The Lethal Weapon Masterclass - Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

What this episode covers

linktr.ee/CatchingUpOnCinema⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This September is Masterclass month at Catching Up On Cinema! September is the anniversary month of Catching Up On Cinema, and this year we're celebrating the completion of 5 years of weekly podcasting. For this year's Masterclass, Trevor and Kyle will be reviewing all 4 films in Richard Donner's Lethal Weapon series of films. This week, Kyle and Trevor review the bombastic first sequel in the series, Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)! Arriving in theaters in July of 1989, one of the more memorable and profitable summers in Hollywood history, Richard Donner's Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) is often regarded as the finest entry in the series. Upping the ante in terms of the scale of its action and quickness of its pace, Lethal Weapon 2 is a fantastic sequel that does all that a studio could hope an action sequel could accomplish. Though Shane Black does not return as screenwriter, Lethal Weapon 2 looks every bit of its $30 million budget, but more importantly, it honors the legacy of the characters presented in the first film, carrying their characterizations forward in meaningful and interesting ways. While virtually all of the familiar faces introduced in the first film return here in Lethal Weapon 2, the film features Joe Pesci, making his franchise debut as comic relief character, Leo Getz. Additionally, Lethal Weapon 2 features Joss Ackland and Derrick O'Connor in delightfully slimy villainous roles, and well Patsy Kensit as a pivotal new love interest for Mel Gibson's character of Martin Riggs. Exceeding the first films intensity and scope of action, and tuning up the volume and tempo of its comic antics, Lethal Weapon 2 is a fantastic sequel that is, at the very least, equal to its predecessor; though by all rights it very well may be the very best in a truly outstanding series. Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@catchinguponcinema⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CatchingCinema⁠

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