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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 19373
Released: March 26, 1997 |
| Our Price: $5.64 |
| Used Price: $1.20 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A COP ON THE EDGE IS ASSIGNED A NEW PARTNER, A LAID BACKMETHODICAL GUY. TOGETHER THEY CREATE AN UNSTOPPABLE TEAM WHEN THEY GO AFTER DRUG DEALERS.
Description of Lethal Weapon:
Mel Gibson set aside his art-house credentials to star as a crazy cop paired with a stable one (Danny Glover) in this full-blown 1987 Richard Donner action picture. The most violent film in the series (which includes three sequels), it is also the edgiest and most interesting. After Gibson's character jumps off a building handcuffed to a man, and Gary Busey (as a cold, efficient enforcer) lets his hand get burned without flinching, there is a sense that anything can happen, and it usually does. Donner's strangely messy visual and audio style doesn't make a lot of aesthetic sense, but it stuck with all four movies. The DVD release includes production notes, Dolby sound, theatrical trailer, optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, optional French soundtrack, and optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh
Lethal Weapon Reviews:
I LOVE Lethal Weapon...just not this copy. 
2009-12-03 - I'm a Blu-ray enthusiast, and a Lethal Weapon enthusiast. So, I was VERY disappointed in both the quality of the Blu-ray formatting for this (it looks like DVD quality), but what REALLY mad me upset is the fact that it's not the directors cut. I guess that perhaps it was a bit naive of me to assume that it would be, but come on, this is BLU-RAY we're talking about here! I was not impressed. Not to mention that the seller said it was in "Good Condition", but the spine and back of the sleeve was severely crumpled and torn. Had this been a good quality Blu-ray conversion, and it been the directors cut, I would have cared not regarding the crumpled sleeve. However, as it was not the case, the crumpled nature was the straw.
P.S. I just checked on Amazon, and there's STILL no Director's Cut available. Until there is, I will not be buying any Lethal Weapon films on Blu-ray.
Mel Gibson Is A One Of A Kind Cop! Thank god he's on our side. 
2009-09-05 - Lethal Weapon (Director's Cut)
Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in this 117 minute Warner Brothers film take police work above and beyond the usual line of duty as they battle a organized crime ring that came from another country.
Diplomatic immunity won't stand in their way as they go after some of the most dangerous people on the streets of their city. Gibson and Glover play two cops that play to win. At any cost!
Excellent action and police drama. This film is full of great co-stars.
I have this DVD in my personal movie collection. It's a keeper!
Reporter Joseph Toth
Washington Micro Bank BBS
SUPERB NEW-WAVE DETECTIVE CLASSIC
2009-07-11 - LETHAL WEAPON is a greatly entertaining new-wave detective flick. Danny Glover [as Sgt Murtaugh] and Mel Gibson [as Sgt Riggs] are an incongruous duo, but it works. Glover plays a vet LAPD detective who is assigned a new new partner [Gibson] who either has a death wish or is a tired-of-it-all maverick trying to fake his way into an early-retirement psycho pension. Murtaugh's not sure what this guy's path is until, during an altercation, he gives Riggs his [Murtaugh's] gun and dares him to "pull the trigger". Great tense scene here as Riggs aims at his face and unexpectedly pulls the trigger. Lucky that the chamber is empty. Any doubt now gone. Seems Riggs, despondent over the death of his wife, just wants to pack it in. The duo are trying to solve the apparent suicide of a young woman. Investigations point to a group of ex-CIA mercenaries who are now covertly importing heroin. This intimidating clan is led by a glassy-eyed and terse Mitch Ryan [ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE, 1973] and his #1 is played by a robotic and impervious Gary Busey as "Mr Joshua". Both of these guys are simply AWESOME here. Great scene when a local drug dealer, Mr Mendez [played by Ed O'Ross, a virtual unknown] is escorted into the lion's den to consummate a deal. When he questions their origins he is forced to hold a flame to Mr Joshua's forearm---the latter taking it without even a wimper or an "ouch". Think it's time to deal with these fellas, and quick. Mendez is a riot, his cameo a beaut, especially with his "what's this, Psycho's 'R Us ?" quote. As Murtaugh and Riggs get closer to identifying the organization and its goals their main informant, themselves and then Murtaugh's family are targeted for assassination. Nice scene as the informant [Michael Hunsaker played by Tom Atkins], being grilled by Murtaugh, describes the nefarious group as " mercs...trained expert killers" . Don't wanna sell Girl Scout cookies to these guys. Hunsaker is subsequently professionally dispatched by a sniper in a helicopter. The sight of Riggs 'running after' the copter and unloading his gun as it disappears over the ocean is striking---a beautiful, evocative and unique camera shot that you won't forget. Despite losing their source M & R keep probing resulting in the kidnapping of Murtaugh's teenaged daughter. Time to get serious now. However, both guys get captured. The Gibson water & shock torture scene and his escape was superb. The ending fistfight between Riggs and the great villain Bussey seemed contrived but worked. Riggs outrunning and outmaneuvering a speeding car was not that credible---geez, the guy's gotta be bipolar. The opening Gibson grief/crybaby scene over the death of his wife was a trifle sappy & corny but Gibson's great acting skills pulled this one through. Hey guy, get over it: you look like God---won't be lonely too long. Murtaugh's teenaged daughter's crush on Gibson was cute and endearing. Overall, a thoroughly entertaining movie from start to finish with excellent acting from everybody including the supports. This one was fresh, had a great and memorable villain, lots of action, some charm and humor, some memorable lines, a great cameo...etc. Has to be part of anybody's DVD collection whether you like detective movies or not.
Despite the description this is not the Special Edition. 
2009-05-15 - This is strictly a review of the *technical aspects* of the Bluray version.
The quality of the transfer to Bluray is so-so. The description on Amazon states this is the Special Edition which has the extra and frankly relevant footage cut from the theatrical. It doesn't.
The audio is up to par but the transfer lacks the pop of a good session in the bay when it was done. Definitely tell this was not a "hands on" transfer.
I don't remember if the original movie was 2:35:1 or not, but this Bluray version is 1:85. I know the rest of the series on Bluray is 2:35:1 so it's kind of a let down that it's missing from here.
FANTASTIC!
2009-05-15 - I'm talking about the most recent issue of this Blu-ray disc. Ignore the outdated HD-DVD reviews posted here. No reason for them anymore.
This is one of the best transfers to Blu-ray I have ever seen. There are recent movies that have NOT been transferred to Blu-ray as cleanly as this. I was surprised and delighted by the quality of this Blu-ray disc. This Blu-ray disc is why people buy Blu-ray players and wide screens.
Speaking of widescreens, this widescreen movie actually fills the entire widescreen! No black bars at the top and bottom! How often have you seen a Blu-ray disc do that? Very few times. Why "widescreen" movies played on a widescreen display almost always have the infamous black bars, will be an eternal mystery to me. The old "fullscreen" movies ALWAYS filled the old 4x3 aspect ratio screens!
This is the original movie on Blu-ray. No "Director's Cut" or unrated version or extended version. Original, unmodified. (See that George Lucas!)
This Blu-ray disc is an essential element to any respectable Blu-ray collection. (As is "Blade Runner", "Kung Fu Hustle", "District B13", "Stargate", etc...)
