Since there are absolutely no DVD's to recommend this week (and I would have recommended Black Snake Moan last week, but I still haven't watched my copy yet), allow me to point you to a strangely cool el-cheapo DVD that Warner was smart enough to release earlier this year.
In a curious move for Warner's budget titles, many of their catalog films have resurfaced in triple feature disc sets, which are for the most part full-screen only transfers of films jammed and compressed into one dual-layer DVD9 or one DVD18.
Since Warner was lazy enough to do full-screen transfers of their Lethal Weapon films, instead they have imported the previously released Director's Cut DVD's and put them on two discs.
Side one of the DVD-18 presents the amazingly awesome first Lethal Weapon, which is still one of the best action films ever made. Despite a few odd haircuts and an old Pepsi logo, the film still hasn't aged and packs an incredible punch.
Watching it again, I was amazed in deeply realized and careful the characters of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are brought together. Both Vietnam veterans, Riggs is at the bottom part of his life after his wife was killed, and Murtaugh is a family man who is getting on in his age. That their characters are so fascinating to watch, it makes the bad-guy and action elements all the more tense to watch, especially when members of Murtaugh's family become targets.
I had never seen the director's cut before, so it was strange to see Riggs' brilliance introduced in a sniper sequence prior to the original one, where he busts a cocaine deal in a Christmas Tree lot sale. It's a bit repetitive to see Riggs save the day, twice, but I guess his lack of fear of losing his life is ongoing. A few other short scenes are added which give a bit more revelation to our two leads, and are welcome.
Lethal Weapon 2 is on the flip-side of the disc, and is just about as good as Donner's first film. Riggs is still kind of wacky and Murtaugh hasn't changed much, and the South African diplomat storyline is quite interesting. You also get to check out some very topless Patsy Kensit, as well as a full rush of adrenaline as Riggs goes absolute apeshit postal when she's knocked off in the last half hour.
On its own disc, Lethal Weapon 3 is the weakest of the trilogy, but still has enough fun action and big laughs to recommend. An ex-cop is selling armor-piercing bullets, the still-hot-as-hell Rene Russo is in her prime here, and there's a hilariously overdone motorcycle chase down the wrong way of a Los Angeles highway. I saw this film the most on laserdisc while growing up and going through my action phase, and it was amusing to see it again and realize how many of the lines I remembered.
Oh, and I thought Lethal Weapon 4 was pretty lousy, and would go against the whole "Triple Feature" concept, so it was not included. (If you're a completist, however, you should be able to find it in the $6.88 bin at Walmart.)
More info about this disc: Disc one is a DVD-18 (double sided, dual layered) which features the first three films in the same 2.40:1, anamorphic widescreen transfers with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 sound from the 2001 director's cut release. There are only the theatrical trailers for extras, the best being for the first film with outdated logos and horrible edits.
This trilogy can be found for about $10 in Future Shop, Walmart, HMV, et al, but be prepared to look around and ask for availability. Recommended if you can find it, however!
Jason
efilmcritic.com
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