LETHAL WEAPON 2
US, 1989, 123 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Joss Ackland, Patsy Kensit.
Directed by Richard Donner.
Lethal Weapon 2 is in the same vein as the original. It is as good as the original. It is one of those adrenalin-pumping thrillers, a police story about drug dealings in Los Angeles. The film is full of car chases and explosions, expertly done.
Mel Gibson and Danny Glover continue their original roles as two police who get on well with each other, spar with each other, have a good-buddy relationship. This particular aspect is emphasised in the sequel. A comic element is introduced with Joe Pesci, as a witness for money-laundering that the two policemen have to protect. He goes out on their adventures and offers a comic commentary on them.
However, the villains are South Africans. The film's screenplay is highly critical of South Africa and its racist policies. The villains are presented almost as a blend of neo-Nazis and Mafia bosses. Joss Ackland is very good as the sinister South African diplomat.
The film ventures into the Dirty Harry- Charles Bronson area with the two policemen trying to avenge the deaths of police and others at the end. However, the material is formula police work, a touch of special effects and violence and fast-pacing for the audience.
1.Impact of the film? As a sequel? Comparisons with the original? The title and tone?
2.Los Angeles: the use of the city, the police work, beaches, homes, offices? The luxury mansions? The stunt work, cars, special effects and explosions? Musical score?
3.Audience knowledge of Riggs and Murtaugh? Finding them in the middle of a chase, the questions of driving, speed, pursuit? Murtaugh's wife's car? The bond between the two, repartee? Crashes? Information from headquarters? The bets of fellow police? Riggs running, the driving, the explosions, the discovery of the South African money?
4.The Los Angeles police department and the chief, the disasters; the police and their bets; the jokes about Houdini and Riggs getting out of his gear; the raids on the South African house, the police being murdered? A declaration of war by the criminals?
5.The South Africans, their money, accent? The boss and his shooting the courier and the plastic on the floor? His sadistic aide? The decisions, the rackets, the police raid on the house and their claiming diplomatic immunity, Riggs following the chief, in the streets, on the surveillance screen? The protest at the consulate, Riggs invading, shooting the fish? The tough bodyguards? The warnings, the taping and threatening of Murtaugh and his wife, the violence, the drugs and the money, the ship? The murders?
6.Riggs and Murtaugh and their friendship, working together, the car, the TV commercial with Murtaugh's daughter, the sequences in the family, the condoms, the hobby room, their helping each other, especially the explosive with the toilet, Riggs prepared to die with Murtaugh, saving him? Their rapport in their work?
7.The background of the family, pleasant, Murtaugh's wife listening to Riggs and his memories, his wife's death? Problems, the commercial, the boyfriend? Their being taken away to safety after the intrusion into the house?
8.Riggs and his past, police type, his independence, driving and running, pursuit of criminals? The lyrical scenes with Sam at the beach? Friendship with Roger? ... with Leo, the waiter and the threat, leaping out the window? The jokes with Leo? The raid at the South African house? The bomb and the toilet sequence? The confrontation of the South African, shooting his fish? Attracted towards the secretary, following her to the supermarket, the sexual encounter in the caravan, the helicopter and the chase? The thug and his explaining the deaths of the two women? The drowning - and his using his Houdini techniques? Wanting vengeance, pulling the stilt from under the house, the shooting of the villains, going to the boat, the confrontations? The wounding of the thug, his being crushed? Riggs's role on the police department?
9.The contrast with Roger, the family man, his age, in the chases, the raids, the intrusion into his house and the attack on his wife and himself, the bomb in the toilet? His participating in the demonstration against the South African consulate, the comments about his being black? Going to his house, the discovery about the boat, with Leo? Helping Riggs in the final shootout?
10.Leo and the laundering of the money, his personality, in the hotel, jumping, his incessant talk, eating, information about the raid, his excitement about the police work, being in on it, being captured and tortured? The finale and his using the siren?
11.The South African boss, ruthless, his aide and cruelty, the murders, the warnings? The finale, diplomatic immunity?
12.Rika and the love interest, anti-South African, the encounter with Riggs, her death?
13.The attitude towards South African policies, the demonstrations, the fascism, racism?
14.The themes of police violence, justice, vengeance and vigilante violence? Fast-paced genre material?
