Lethal Weapon: 4 Film Favorites Review

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(More customer reviews)The Lethal Weapon movies are some of the best buddy/action/comedy movies ever. This two disc set includes all four movies in the Lethal Weapon series for the price of one movie. Each of the movies is shown in the Director's Cut edition. There are trailers for the first three movies, but not for LETHAL WEAPON 4. However, LETHAL WEAPON 4 does include a commentary with director Richard Donner. If you're unfamiliar with the Lethal Weapon franchise, a brief synopsis of the films follows.
LETHAL WEAPON is the first movie in the series and introduces the unlikely cop team of Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) and Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson). Murtaugh is fifty-years old and a veteran officer. Riggs is an up-and-coming star of the police force, known for his atypical style. They are partnered together and become close friends while working to bring down a major drug cartel. Besides being just a good movie, LETHAL WEAPON is also notable for being the movie that made Mel Gibson a box officer superstar in the United States. Mel became famous because of Mad Max, but it was LETHAL WEAPON that made him a household name in the U.S.
LETHAL WEAPON 2 continues a few years after LETHAL WEAPON. Murtaugh and Riggs are still partners. Once again they are on a drug case, but this time it's an international drug ring of diplomats from South Africa with diplomatic immunity. They are also put in charge of protecting a key witness and informant, Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) who becomes a great secondary character in the series. Also, Riggs falls in love and pulls a house off a cliff. As a bit of trivia, Riggs was supposed to die in this one, but the studio called for a rewrite knowing how successful the franchise would be.
The Lethal Weapon series was going to be a trilogy wrapped up with the retirement of Murtaugh at the end of LETHAL WEAPON 3. After thirty-years on the force, Murtaugh is finally going to retire. However, eight days before the big event he and Riggs become involved in a case of gun running and cops gone bad. Riggs finds lasting love with an internal affairs officer, Lorna Cole (Rene Russo). Leo Getz also returns. This film is the weakest of the Lethal Weapon movies and the studio wisely decided to bring everyone back for one last film.
LETHAL WEAPON 4 brings back the entire cast of the Lethal Weapon films for one last go-around. Lorna Cole is pregnant with Riggs' child. Murtaugh's eldest daughter, Rianne (Traci Wolfe) is secretly engaged to Detective Lee Butters Chris Rock) and has a baby on the way, too. Meanwhile, Murtaugh and Riggs get entangled in bringing down a Chinese king pin, Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li) determined to move his operations from the Orient to Southern California.
If you don't already own the Lethal Weapon movies, this is THE DVD you want to own.

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Lethal Weapon Director's Cut Lethal Weapon 2 Director's Cut Lethal Weapon 3 Director's Cut Lethal Weapon 4

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Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)An explosive beginning once again kicks off the action for our favorite team of Los Angeles Detectives, Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, in Richard Donner's "Lethal Weapon 4," starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. In this fourth installment of the popular action/drama series, the pair are confronted with a murderous Chinese Triad with links to Hong Kong, that deals in counterfeiting and the smuggling of illegals into the country, where their new lives become nothing more than virtual slavery. It's a subject that touches a nerve with Murtaugh (Glover), which brings about an irrational decision when he thinks he can help. But not to worry; Riggs (Gibson) is there to back him up, and together they take on one of their most formidable opponents yet, Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li), head of the Triad, who happens to be in the process of discharging a personal agenda from which he will not be deterred. And making matters all the more complicated, Riggs and Murtaugh each have personal issues of their own to deal with: Murtaugh with his daughter, Rianne (Traci Wolfe), and Riggs with Lorna Cole (Rene Russo), the first woman with whom he's had a long standing relationship since the death of his wife. With three highly successful "Lethal" outings under their belts, it would have been easy for director Donner and his stars to phone this one in, make a few bucks and move on. But not these guys; Refusing to rest on their laurels, they deliver yet another exceptional, action-packed movie that maintains the quality and consistency of the first three. Gibson and Glover manage to take their characters to yet another level, keeping it all fresh and refusing to cruise through the comfort zone on auto pilot. Russo, as well, turns in another winning performance; she and Gibson really click together, rivaling the kind of chemistry Bogie and Bacall brought to the screen. Their relationship is extremely well developed and handled with skill by Donner, as is the entire story; it all moves ahead quickly and is never allowed to slow down or meander, which keeps the emotional level and tension high throughout the film. The action is possibly the best of any of the series, with some sequences so good they deserve comparison to John Woo's best. Jet Li is absolutely dynamic, and brings a real sense of menace to his character of Ku. For the first time, you get the feeling that Riggs and Murtaugh may be up against more than they can handle by themselves. And even with all this series has going for it already, in this one they manage to introduce yet another character that adds even more to their formula for success: Chris Rock joins the team as Lee Butters, the next generation of law enforcement, an officer with a degree in psychology. He adds some humor to the proceedings, but more than that, he makes Butters likable and seems to have an immediate grasp of who he is and where he fits in. And fit in well he does, essentially becoming the third member of the team. Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) is back as well, this time as a private investigator still trying his best to ingratiate himself with his friends, Riggs and Murtaugh. Interestingly enough, one of the more touching scenes in the film (near the end) develops during a conversation between Getz and Riggs, one that offers the audience (as well as Riggs) some insight into what makes Getz tick. The supporting cast includes Steve Kahan (Capt. Murphy), Darlene Love (Trish), Eddy Ko (Hong) and Mary Ellen Trainor, reprising her role of Police Psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Woods for the fourth time. Working from another exceptionally well written script (this time by Channing Gibson), Donner and Company have scored yet another triumph with "Lethal Weapon 4," which can stand on it's own, or as a part of one of the best action/drama series ever made. Which one of the four is the best? Toss a coin; these are movies the way they ought to be made.

