History YMMV / LethalWeapon

* CrazyAwesome: Riggs "You think I'm crazy? ''You think I'm crazy, I'll show you crazy!''" *proceeds to slap himself in the face multiple times while wailing like Curly from Film/TheThreeStooges, pokes the drug dealer in the eyes, slaps the other drug dealers, and [[LetsGetDangerous pulls out a gun]].

** Besides reuniting in the remake of ''Film/DeathAtAFuneral'', both Creator/DannyGlover and Creator/ChrisRock from the last film would also later be part of the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' films, with Glover appearing in ''Film/{{Saw}}'' and Rock appearing in ''Film/Spiral2020''.
* HoYay: Riggs and Murtaugh are just loaded with this.

** Travis in the third movie crosses it when he kills a rookie cop in a shootout at the subway, [[IronicBirthday on his birthday nonetheless]].

* MisBlamed: Inverted. Many fans and critics credit the series' quality and success to writer Creator/ShaneBlack. However, many of the series' signature elements, including the humor, were added by Jeffrey Boam in his uncredited rewrites to the first film and screenplays to the second and third. Black's original treatments were considerably DarkerAndEdgier than the final product, with the character of Riggs being an unstable psychopath killed off at the end of the second film.

* AcceptableTargets / AcceptableEthnicTargets: Riggs and Murtaugh are really strange about this, possibly owing to [[ValuesDissonance the films being made in a less politically correct era]]. They have no problems doling out racist insults do the AmoralAfrikaaner villains in the second film or AsianSpeakeeEngrish jokes to the Chinese villains in the fourth, but in both films are much more respectful and polite when speaking to South African or Chinese civilians who are not associated with the villains.

* AcceptableEthnicTargets[=/=]ValuesDissonance:
** Riggs and Murtaugh are vehemently anti-apartheid and take on {{Amoral Afrikaner}}s in ''2'', but in ''4'', seem to think it's perfectly okay to make {{Asian Speekee Engrish}} jokes throughout (although to be "fair" mostly around the Chinese villains who make their money smuggling and enslaving other Chinese people; they are much more respectful around the non-villainous Asian characters).
** To be fair, they did it only to Uncle Benny. Who does speak like that. It could be they're just insulting ''him'' considering they have had dealings with him in the past.

* MisBlamed: Many fans and critics credit the series' quality and success to writer Creator/ShaneBlack. However, many of the series' signature elements, including the humor, were added by Jeffrey Boam in his uncredited rewrites to the first film and screenplays to the second and third. Black's original treatments were considerably DarkerAndEdgier than the final product, with the character of Riggs being an unstable psychopath killed off at the end of the second film.

** Besides reuniting in the remake of ''Film/DeathAtAFuneral'', both Creator/DannyGlover and Creator/ChrisRock from the last film would also later be part of the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' films, with Glover appearing in ''Film/{{Saw}}'' and Rock appearing in ''Spiral: From the Book of Saw''.

** Both Creator/DannyGlover and Creator/ChrisRock from the last film would later be part of the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' films, with Glover appearing in ''Film/{{Saw}}'' and Rock appearing in ''Spiral: From the Book of Saw''.

** Both Creator/DannyGlover and Creator/ChrisRock would later be part of the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' films, with Glover appearing in ''Film/{{Saw}}'' and Rock appearing in ''Spiral: From the Book of Saw''.

* Both Creator/DannyGlover and Creator/ChrisRock would later be part of the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' films, with Glover appearing in ''Film/{{Saw}}'' and Rock appearing in ''Spiral: From the Book of Saw''.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The opening scene to the fourth movie, which has the Murtaugh and Riggs fighting the Human Tank, AKA some guy in full body armor running around with an assault rifle and a flamethrower. This has no bearing on the plot and is never referenced again aside from a newspaper clipping in one scene.

* EndingFatigue: The first movie has a minor case of this with the fight against Mr. Joshua. It's a cool sequence, but the plot's already been wrapped up.
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** Leo Getz (in the second film, at least).
** The fourth film introduced American audiences to Creator/JetLi, and his character is largely what makes that film watchable. Many American moviegoers left the theaters saying, "Who the Hell was '''that'''?"

