Patsy Kensit).
But when the South Africans declare war on the LAPD, Riggs and Murtaugh put their reputation as respectable police officers on hold; they become the aggressors themselves in order to exact revenge and bring justice to the smugglers.