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This sequel involves an action packed battle with a Chinese ganglord.

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The Color Purple (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just bought this disc and watched it last night. I bawled my eyes out. I haven't seen it in many years and had forgotten what an incredible film it is. I gave it only 4 stars because of what many other reviewers have said about the DVD -- it's not double-layered and requires a "flip" right after Celie and Shug kiss.
I was particularly moved by Oprah Winfrey's performance. We all know her as OPRAH now. I'd forgotten how amazing she was in COLOR PURPLE.
I think if Spielberg made this movie today he might not shy away from some of the heavier themes like he did in 1985. But his filmmaking technique was incredible for this film. It plays like an old-fashioned Hollywood movie. The colors are gorgeous. (How did they get all those perfectly purple flowers in that field ? ) The camera work is exciting.
Everyone has their "crying" moments in COLOR PURPLE. These are mine: 1. The breakup of the sisters ("Ain't no mountain, ain't no sea..."). 2. Celie gets the letter ("I got two children..."). 3. God's Tryin To Tell You Something ("See daddy, even singers got soul") and, of course, 4. The end.
It's about life. It's about love. It's about us. Thank you Alice Walker, Steven Spielberg, and Whoopi.

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Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple is a richly-textured, powerful film set in America's rural south. Whoopi Goldberg, winner of the Best Actress Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination, makes a triumphant screen debut as the radiant, indomitable Celie, the story's central character. Her impressive portrayal is complimented by a distinguished cast that includes Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery, Adolph Caesar, Rae Dawn Chong and Akosua Busia. The Color Purple marks a new, more mature color in Spielberg's artistic palette. It is an exquisitely crafted, landmark film that will be treasured and talked about for years to come.

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Flight of the Intruder (1991) Review

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(More customer reviews)Yeah, yeah... I agree with many other viewers. The movie storyline is not as good as in the book in two areas: 1. the in-depth description of its characters -I guess it's just too hard a job to explore the complexity of human personalities within 90mn; 2. the ending which, in the book, is a bit more in line with the actual war in Vietnam.
And also, that's true that the special effects are somewhat dated now...
But boy, being a professional of aviation, living, breathing, dreaming of it every day of my life, I can't applaude enough to the fact of being able to watch a movie that DOES feature combat aircraft! Just count the number of good action movies that actually show these machines, and I bet you'll be able to count them on the fingers of, say, 2 hands. That's just to stay on the optimistic side of things.
Flight of the Intruder is a real cool movie in terms of aircraft footage. You are "behind the wheel", at times you are literally in control of the aircraft. Your heart pumps faster when this ugly looking -and sounding- SAM detection signal flashes to and screams at the crew. And watch these unforgettable scenes with the A-1 Skyraiders, the famous "Sandys" at the end of the film! The shots, the sounds... Everything contributes to raising the hair of your neck with passion!
The movie itself is pretty well documented too, if only a bit too simplified. Looks like the film was technically supported by both the Navy and the Air Force. The pilots' jargon is accurate, and so is the overall A-6 bombing philosophy.
And after viewing it, you'll sit back and start reflecting on it, and I'm pretty sure that you'll end telling yourself: "These fly-boys in Vietnam... They sure had real guts". Hats and heads down, ladies and gentlemen, and respect for courage!

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