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Some movies just don't seem to age at all, and despite Gibson's trademark '80's mullet, Lethal Weapon is one of them.

This is not your typical Schwarzenegger-esque, blow-shit-up-just-for-the-sake-of-it action movie with numerous cheesy one liners (which I still love, by the way); this is actually a respectably-paced movie about two mismatched cops, whose irreconcilable personalities are interestingly developed throughout.

Danny Glover is the safe, no nonsense cop, Roger Murtaugh, on the verge of retirement, who has a nice family and nice home to be proud of. On the contrary, Mel Gibson stars as Martin Riggs, a cop on the edge after the recent death of his wife, who no one wants to work with -- he is the "lethal weapon", trained in martial arts and an expert in marksmanship.

The two pair together, much to the reluctance of Murtaugh, when they're asked to investigate what seems like a routine suicide of a high-class prostitute. Nothing stays routine for too long, though, as the two soon discover that the prostitute is the daughter of Murtaugh's old buddy, Michael Hunsacker, who is affiliated with a company of dodgy ex-CIA agents and mercenaries (one being Mr Joshua, played by the excellent Gary Busey). Things start getting messy when Hunsacker confesses his daughter was killed by the bad guys in warning should he speak about their drug shipments. But soon after, he is assassinated, too, in front of Murtaugh by a helicopter gunman.

The newly-formed partnership also becomes a target when the bad guys sense that they're getting a little bit too close for comfort. Riggs narrowly escapes a drive-by shooting, while Murtaugh's daughter is kidnapped; "We're gonna get bloody on this Rodge," states Riggs, proposing a plan, and the audience starts to realise that this is definitely no laughing matter.

Lethal Weapon is a serious action film that has the respect of many fans and critics. One of the film's most appealing contrasts (besides the obvious difference of personalities between the two lead acts) is the sharp mix of Christmas laden with loneliness, tragedy and violence. Much like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon's atmosphere is audacious and pulls no punches; the scene where Riggs is drunk in his trailer with a picture of his beloved wife, contemplating suicide, near the beginning of the film, gets me every time.

The characters are undoubtedly the driving force here, but there's still plenty of action, and even the odd moment of comedy, with Director Richard Donner managing to keep the movie very entertaining throughout. Memorable scenes include a desert shootout; an electric shock torture scene; Riggs chasing down Mr. Joshua on foot; and then the two eventually facing off in a fist fight on Murtaugh's front lawn, to top off a fantastic lengthy climax.

Fans of Lethal Weapon may also be aware of The Director's Cut, which emphasises Riggs' unpredictability as the "loose cannon" even more so. However, I feel the additional scenes such as Riggs' walking directly in front of a sniper; and later inviting a hooker back to his trailer, purely to watch TV and keep him company, are not needed, and attempt to ruin the near perfect pace of theatrical cut.

My best advice would be to stick with the original -- it's one of the most perfect action films you're ever likely to witness. Despite being associated with three money spinning sequels, which have more of an emphasis upon humour, Lethal Weapon should be remembered for the sheer humanity of its lead characters, and the frenetic, adrenaline-fuelled action pieces present here. It's a truly exhilarating ride, overall, and I still can't find anything at all wrong with it, despite seeing it so many times throughout the years.

(Apart from the extended running time, there are no other notable extras on the 2001 Director's Cut DVD release of Lethal Weapon. Which may disappoint enthusiasts.)

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.