* EvenBetterSequel: Creator/RichardDonner, Creator/MelGibson, and Creator/DannyGlover all consider the second one to be this.

* OneSceneWonder: The [[NighInvulnerable Human Tank]] in ''4'''s intro.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Tim Cavanaugh, one of the cops in Riggs and Murtaugh's precinct who gets assassinated, is played by Creator/DeanNorris, who would later gain recognition as Hank in ''Series/BreakingBad''.
* RootingForTheEmpire: Just try not to cheer for Creator/JetLi in the fourth film.

* ValuesDissonance:
** Riggs displays casual homophobia in the original film (calling Amanda sleeping with Dixie disgusting, and questioning whether Murtaugh's a "fag" when he tries to put out Riggs' burning jacket). Perhaps fair for its time in 1987; stands out quite a bit in modern times.
** Riggs' "courtship" of Rika in part 2 starts out with manly initiative and is portrayed as wacky antics combined with LoveAtFirstSight in the name of love, but for modern audiences may go right into creepy StalkerWithACrush territory, particularly when he makes a scene in the grocery to force her to come with him, a stranger she barely knows, to his trailer home on the beach, while at the same time painting a target on her back.

* AcceptableEthnicTargets[=/=]ValuesDissonance: Riggs and Murtaugh are vehemently anti-apartheid and take on {{Amoral Afrikaner}}s in ''2'', but in ''4'', seem to think it's perfectly okay to make {{Asian Speekee Engrish}} jokes throughout (although to be "fair" mostly around the Chinese villains who make their money smuggling and enslaving other Chinese people; they are much more respectful around the non-villainous Asian characters).

* BetterOnDVD: The Director's Cuts of the first three films reinstate DeletedScenes, including the sniper scene from the firt film.

* CompleteMonster: From the second film:
** [[NonActionBigBad Arjen Rudd]], the {{greed}}y Minister of Foreign Affairs at the [[AmoralAfrikaner South African]] consulate in Los Angeles in the second film, is known for his harsh actions as part of [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra apartheid]]. He is also a drug smuggler, abusing his power as a high-ranking official to serve as a front for his crimes. Several years ago, Rudd ordered the murder of Martin Riggs, a [=LAPD=] detective who was getting close to uncovering Rudd's activities, resulting in the death of Riggs's wife Victoria. At the beginning of the film, Rudd has [[TheDragon Pieter Vorstedt]] [[YouHaveFailedMe execute one of his henchmen]] for losing a shipment of Krugerrands, then has Vorstedt threaten Roger Murtaugh, the lead detective in the case of the Krugerrands. Simultaneously, Rudd sends assassins after Leo Getz, a witness. As the [=LAPD=] gets closer to uncovering Rudd's operation, he has Vorstedt [[CopKiller murder every police officer]] involved in the investigation, with the exception of Riggs and Murtaugh, then has his secretary Rika, who was in a relationship with Riggs, drowned just to spite Riggs. Rudd later shoots Riggs multiple times and then [[SmugSnake claims]] "[[DiplomaticImpunity diplomatic immunity]]". Arjen Rudd was the villain in the series who [[ItsPersonal cut the deepest and crossed the most lines]].
** The aforementioned [[EvilRedhead Pieter Vorstedt]] is the [[TheDragon head of security]] for the aforementioned [[BigBad Arjen Rudd]]. Vorstedt does any hands-on villainy for Rudd, including threats and assassinations. Several years ago, Vorstedt was told to murder Detective Martin Riggs, who was getting close to uncovering Rudd's illegal activities. Vorstedt failed to kill Riggs, but [[YouKilledMyFather killed Riggs's wife]] by either tampering with the brakes of the car or running her off the road. During the film, Vorstedt executes a henchman named Hans when the latter [[YouHaveFailedMe lost a shipment of Krugerrands in a car chase]]. Later, he and a few associates sneak into the house of Detective Roger Murtaugh, who is leading the investigation, and threatens him with death should he poke his nose into their affairs. During this time, the South Africans try to kill an informant named Leo Getz and [[TheCanKickedHim rig Murtaugh's toilet with a bomb]]. Later in the film, Rudd orders Vorstedt to murder the policemen participating in the investigation, resulting in Vorstedt [[CopKiller murdering 6 officers]], getting into a small chat with one before [[BoomHeadshot shooting him in the head]]. Murtaugh manages to escape, but Riggs is captured by [[ItsPersonalWithTheDragon Vorstedt]], who [[KickTheDog taunts him about the death of Riggs's wife]] and revealing his role in it before drowning Rudd's secretary Rika, who was in a relationship with Riggs, before trying to drown Riggs. Pieter Vorstedt is a cold-blooded, emotionless killer who doesn't care about the blood on his hands or how cruel the actions he takes are.

