Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
★★★½ — Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
Richard Donner returned to direct this 1989 sequel just two years after the original Lethal Weapon became one of the defining action films of the decade, with Gibson and Glover's chemistry turning a modest buddy-cop premise into a genuine blockbuster franchise. Written by Jeffrey Boam (working from a story by Shane Black and Warren Murphy), the film leaned into its South African apartheid-era villain setup at a moment when international sanctions and cultural boycotts made that regime a readily recognisable face of institutional evil for Western audiences. Produced again through Joel Silver's Silver Pictures for Warner Bros., the production shot partly on location in Los Angeles and partly in South Africa itself, a choice that carried some controversy at the time. The film's $227 million worldwide gross comfortably cemented the series as one of Warner's most valuable properties of the era.
Lethal Weapon 2 cranks up the action and the laughs, but loses a little of the heart that made the first one so special. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover still make a brilliant duo. Their banter is sharper than ever, and the “I’m too old for this” routine gets a fresh lease on life. Joe Pesci, as the loud, twitchy Leo Getz, is an instant standout. He brings this chaotic energy that somehow fits right in, especially with Riggs’ loose cannon vibe. There are some genuinely great moments (ike the condom commercial payoff and the infamous toilet bomb scene) that are pure 80s action comedy gold. You can’t help but laugh, even when you know it’s all ridiculous. The plot’s a step up in scale, swapping domestic drama for international crime and South African diplomats with shady ties, which adds some tension. And the action set pieces are bigger, louder, more explosive. Exactly what a sequel should be, on paper. But it’s not quite as good as the original. Patsy Kensit’s character feels underwritten and her delivery grates more than it charms. The emotional stakes aren’t as strong, and the film leans harder into comedy and spectacle, sometimes at the expense of the depth we got first time round. It’s still a blast. Tight, fast, full of memorable lines, but it just misses that perfect balance.
Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 1989 | Watched: 2025-08-30
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More from Richard Donner: Lethal Weapon (1987)
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