Synopsis

On the eve of Christmas, veteran Los Angeles detective Roger Murtaugh is paired with Martin Riggs, a volatile former Special Forces soldier grieving his wife's death. Their investigation into the apparent suicide of a young woman exposes a drug-smuggling operation involving former military personnel. As the mismatched partners confront increasingly dangerous enemies, their reluctant partnership develops into genuine trust.

Factoids & Trivia

• Shane Black wrote the screenplay at age 23, making it his first produced script. The original version was darker and featured much larger action sequences, including helicopters crashing near the Hollywood sign and cocaine falling over Los Angeles.

• Richard Donner reshaped the material by reducing the scale of the action and emphasizing the relationship between the two detectives, along with more humor and emotional warmth.

• The high-fall sequence at the beginning used a specially designed airbag concealed beneath a painted image of the driveway and parked cars. Stuntman Dar Robinson helped design the system.

• Robinson died in a motorcycle accident shortly after filming ended. The film was dedicated to him, and the end credits identify him as one of the motion-picture industry's great stuntmen.

• Production took place from August through mid-November 1986. Warner Bros. released the film in the United States on March 6, 1987.

• Made for approximately $15 million, the film became a major commercial success and helped establish the Lethal Weapon series, which continued with three theatrical sequels.

• The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound.