Why So Blu?

Lethal Weapon (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Lethal Weapon and its three sequels have sat firmly atop my 4K collector’s wish list—and no doubt many others—since the format’s debut in 2016. After years of anticipation, we finally have it. Now, 38 years after its theatrical release in March 1987, the iconic buddy-cop actioner arrives on 4K Ultra HD including a version I’ve always preferred: the studio-made Director’s Cut.

You may not remember this, but I do—there was an infomercial for the “Director’s Cut” releases of Lethal Weapon 1, 2, and 3 back in the day. I’ll get to that, along with all the technical and bonus details later. But first: I, and you, dear reader, are definitely not too old for this $#!%.

Film

My Introduction to Mayhem

When I was six years old, I had the rare distinction of being allowed to watch rated R movies. My mom would cover my eyes during sex scenes and nudity—but not the violence. Ironically, while she was shielding me from butts and boobs, she had no idea I was far more interested in the shirtless action heroes she adored.

I’d go to school and regale my classmates with retellings of bloody shootouts while they were still deep into their Disney phase. For a brief moment in first grade, I was the cool kid. One of the movies that helped cement that status? Lethal Weapon—though I didn’t watch them in order.

Watching the Series Backwards

Like I’d done with Die Hard, I started with the third film in the series. I didn’t care that I was jumping into a world with already-established characters and lore. From the moment Sting’s “It’s Probably Me” played over the opening credits, I was in. It wasn’t until after Lethal 3 that I looped back to discover how Riggs and Murtaugh met.

And let me tell you—at six, the opening scene of Lethal Weapon terrified me. A topless blonde stumbles onto a high-rise balcony, trips, and crashes onto a parked car. Even worse? Onlookers walk right past her shattered body. That moment haunted me for years. Thankfully, the sunny morning that follows eases us into the dynamic duo we’d all come to love.

Meet Murtaugh and Riggs

We’re introduced to Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) as he turns 50, soaking in the tub before being interrupted by his loving (and chaotic) family. Meanwhile, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) wakes up hungover, nude, and alone in his beachside trailer. He shares the scene with his dog and a cigarette—an almost comical intro that hides some real red flags.

The story kicks off when Murtaugh reconnects with an old friend, Michael Hunsacker (Tom Atkins), who asks for help finding his daughter. As fate would have it, Amanda Hunsacker is the same woman who dove to her death at the start of the film.

Soon after, Murtaugh gets paired with a new partner—Riggs. Their first interaction is classic: Murtaugh sees Riggs waving a gun in the office and nearly tackles him, only to realize that’s his new partner. Let’s just say the partnership starts off… poorly.

A Partnership Full of Tension

Riggs is a loose cannon, depending on who you ask. Some think he’s trying to get a “psycho pension”; others think he’s legitimately suicidal. Murtaugh doesn’t trust him—at first. But we, the audience, see something deeper: Murtaugh is facing mortality as he turns 50, and Riggs is a widower with a death wish.

The duo constantly clash. Murtaugh plays it safe, rarely drawing his gun unless absolutely necessary. Riggs, by contrast, has nothing to lose. He’s unafraid of danger, death, or consequences. This explosive contrast makes for incredible drama—and eventually, unshakable respect.

One of the film’s most memorable moments is when Murtaugh dares Riggs to pull the trigger. When Riggs nearly does, Murtaugh realizes his partner’s demons are all too real.

 

Unraveling the Mystery

As they dig deeper, they discover Amanda didn’t commit suicide. She was drugged with a chemical-laced cocktail that made her hallucinate. But even without the drugs, she was a target—her death tied to Shadow Company, a secretive group of Vietnam veterans turned drug smugglers.

When Hunsacker is killed, Riggs and Murtaugh go full tilt. Enter Mr. Joshua (Gary Busey), a merciless enforcer who kidnaps Murtaugh’s daughter and tortures both leads. But as we know, Riggs and Murtaugh aren’t easily broken.

About That Director’s Cut…

For longtime fans, the 4K Director’s Cut includes added scenes that expand on character and tone. Originally released in 1998 with a cheesy infomercial and boxed set, this version included bonus footage, and a documentary titled Pure Lethal. While Lethal Weapon 2 and 3 got minor additions, Lethal Weapon benefits the most.

One standout scene? A second introduction to Riggs. After his vulnerable trailer wake-up, we see him calmly take out a barricaded sniper threatening children. It’s a phenomenal sequence—tense, exciting, and a perfect showcase of his skill and recklessness. This moment alone makes the Director’s Cut worth watching.

Final Thoughts

Lethal Weapon is iconic for a reason. The late Richard Donner’s tight, energetic direction helped define the look and pacing of late ’80s and early ’90s action films. The music—courtesy of Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton, and David Sanborn—is moody, jazzy, and utterly perfect.

