Lethal Weapon 4
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| Lethal Weapon 4 | |
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 Lethal Weapon 4 movie poster |
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| Directed by | Richard Donner |
| Produced by | Richard Donner Joel Silver |
| Written by | Shane Black Jonathan Lemkin Alfred Gough Miles Millar Channing Gibson |
| Starring | Mel Gibson Danny Glover Joe Pesci Rene Russo Chris Rock Jet Li |
| Music by | Michael Kamen Eric Clapton David Sanborn |
| Cinematography | Andrzej Bartkowiak |
| Editing by | Dallas Puett Kevin Stitt Eric Strand Frank J. Urioste |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | July 10, 1998 (USA) |
| Running time | 127 min. |
| Country | USA  |
| Language | English Cantonese Mandarin |
| Budget | $140,000,000 (est.) |
| Preceded by | Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Lethal Weapon 4 is a 1998 film starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock and Jet Li. It is a sequel to Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2 and Lethal Weapon 3.
Taglines:
- "The Gang's All Here"
- "Next summer is lethal."
- "The faces you love. The action you expect."
- "With 4 you get Kung Fu."
- "Get ready to get lethal."
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[edit] Plot
In this installment of the Lethal Weapon series, Lorna Cole is pregnant with Martin Riggs' baby. Rianne, who has secretly married Lee Butters, a young cop who works at the same precinct as Roger Murtaugh and Martin Riggs, is also pregnant. The story revolves around Riggs, Murtaugh, Butters, Cole's and Getz's investigation of a Chinese immigrant smuggling ring. The arch-nemesis is a martial arts expert named Wah Sing Ku (played by Jet Li), who is organizing the release of the four overlords, called Four Fathers and among them including his own brother, of Triads from Chinese prison from a corrupt general in exchange for counterfeit money. By exposing this plot, the cops enrage the Chinese, who retaliate by attacking the cops in a foreign trade zone, presumably down by the docks, where the monetary exchange took place. The climactic scene takes place on a pier where Sing Ku uses his martial arts expertise to his advantage, but eventually loses to the cops. The movie ends with Lorna and Martin marrying, and Lee and Rianne informing Roger of their secret marriage. Two babies are born to Rianne and Lorna, as Martin Riggs is finally settling down.
[edit] Reaction
Although the film grossed $130 million domestically, it was not considered a runaway financial success as the previous three films had been, due to the fact that its production budget was in excess of $140 million alone, not to mention any related advertising expenses that accrued. Its profit margin was saved in part due to the combined foreign box office sales making the film gross approximately $285 million in total. [1]Still, like its predecessors, Lethal Weapon 4 was among the top 10 grossing movies of its release year.
[edit] Trivia
- Jackie Chan was initially offered the role of Wah Sing Ku, but he declined since he doesn't like to play villain roles.
- This film is Jet Li's American film debut. It is also the first film where he plays the villain.
- Mel Gibson was reluctant to revisit the franchise. He was paid $25 million.
- After appearing in this film, Pesci announced that he was leaving acting in order to pursue his musical career and to enjoy life away from the camera. (Though in 2006, he would make a cameo in the film The Good Shepherd.)
- Was the most expensive entry of the Lethal Weapon franchise with a $140 million budget, although it was not as financially successful as Lethal Weapon 2 and Lethal Weapon 3.
- Riggs and Murtaugh are both promoted to Captain in this film, albeit temporarily.
- The images seen during the end credits are a collage of screenshots and snapshots taken during production from all four movies in the series.
- There have been rumors about plans for a fifth Lethal Weapon movie, but none have been confirmed.
- The UK version is heavily edited by the BBFC, with 93 seconds of cuts to violence. Ninety shots are removed in 38 separate cuts.
- Van Halen performed "Fire in the Hole" on the soundtrack (From the album Van Halen III).
[edit] External links
| Films Directed by Richard Donner |
|---|
| X-15 • Salt and Pepper • Twinky • The Omen • Superman • Inside Moves • The Toy • The Goonies • Ladyhawke • Lethal Weapon • Scrooged • Lethal Weapon 2 • Radio Flyer • Lethal Weapon 3 • Maverick • Assassins • Conspiracy Theory • Lethal Weapon 4 • Timeline • 16 Blocks • Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut |
