Lethal Weapon 2

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Lethal Weapon 2

R

1989

1h 53m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

South African smugglers find themselves being hounded and harassed by Riggs and Murtaugh, two mismatched Los Angeles police officers. However, the South Africans are protected by diplomatic immunity, and so the two are assigned to witness-protection duty in an attempt by their captain to keep his job. It is only when this witness reveals to them that he has already dealt with the smugglers that the trouble really starts.

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Critics Consensus

Lethal Weapon 2 may sport a thin plot typical of action fare, but its combination of humor and adrenaline, along with the chemistry between its leads, make this a playful, entertaining sequel.

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Michael Wilmington

Los Angeles Times

Aug 3, 2020

[T]here's a sense in which all these recent one-against-a-hundred cop and war thrillers represent the gaudy degeneration of the great tradition of the American action movie: substituting hardware for atmosphere...

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Anne Thompson

Empire Magazine

Aug 3, 2020

4/5

Unlike most sequels Lethal Weapon 2 is neither predictable nor conventional. It's just pumped full of juice.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Jun 6, 2008

Loaded with the usual elements, Lethal Weapon 2 benefits from a consistency of tone that was lacking in the first film.

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Don Shanahan

Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast

Jan 13, 2026

This adrenaline-injected sequel flirts with being bigger and better than the original.

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Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

May 25, 2021

3.5/5

The rare buddy cop sequel that's better than the original film. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are a hoot, expanding their partnership on screen, while director Richard Donner gives us more humor and action. [Full review in Spanish]

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Sep 6, 2020

7/10

Director Richard Donner returns, with all of the original cast and more of the same buddy-cop chemistry and wild shenanigans that made the first feature so much fun.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 20, 2026

Lethal Weapon 2 = a *4* star Movie!

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Justin T

@RT29681041 Aug 18, 2026

Just As Amazing As The First Love These Movies Danny Glover And Mel Gibson Worked Amazing Together

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Chris S

@Janomi Jul 20, 2026

Lethal Weapon 2 is very entertaining because Riggs and Murtaugh are even more comfortable together. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover have an easy rhythm by this point, and the movie gets a lot of mileage out of their banter, arguments, and genuine loyalty. The South African villains give the sequel a sharper edge than a generic crime plot. The diplomatic immunity angle is simple, frustrating, and effective because it gives the bad guys a smug sense of protection. The action is also bigger and more confident, with car chases, shootouts, explosions, and the stilt-house destruction giving the movie strong blockbuster momentum. Joe Pesci adds a different comic energy as Leo Getz. He is loud, nervous, funny, and intentionally irritating, which can be hilarious or exhausting depending on the scene. The sequel is not as raw or emotionally intense as the first, but it is still a really solid action-comedy sequel.

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Kauã M

@KauaMiguel May 14, 2026

Continuing the dynamic established in its predecessor, Lethal Weapon 2 again delivers nothing innovative, but rather an incredible dynamic between the protagonists, a constant in the franchise. How they are written and how their dynamic is directed is fantastic. I only have one problem with this film, which is the introduction of the comic relief character whose name I don't even know, but who's there to be annoying. Even so, the film is entertaining.

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Eduardo C

@RT29044984 Jan 2, 2026

Lethal Joke compared to part 1.

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Laurian D

@Laurian Jan 2, 2026

Great entertainment, I liked it just as much as I liked the first one and character development was great. Definitely recommend it, not one boring minute.

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Richard Donner

Director

Mel Gibson

Martin Riggs

Danny Glover

Sergeant Roger Murtaugh

Joe Pesci

Leo Getz

Joss Ackland

Arjen Rudd

Derrick O'Connor

Pieter Vorstedt

Executive Decision

63%

53%

Executive Decision

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Synopsis

South African smugglers find themselves being hounded and harassed by Riggs and Murtaugh, two mismatched Los Angeles police officers. However, the South Africans are protected by diplomatic immunity, and so the two are assigned to witness-protection duty in an attempt by their captain to keep his job. It is only when this witness reveals to them that he has already dealt with the smugglers that the trouble really starts.

Director: Richard Donner
Producer: Richard Donner, Joel Silver
Screenwriter: Jeffrey Boam
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Bros., Silver Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 7, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $144.9M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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