LETHAL WEAPON 4 (1998)
MORGAN'S RATING
Pure dynamite! The Lethal Weapon team of producer/ director Richard Donner and producer Joel Silver have done it again, putting the WOW back on screen for the fourth installment of the franchise. Picking up where they never left off, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover return as buddy cops Riggs and Murtaugh, with Joe Pesci riding comedy shotgun as chatterbox Leo Getz. Murtaugh is still the family man. Riggs is still the gonzo loose cannon and-- what's this?-- family man. His will he/won't he marriage to Lorna Cole (Rene Russo) is one of the new wrinkles in this powerhouse crowd-pleaser. Wedding bells, ammo shells, explosive laughter-this one's fully loaded!
Mel Gibson (Martin Riggs), Danny Glover (Roger Murtaugh), Joe Pesci (Leo Getz), Rene Russo (Lorna Cole), Chris Rock (Lee Butters), Jet Li (Wah Sing Ku), Steve Kahan (Captain Ed Murphy), Kim Chan (Uncle Benny Chan),  Darlene Love (Trish Murtaugh), Traci Wolf (Rianne Murtaugh), Eddy Ko (Hong), Jack Kehler (Man from State Department), Calvin Jung (Detective Ng), Damon Hines (Nick Murtaugh), Ebonie Smith (Carrie Murtaugh), Mary Ellen Trainor (Dr. Stephanie Woods), Steven Lam (Ping), Jennie Lew Tugend (Cheng's Receptionist), Phil Hawn (Businessman, uncredited), Richard Libertini (Rabbi, uncredited), Raymond Ma (Dr. Cheng, uncredited).
THE GANG'S ALL HERE.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
DIRECTOR: Richard Donner (Assassins).
WRITER: Jonathan Lemkin, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar and Channing Gibson.
PRODUCERS: Joel Silver and Richard Donner
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Spencer Franklin, Jennifer Gwartz and Ilyse A. Reutlinger.
CO-PRODUCERS: Dan Cracchiolo and J. Mills Goodloe.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Steve Perry and Jim Van Wyck.
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Eric Clapton, Michael Kamen, David Sanborn and Marcus Miller (additional music).
DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.
FACTS
RELEASE DATE: July 10th, 1998 (USA)
QUOTES
BOX OFFICE OPENING: $34.0  million  (USA)
Lee Butters: Sombody took my phone number and called Afghanistan. Afghanistan! I've never talked to anyone in Afghanistan, I don't know nobody in Afghanistan, and even if I did know anyone, I wouldn't talk to that Afghan ass for three hours! I won't talk to my daddy for three hours.
BOX OFFICE RESULT: $129.7 million (USA)
WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $268.1 million
BUDGET: $140 million (USA)
SHOOTING DATES: January 1998 -- May 1998
- In one scene, Riggs and Murtaugh congratulate one another on their promotions by rapidly alternating between handshakes and salutes. This is similar to scenes in Forever Young, between Gibson and George Wendt.
Leo Getz: Leo Getz, private investigator.
Riggs: Ah, private investigator? Yes, Mr. Getz, I was just wondering if you'd be willing to investigate my privates.
Leo Getz: Investigate what?
Riggs: Investigate my privates, you stupid shit. Shut the fuck up.
Getz: Oh, very funny Riggs. You're costing me a lot of money, here.
Riggs: Well, at least it's only three dollars.
Getz: You just had to fuck me. They were fuckin' me with the cell phones, and now you're fuckin' me.
Riggs: You're pretty tough on the phone, aren't you little fella?
Getz: Yeah, that's right. Telephone Tough Guy!
- Nominated for one 1999 Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor (Joe Pesci).
CRITICAL COMMENTS
"High-voltage entertainment. Fast, furious and feverishly funny." -- David Sheehan, CBS-TV
"The cast is so likeable and their energy so infectious that the filmmakers get away with murder, presenting an overlong, incoherent story and peppering it with supercharged action sequences. Fans of the series won't be disappointed." -- Leonard Maltin
Riggs: You wanna get married, don'tcha?
Lorna: Yes I do.
Riggs: Why didn't you tell me?
Lorna: Because I didn't want to put any pressure on you, Riggs. I mean, if you want to someday, that'd be great; if you don't, I love you. I'll take you any way I can get you, Riggs.
"Lethal Weapon 4 was outtakes--stuff they didn't use earlier, pieced together into a movie that doesn't really, in its heart, believe it is necessary." -- Roger Ebert
Lee Butters: It's about time whey poured in some new blood. I just don't want it coming out of me!
Murtaugh: What do we do?
Riggs: Run him over!
Murtaugh: What if he turns around and shoots us with that assult rifle?!
Riggs: He hasn't yet! Have you thought about that?! Don't be a don't-be, be a do-be! C'm on, Rog, be positive, now!
Lorna Cole: I am getting married or there is no baby!
Murtaugh: You okay, Riggs?
Riggs: No, I'm not okay! I just got my ass kicked again!
Martin Riggs: I'm not to old for this shit!
Leo Getz: Hey maybe we'll work together some day. I'm da bomb. They'll tell ya.
Lee Butters: Yeah, we're gonna be working alright, as soon as I open a cereal shop, ya fuckin' leprechaun!
Leo Getz: Hey, I didn't call you anything ya fuckface! Don't start that now!
Lee Butters: You have the right to remain silent, so shut the fuck up! You have the right to get an attorney. If you can't afford one, we'll get you the dumbest goddamn lawyer we've got. If you get Johnnie Cochrane, I'll kill ya!
Lorna Cole: Nothing comes between a pregnant lady and a meal!
Riggs: It's like...
Murtaugh: You're getting too old for this shit.
Riggs: Yeah.
Murtaugh: How about that? Finally.
Riggs: No, I can't be. I mean, I'm only...Jesus.
Murtaugh: Yeah, you're only. You can't beat the clock, Riggs.
Murtaugh: Since I met Riggs, I've had my house destroyed, my car wrecked, and now my boat sunk!!
[Handing R&M their captain's badges.]
Capt. Ed Murphy: This is one of the most painful fuckin' experiences of my life.