Riggs and Murtaugh must stop an ex-cop from
putting armor-piercing rounds out on the street.

ACTION/CRIME

Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

Directed by Richard Donner

Written by Jeffrey Boam and Robert Mark Kamen

Starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo,
​Stuart Wilson, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe

Sequel to 1989’s Lethal Weapon 2

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Caleb Leger

January 25, 2021

8/10

Whether it be a trilogy or a third film in a long-running franchise, something seems to happen quite a bit. It either crumbles under the built-up weight of the prior two installments or is more of the same thing, except less engaging. There’s usually a number of reasons why. Whether that be the creators being burnt out by this time or the studio, in some infamous cases, feeling the need to step in a little too much. There’s other reasons, but it still leads to the same thing, a third installment which never feels like it was able to reach higher than it could have. Now, let’s apply this knowledge to Lethal Weapon 3. A film which technically delivers more of the same without ever reaching the heights of the second film, but nonetheless, still manages to deliver an extremely enjoyable and fun time with our two favorite detectives.

As to be expected, the things we have come to love from this franchise are still very intact. The chemistry between Gibson and Glover continues to be a sight to behold as they seamlessly bounce jokes and action off each other. Joe Pesci, returning from the prior installment, also continues to maintain his balance between humorous and annoying extremely well. The series' trademark action and comedy, also still very much intact there. Now for the part which I feel the film falters, the villains. The second installment, to me, did a great job making them much more menacing and a part of the storyline. They exist in this installment and that’s about it. They’re not terrible, but they most certainly don’t pop out in any significant way.

It’s actually kind of amazing how this doesn’t falter like so many third installments do. Sure, the villains don’t do a lot for me but, everything else this series is known for is done very well. The chemistry, action, and humor are all still intact and fun to watch. So, in a nutshell, not the worst third installment in any franchise by far. It’s actually quite good.