* CrazyAwesome: Riggs, Riggs, Riggs.
** Also, Riggs.
*** "You think I'm crazy? ''You think I'm crazy, I'll show you crazy!''" *proceeds to slap himself in the face multiple times while wailing like Curly from Film/TheThreeStooges, pokes the drug dealer in the eyes, slaps the other drug dealers, and [[LetsGetDangerous pulls out a gun]].

** Riggs mocks Rudd's racism and calls him "Aryan" in the second film. Cut to 2006, and Creator/MelGibson is in hot water for making several racist remarks during his arrest. Cut to 2010, and he's in even ''more'' hot water for making even ''more'' racist statements during an argument with his girlfriend.

* ValuesDissonance: Riggs displays casual homophobia in the original film (calling Amanda sleeping with Dixie disgusting, and questioning whether Murtaugh's a "fag" when he tries to put out Riggs' burning jacket). Perhaps fair for its time in 1987; stands out quite a bit in modern times.

* MemeticMutation: Creator/DannyGlover has always been, and will always be, [[strike:[[BeamMeUpScotty getting]]]] too old for this shit.

** In the first film, one of the kids near Dixie's house says "My momma says policemen shoot black people!". It's a little more awkward these days, thanks to the high-profile police shootings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner in 2014, spurring the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
* HarsherInHindsight: Creator/MelGibson's character getting "married" by a Rabbi in the fourth film.

* MemeticMutation: Creator/DannyGlover has always been, and will always be, [[strike:[[BeamMeUpScotty getting]]]] too old for this shit.
* MisBlamed: Many fans and critics credit the series' quality and success to writer Creator/ShaneBlack. However, many of the series' signature elements, including the humor, were added by Jeffrey Boam in his uncredited rewrites to the first film and screenplays to the second and third. Black's original treatments were considerably DarkerAndEdgier than the final product, with the character of Riggs being an unstable psychopath killed off at the end of the second film.

* FriendlyFandoms: With ''Franchse/DieHard''. It helps that they're both [[AnAsskickingChristmas Christmas movies]].

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The opening scene to the fourth movie, which has the Murtaugh and Riggs fighting some guy in body armor running around with an assault rifle and a flamethrower. This has no bearing on the plot and is never referenced again.

* OneSceneWonder: The NighInvulnerable pyro guy in ''4'''s intro.

* MemeticMutation: Danny Glover has always been, and will always be, [[strike:[[BeamMeUpScotty getting]]]] too old for this shit.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Tim Cavanaugh, one of the cops in Riggs and Murtaugh's precinct who gets assassinated, is played by Dean Norris, who would later gain recognition as Hank in ''Series/BreakingBad''.

** Riggs' "courtship" of Rika in part 2 starts out with manly initiative and is portrayed as wacky antics combined with LoveAtFirstSight in the name of love, but for modern audiences may go right into CreepyStalker territory, particularly when he makes a scene in the grocery to force her to come with him, a stranger she barely knows, to his trailer home on the beach, while at the same time painting a target on her back.

* Misblamed: Many fans and critics credit the series' quality and success to writer Creator/ShaneBlack. However, many of the series' signature elements, including the humor, were added by Jeffrey Boam in his uncredited rewrites to the first film and screenplays to the second and third. Black's original treatments were considerably DarkerAndEdgier than the final product, with the character of Riggs being an unstable psychopath killed off at the end of the second film.

* EvilIsCool: Mr. Joshua and Wah Sing Ku.