Lethal Weapon 4

Details

The world of Riggs and Murtaugh has evolved. Lorna is pregnant, pushing Riggs to confront the idea of commitment, while Murtaugh faces a different shock when he discovers his daughter Rianne is also expecting - and the identity of the father is not exactly what he hoped for.

The action kicks off spectacularly when a gun battle erupts aboard a cargo ship carrying illegal Chinese immigrants. What appears to be a smuggling operation soon reveals itself as part of a larger criminal enterprise involving counterfeit currency and the Triads. At the centre of it all is Wah Sing Ku, a silent, lethal enforcer played with chilling physicality by Jet Li.

Jet Li is arguably the film's biggest asset. Unlike previous villains who relied on arrogance or political immunity, Wah Sing Ku is pure efficiency - fast, brutal and almost unstoppable. His fight scenes inject a new energy into the franchise, raising the physical stakes considerably.

Meanwhile, the team expands with the arrival of Detective Lee Butters, played by Chris Rock. His rapid-fire humour contrasts with Pesci's already manic Leo Getz, creating moments where the comedy teeters on overload - but more often than not, it works. The balance of action and humour is tighter here than in the third film, and the family dynamics give the story emotional grounding.

Picture & Sound

The picture quality is sharp and vibrant, particularly during the early night sequences which display strong colour depth and impressive clarity. Despite only an average bit-rate, the transfer avoids noticeable artifacting or outlining. There is one oddly poor scene around the twenty-five minute mark at Riggs' trailer, but overall this is the strongest visual presentation in the series.

Finally, the soundtrack delivers. Bullets ricochet convincingly across the soundstage, explosions provide satisfying LFE punch, and the iconic saxophone theme weaves seamlessly through the mix. The opening twenty minutes alone serve as an excellent surround demonstration. Dialogue remains cleanly anchored in the centre channel with no distracting bleed.

Menu & Extras

The extras are surprisingly generous. While the menus are static and slightly awkward to navigate, the inclusion of additional footage from the first three films is a welcome bonus - particularly the deleted sniper sequence from the original, which further highlights how unstable Riggs truly was in the early days.

The feature-length commentary by Richard Donner is informative, though occasionally meandering. Still, for franchise fans it adds useful insight into the evolution of the series.

Overall

If this is indeed the final outing for Riggs and Murtaugh, it goes out on a high note. The action is energetic, the emotional threads are tied together neatly, and the addition of Jet Li elevates the threat level significantly.

Joe Pesci remains delightfully irritating, Chris Rock adds fresh energy, and the partnership at the heart of the series still feels authentic. It may not surpass the heights of the second film, but it closes the quartet with confidence and style.

And one final piece of advice: if you ever find yourself house-hunting in Los Angeles and the property happens to belong to a certain Roger Murtaugh, keep walking. That place has been shot up, blown up and generally abused beyond all reasonable insurance claims.

Special features

• Behind-the-scenes Documentary: Pure Lethal
• Deleted Scenes from the First Three Films
• Cast/Crew Interview Gallery
• Feature Length Audio Commentary by Richard Donner
• Production Notes
• Theatrical Trailers