Lethal Weapon 3 is a 1992 American buddy cop
action comedy film directed and produced by Richard Donner, and starring
Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo and Stuart Wilson. It
is the third film in the Lethal Weapon series.
In the film, which is set three years after Lethal Weapon 2 (1989),
Martin Riggs (Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Glover) pursue Jack Travis
(Stuart Wilson), a former L.A.P.D. lieutenant turned ruthless arms
dealer, during the six days prior to Murtaugh's retirement. Riggs and
Murtaugh are joined by Leo Getz (Pesci), as well as Internal Affairs
Sergeant Lorna Cole (Russo).
Unlike the first two films which received generally positive reviews,
Lethal Weapon 3 was met with mixed reviews, but was a box office
success, grossing over $320 million worldwide. It was the fifth
highest-grossing film of 1992 and the highest-grossing film in the
Lethal Weapon series. A fourth film, Lethal Weapon 4, was released on
July 10, 1998.
Plot
Two days before his
retirement, L.A.P.D. Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Glover) and his partner
Martin Riggs (Gibson) are demoted to uniform duties after trying to
defuse a bomb before the bomb squad arrived, causing the destruction of
an otherwise empty office building. While on street patrol they witness
the theft of an armored car, and help to thwart the crime. One of the
two thieves gets away, but the other is taken into police custody. The
suspect is found to be a known associate of Jack Travis (Wilson), a
former LAPD lieutenant who is believed to be running an arms smuggling
ring in Los Angeles. The department is further concerned that the
thieves were using armor-piercing bullets, informally referred to as
"cop killers". Riggs and Murtaugh are re-promoted and assigned to work
with Sergeant Lorna Cole (Russo) from internal affairs to track down
Travis.
Travis is currently negotiating with mobster Tyrone (Millar) regarding
his arms deal. The armored car thief that escaped is brought to Travis,
who subsequently kills him in front of Tyrone for putting the police on
his trail. Travis then uses his old (but still valid) police credentials
to enter the interrogation room and kill the suspect in custody before
he can be interviewed. Travis is unaware that closed-circuit cameras
have been installed in the station, and Cole is able to affirm Travis'
identity. While the three are reviewing the footage, their friend Leo
Getz (Pesci) arrives and immediately recognizes Travis from several
prior business deals and his love of ice hockey. Riggs and Murtaugh
narrowly miss capturing Travis at a hockey match that afternoon, but
Getz has provided them with information of a warehouse Travis owns,
which they suspect is where he has stored his arms shipments.
Riggs and Murtaugh contact Cole for backup before they raid the
warehouse. While they wait, they witness a drug deal which they step in
to stop. A gun fight breaks out, and Murtaugh kills one of those
involved who had fired back at them, while the rest escape. Murtaugh is
shocked to find the dead man is Darryl, a close friend of his son Nick.
With Murtaugh emotionally distraught, Riggs goes with Cole to the
warehouse, where they successfully overpower Travis' guards and secure
his next arms shipment delivery. That night, Riggs and Cole find they
have feelings for each other and sleep together. Riggs later goes to
Murtaugh, who is still overwhelmed with guilt, and helps to counsel him
in time for Darryl's funeral. There, Darryl's father passionately insist
that Murtaugh find the person responsible for giving Darryl the gun.
Cole finds that Darryl's gun, the armor-piercing bullets, and the arms
they recovered were originally in police custody, meant to be destroyed,
and were likely stolen by Travis; they assure that his credentials are
completely revoked from the system. They further tie the guns to Tyrone
and interrogate him. Tyrone quickly reveals what he knows of Travis'
plans, including an auto garage where many of his henchmen work from.
Riggs, Murtaugh, and Cole are able to take several of the men into
custody there. Meanwhile, Travis finds he cannot use his credentials
anymore, and has one of his men hack into the computer system to find
another arms storage area. He then forces Captain Murphy (Kahan) under
gunpoint to take him to this new facility so he can steal the guns using
Murphy's credentials. Cole finds the evidence of hacking and Murphy's
absence, and the three, along with a rookie cop who looks up to Riggs
and Murtaugh, go to intercept Travis. They are able to rescue Murphy and
stop Travis and his men before he can take the weapons, but the rookie
is killed as they give chase, and Riggs and Murtaugh vow to stop Travis.
Getz provides information on a housing development under construction by
a company owned by Travis. Riggs, Murtaugh, and Cole infiltrate the
site at night, and find themselves met by Travis and his men who have
been waiting for them. A large-scale gunfight breaks out, in which Riggs
sets the construction site on fire and most of Travis' men are killed.
Cole appears to be shot by Travis and falls, inciting Riggs. When Travis
uses a bulldozer to chase down Riggs, using its blade as a bullet
shield, Murtaugh tosses Daryl's gun, now loaded with the armor-piercing
bullets, to Riggs, who then shoots and kills Travis through the blade.
Cole is found to be alive and safe, having worn two protective vests.
The next day, Murtaugh's family, along with Riggs and Cole, are
celebrating his retirement, when Murtaugh reveals that he has decided to
stay with the force, preserving his partnership with Riggs. Riggs and
Cole also admit they are in love with each other and continue exploring
their relationship.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethal_Weapon_3