Top Five: Buddy Cop Movies
1) Lethal Weapon: Director’s Cut (1987)
ManlyMovie alwaysadvises the director’s cut for this over the theatrical, it’s readily available on home video. The extra scenes just complete it, Mel ‘Jesus’ Gibson’s powerhouse acting in the extra scenes is just unreal. But as good as Mel is, it wouldn’t be worth much if he didn’t have Glover’s affable partner to work with, upset at being partnered with a guy looking for psycho pension. Donner is the king of action comedy and Buddy Cop. Lethal Weapon is thrilling when it needs to thrill, funny when it needs to amuse and exciting when it delivers action. Take Expendables II, as good as it is, it aimed for this and missed by overkilling on the humour.
Donner knew when and how to turn it on and off, Gibson and Glover were on the same identical wavelength. Thankfully, they didn’t use the original ending (Where Gibson/Glover shake hands and say goodbye) and we got another 3 sequels. This series is rare in that it is 4 for 4. There is no black sheep sequel.
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