Directed by Richard Donner
Written by Jeffrey Boam, Shane Black, Warren Murphy

Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Joss Ackland, Derrick O’Connor, