Lethal Weapon is a 1987 action comedy film directed by Richard Donner, the the film is now 23 years old.  The film begins with the with the apparent suicide of Amanda Hunsaker (Jackie Swanson), who jumped from her apartment balcony after a cocaine session.  The film then moves to Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) a veteran cop of 20 years is depressed about getting old, having recently celebrated his 50th birthday. He receives a message from Michael Hunsaker (Tom Atkins) an old war buddy from his time served during the Vietnam War, whom Murtaugh realizes he has not seen in 12 years.  Murtaugh is called in to investigate an apparent suicide of a young girl, he is horrified to find the victim is Amanda Hunsaker daughter of Michael.  Elsewhere Detective Sergeant Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) a depressed and suicidal cop following the death of his wife, nearly kills a disarmed suspect after entering a psychotic rage during a drug bust. Weary of his behavior, Riggs’ superiors transfer him to Murtaugh’s unit.  While at the station Murtaugh finds out he´s stuck with a new partner Riggs together they investigate Amanda´s death. Amanda´s autopsy report comes back revealing that the drugs she took were laced with drain cleaner, if she haden´t jumped she would still be dead, making her death a homicide.  Riggs and Murtaugh inform Amanda´s father Michael of her death, who says he was trying to contact Murtaugh to get Amanda out of her drug and pornography habits. Riggs and Murtaugh go to question a pimp known to have connections to Amanda.  Once at the address they find a drug lab on the premises and are shot at by the pimp, Murtaugh shots back wounding him in the leg bringing him down they move in to question him as Riggs begins to help him up the pimp pulls out another gun, Riggs shoots him and kills him saving Murtaugh´s life.  Riggs  finds it suspicious that the only witness to Amanda’s suicide is a prostitute named Dixie, who was working away from her usual location that night.  They deduce Dixie was the one who poisoned Amanda and then posed as a witness to cover her actions.  The next morning Riggs and Murtaugh go to Dixie’s home to question her, but as they approach the house it explodes.  Riggs looks through the wreckage of the house and finds part of the bomb, a mercury switch.  A neighborhood child remembers seeing a man at Dixie’s home earlier that day, who had a special forces tattoo similar to Riggs own.  Seeing a connection Riggs and Murtaugh decide Michael Hunsaker knows more than he´s telling, Riggs and Murtaugh confront him at his home.  Hunsaker admits to Murtaugh he´s involved in a heroin smuggling operation run by ex Vietnam War Special Forces known as Shadow Company.  The leader of the group is a retired general Peter McAllister (Mitchell Ryan) the former commander of Shadow Company and his chief enforcer Mr Joshua (Gary Busey).  Hunsaker used his bank to launder the drug profits and when he wanted out McAllister had hs daughter killed so he wouldn’t´t talk.  Murtaugh attempts to make Hunsaker reveal the entire operation, Joshua makes a surprise appearance in a helicopter and shoots Hunsaker dead.  As Riggs and Murtaugh attempt to investigate Dixie’s connection Mr Joshua attempts to kill Riggs (which they believe is successful, but Riggs had been wearing a bulletproof vest) and then kidnap Murtaugh’s daughter Rianne.  Using Riggs presumed dead status to their advantage, Murtaugh agrees to meet Shadow Company in the desert to exchange himself for Rianne, knowing Shadow Company’s plan is to kill them all anyway. Riggs is some distance away providing sniper cover, Murtaugh attempts to make Rianne flee, but ultimately the three are captured.  Riggs, Murtaugh and Rianne are taken back to McAllisters night club, where he tortures Murtaugh for information by beating him and rubbing salt into Murtaugh’s bullet wound.  McAllister demands to know which of their drug shipments have been compromised, eventually threatening Rianne when Murtaugh is not forthcoming, refusing to believe Hunsaker told them nothing. Riggs is tortured with electric shocks, but manages to free himself and then rescues both Murtaugh and Rianne.  The pair then fight their way free, finding themselves in a downtown L.A nightclub. Riggs chases Joshua on to the street and attempts to cut him off on the freeway, though Joshua ultimately escapes.  Murtaugh goes after McAllister, he finds McAllister trying to flee in his car. Murtaugh kills his driver and  Murtaugh watches as the car crashes on Hollywood Boulevard and is blown up by a live hand grenade.  Riggs tells Murtaugh that Joshua has escaped, Murtaugh says to Riggs Joshua knows where i live and the two head to Murtaugh’s home.  Joshua arrives at Murtaugh’s home shooting it up to gain entrance only to discover that Riggs and Murtaugh are already there and arrest joshua. Riggs wanting revenge proposes “a shot at the title” which Joshua eagerly accepts. Riggs engages Joshua in hand to hand combat on Murtaugh’s front lawn, after a brutal fight Riggs locks Joshua in the Triangle Choke hold. Riggs releases the pressure and lets him live,as Joshua is being arrested Joshua overpowers two officers and attempts to shoot Riggs, Riggs and Murtaugh both draw and fire, killing Joshua. Murtaugh and Riggs are now solid friends and Riggs spends Christmas Day at the Murtaugh home with Roger’s family. Riggs brings his dog Sam to be a friend to the Murtaugh family cat, Burbank (which proves to be disastrous). Riggs also gives Murtaugh a gift the unfired bullet which he had been saving to commit suicide, as he does not need it anymore.

