Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Lethal Weapon 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

I think we can all agree upon the fact that police stories tend to operate within a fairly obvious structure storytelling wise. For these tales often involve the introduction of our intrepid hero cop, a person who believes in good over all things and commits no wrong and they of course must face off against a force of great evil that wishes to commit crimes for various reasons, and these two eventually square off against one another in epic fashion and the story ends with our hero triumphant and justice being served. While that may make police stories sound boring in their own right, that formula works time and time again and people do eat it up on a regular basis because let’s be honest, it makes us feel good to see the light triumph over the dark.
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But it is formula, and it is something we see on a consistent basis and that’s why it is always refreshing to run into a cop story that finds a way to operate in the grayer areas of life. Because few things in this world are black and white and police officers are people too, complete with flaws and fears and they make mistakes and poor choices like the rest of us. But you also have to appreciate stories that take the time to present villains in different light as well. Because more often than not in stories, their quest for blood is the result of a mistake or some form or trauma, when in reality, bad guys and bad gals do bad things simply because they can sometimes and what’s incredible, is that all of these elements are present within the framework of the second film of a wildly popular franchise and they help to make Lethal Weapon 2 a powerful and memorable chapter in this magnificent saga.

Because this is the film that presents Riggs and Murtaugh in a far more human light, Riggs especially. For in this tale we see him taking the next steps in his recovery from the ugly place he resided within in the last film and watching him grow and seeing Murtaugh and his family help him to do so is uplifting and inspiring. If anything, it speaks to the wonder of what the right close friend can do for us since they prop us up and stand by us regardless of our mistakes or dark moments and that’s crucial later in the film when we see Riggs slip into darker territory after learning about how his wife really died. And that slight downward spiral for Riggs, and Murtaugh’s support of his friend, is what sets the stage for the grayer territory in question because the man wants and gets what any of us would desire in that moment; revenge.

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In fact, seeing Martin let his fury take hold makes for some powerfully relatable moments for the audience, since Riggs’ blind fury is something, we’ve all experienced at those who have wronged us. Granted, I don’t think any of us have taken our pickup truck and ripped down a house that’s built into the side of a mountain, but we’ve definitely let that fury take hold and said things in the heat of the moment that we regret and really, it’s just stunning to find this exploration in an action film. Because these movies are supposed to be about the spectacle and the explosions and while there is still plenty of that to be found here, finding a relatable moment, one that you kind of feel the need to cheer for is magnificent to say the least.
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However, I also made mention of the fact that our villains aren’t immune from this different style of storytelling, and I truly appreciated that Arjen Rudd is a bad guy that simply relishes in being bad. He loves his status and his standing as a diplomat and since he is granted immunity, in his mind why wouldn’t he take full advantage of that and game the system and earn some coin and kill people if he so chooses? And his nonchalant attitude toward the law and morality is what makes him so lethal and disturbing and perhaps the toughest and most twisted villain that Riggs and Murtaugh ever face and his brand of evil is what allows for the audience to further root for Riggs’ revenge plot. Because you want justice when it comes to this guy, because nobody gets to do what they want without consequences

Yet while this script goes to some far darker places in this tale, since there is nothing pleasant about exploring the nature of revenge, there’s still a lot of fun to be found in this film. For the action is as thrilling as ever, and bigger in many ways, and for proof look no further than the beachside attack scene or the aforementioned house drop. Plus, the comedy is as sharp as ever thanks to the addition of Joe Pesci to the cast. For his manic portrayal of Leo Getz leads to some genuinely delightful moments and really in the end, this is one of those flawless sequels, the kind that exceeds the quality of the original and clearly, audiences felt the same way that I do. For this movie was a box office smash, one that established Riggs and Murtaugh as a genuine box office draw and one that prompted another quality sequel.  

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