The cast is equally on point: Gibson and Glover’s chemistry is electric, Gary Busey is terrifying, and Darlene Love brings warmth and grace to her role as Trish Murtaugh.

When Lethal Weapon 2 came out in 1989, the bar was already high. But it delivered—harder action, sharper humor, bigger stunts, and the welcome addition of Joe Pesci. The first film set the standard. The second film elevated it.

Video

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 2160p

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

HDR: HDR10

Layers: BD-100 (2 cuts and extras on 1 disc)

Clarity/Detail: Warner Bros. brings Lethal Weapon to 4K UHD Blu-ray with a near pristine 4K master.  Grain remains intact but subtle with a few instances where the grain field appears frozen.  This could be due to remastering or due to the process of cleanup.  Don’t let the word cleanup scare you.  The grain that is there is complimentary and not noisy or frustrating as it can be for some viewers. Details are there with plenty to take in in interior and exterior scenes.  Clarity wise, the film looks better than ever with extra attention paid to the color contrast thanks to HDR.

Depth: Depth wise, the film has occasional optical softness, but overall the look of the long shots and close ups does not disappoint.  There are great moments where the camera pans and some shots from a distance, namely in the desert shootout sequence provide plenty of scenery to take in without losing any definition.

Black Levels: Black levels remain excellent throughout with no degradation from the remastering process.

Color Reproduction: Colors look era perfect throughout.  Sunsets and desert vistas have a bright look while reds look especially hot, but purposefully. Blues and greens have a nice pop as well.  Yellows and other primaries also have a pop to them.  In a word, colors look fantastic.

Skin Tones: Flesh tones look perfect here,  with no loss of detail or color from age.

Noise/Artifacts: Zero.

Audio

Audio Format(s): English: Dolby Atmos, English DTS-HD MA 2.0 (Theatrical Cut Only, Theatrical Stereo) French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, Italian Dolby Digital 5.1, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 (theatrical cut only), Spanish Dolby Digital Mono (theatrical cut only)

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish

Dynamics: Atmos has been deployed for this new edition of Lethal Weapon. Purists will have complaints here as some sound effects have been redone for the modern sound mix. The few moments of new sound effects didn’t bother me a bit.  The same explosion sounds and some gunshots remain, so I have no complaints. Dynamically, the mix isn’t far off from the last 5.1 mix done for the previous Blu-ray release.  Sonically, the added height is there for some scenes but not for much else.  This isn’t a complaint, mind you, but a realistic employment of the height speakers for an older release.  Those expecting something dynamic from a film nearing 40 need to look elsewhere.

Height: Height speakers are used for scenes involving explosives, helicopters or car chases/crashes.  There are some rainy moments too that employ the top speakers for ambience. Other ambient moments use these channels sporadically in subtle ways.

Low Frequency Extension: Bass response is mostly subtle as well, save for some more bombastic action moments in the film.  Lethal Weapon is full of action, but those action moments weren’t bass heavy in 1987, so beefing them up here would be unnatural.  What we have here is a realistic employment of LFE, and I’m here for it!

Surround Sound Presentation: Surround channels elevate the music, office and outdoor ambience, and the action activity that persists throughout the film.

Dialogue: Dialogue is always intelligible.

Extras

The extras section of the new Lethal Weapon disc is where things get disappointing.  Rather than add a bonus features disc with the wealth of bonus material that’s been previously released, we are treated to two new, short tacked on extras that have zero depth. They total a measly 13 minutes and amount to not much when you consider the history and legacy of the now legendary franchise of films that Lethal Weapon is.

• A Legacy of Inspiration: Remembering Richard Donner – As advertised, cast and crew in recent interviews remember the director, who sadly passed in 2021 at 91 years of age.

• “I’m Too Old for This…”: A Chemistry That Became Iconic – Some of the same interviewees return to discuss the chemistry between Gibson and Glover.

This 4K release of Lethal Weapon also comes with a digital code and slipcover.  A Steelbook option is also available.

Summary

Final Verdict: A 4K Must-Have

I hope this new 4K release is just the beginning. Each Lethal Weapon film has its own reasons to love it: clever plots, memorable scenes, lovable characters, and a balance of heart, humor, and high-octane thrills. While the lack of bonus features keeps this from being the perfect release it could’ve been, I am still so glad we have a 4K release for Lethal Weapon!

This series never fails for me. I revisit it often and always leave satisfied. Let’s just hope this renaissance stays true to the originals—and doesn’t include that unnecessary TV reboot.

Get a copy of Lethal Weapon in 4K HERE

Get the Lethal Weapon Steelbook HERE