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson is an American Australian actor and film director his films include Summer City (1977), Mad Max (1979), Tim (1979), Gallipoli (1981), Mad Max 2 (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), The Bounty (1984), Mrs. Soffel (1984), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), Lethal Weapon (1987), Tequila Sunrise (1988), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Bird on a Wire (1990), Air America (1990), Hamlet (1990), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), Forever Young (1992), The Man Without a Face (1993), Maverick (1994), Braveheart (1995), Ransom (1996), Conspiracy Theory (1997), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Payback (1999), The Patriot (2000), What Women Want (2000), We Were Soldiers (2002) and Signs (2002).  His films as a director include The Man Without a Face (1993), Braveheart (1995), The Passion of the Christ (2004) and Apocalypto (2006).

Danny Glover

Danny Glover is an American actor his films include Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Iceman (1984), Places in the Heart (1984), Witness (1985), Silverado (1985), The Color Purple (1985), Lethal Weapon (1987), Bat 21 (1988), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Predator 2 (1990), Flight of the Intruder (1991), Pure Luck (1991), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), Maverick (1994), Angels in the Outfield (1994), Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), Gone Fishin’ (1997), The Rainmaker (1997), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), The Monster (1999), Boesman and Lena (2000), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Saw (2004), The Cookout (2004), Missing in America (2005), The Shaggy Dog (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Shooter (2007), Honeydripper (2007), Be Kind Rewind (2008) and Saw V (2008).  He has appeared in TV series such as Hill Street Blues, Tall Tales and Legends, ER, Brothers & Sisters and My Name Is Earl.

Gary Busey

Gary Busey is an American actor his films include The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972), The Last American Hero (1973), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), You and Me (1975), The Gumball Rally (1976), Straight Time (1978), The Buddy Holly Story (1978), Foolin’ Around (1980), Barbarosa (1982), D.C Cab (1983), The Bear (1984), Silver Bullet (1985), Eye of the Tiger (1986), Lethal Weapon (1987), Bulletproof (1988), Predator 2 (1990), Point Break (1991), Under Siege (1992), Breaking Point (1993), The Firm (1993), Rookie of the Year (1993), Warriors (1994), Surviving the Game (1994), Chasers (1994), Drop Zone (1994), Steel Sharks (1996), Black Sheep (1996), Lost Highway (1997), Soldier (1998), No Tomorrow (1999), Glory Glory (2000), On the Edge (2002), Shadowlands (2003), Ghost Rock (2004), The Hard Easy (2005), Soft Target (2006), Succubus Hell Bent (2007) and Beyond the Ring (2008.  He has appeared in TV series such as The High Chaparral, Bonanza, Kung Fu, Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five O, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order and King of the Hill.

Mitchell Ryan

Mitchell Ryan is an American actor his films include Monte Walsh (1970), The Hunting Party (1971), The Fuzz Brothers (1973), High Plains Drifter (1973), Magnum Force (1973), Midway (1976), Lethal Weapon (1987), Iron Eagle III (1992), Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), Blue Sky (1994), Speechless (1994), judge Dredd (1995), Halloween The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), Ed (1996), The Devil’s Own (1997), Liar Liar (1997), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Making Contact (1999) and Love for Rent (2005).  He has appeared in TV series such as The High Chaparral, The Rockford Files, Hart to Hart, Dallas, The A Team, North and South, Star Trek The Next Generation, L.A Law, The Golden Girls, Matlock, NYPD Blue, Walker Texas Ranger and The West Wing.

Tom Atkins

Tom Atkins is an American actor his films include The Fog (1980), The Ninth Configuration (1980), Escape from New York (1981), Creepshow (1982), Halloween III Season of the Witch (1982), The New Kids (1985), Night of the Creeps (1986), Lethal Weapon (1987), Maniac Cop (1988), Striking Distance (1993), Bruiser (2000), Turn of Faith (2001), Out of the Black (2001), Trapped (2008) and My Bloody Valentine (2009).  He has appeared in TV series such as The Rockford Files, M*A*S*H, Quincy M.E, St Elsewhere, T.J Hooker, The Fall Guy, The Equalizer, Walker Texas Ranger, Xena Warrior Princess, Homicide Life on the Street, Oz and Law & Order Criminal Intent.

Darlene Love

Darlene Love is an American popular music singer and actress she began her singing with her local church choir in Hawthorne, California.
While still in high school she was invited to join a little known girl group called The Blossoms and in 1962 began working with producer Phil Spector. Darlenes powerful voice made her a sought after vocalist and she managed to work with many of the legends of 1950s and 1960s rock and soul including Sam Cooke, Dionne Warwick, The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones and Sonny and Cher; Darlene and the Blossoms sang back up vocals on Shelley Fabares’s hit Johnny Angel as well as John Phillips solo album John Wolfking of L.A recorded in 1969. In 1990 Cher invited Love and her sister Edna Wright as her background vocalist for the Heart of Stone Tour. She also released a minor single in 1992 with All Alone on Christmas written and composed by Steven Van Zandt which can be found on the Home Alone 2 Lost In New York soundtrack. Love also contributed vocals to the soundtrack of the film Jingle All the Way. In the late 1980s and 1990s Love also began an acting career playing Danny Glover’s wife in all four Lethal Weapon movies.

Steve Kahan

Steve Kahan is an American character actor who has appeared many films his best known film role is in the Lethal Weapon film franchise as Capt Ed Murphy.  His films inclue Superman (1978), Inside Moves (1980), The Toy (1982), Lethal Weapon (1987), Scrooged (1988), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Predator 2 (1990), Radio Flyer (1992), Dead On Relentless II (1992), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), Warlock The Armageddon (1993), Demolition Man (1993), The Favor (1994), Maverick (1994), Free Willy 2 The Adventure Home (1995), Assassins (1995), Conspiracy Theory (1997), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Out Cold (2001), Timeline (2003) and 16 Blocks (2006).  He has appeared in TV series such as Hart to Hart, Knots Landing, Hill Street Blues, Matlock, Falcon Crest and Tales from the Crypt.

Mary Ellen Trainor

Mary Ellen Trainor is an American actress who is best known as Dr Stephanie Woods in all four Lethal Weapon movies.  Her films include Romancing the Stone (1984), The Stone Boy (1984), The Goonies (1985), Back to the Future (1985), Lethal Weapon (1987), The Monster Squad (1987), Action Jackson (1988), Die Hard (1988), Scrooged (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Back to the Future Part II (1989), Fire Birds (1990), Ricochet (1991), Kuffs (1992), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), Death Becomes Her (1992), Greedy (1994), Little Giants (1994), Congo (1995), Executive Decision (1996), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Anywhere But Here (1999), Amy’s Orgasm (2001), Moonlight Mile (2002), Freaky Friday (2003), The Music Inside (2005) and Cake A Wedding Story (2007).  She has appeared in TV series such as Cheers, Remington Steele, Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories, Tales from the Crypt and Roswell.

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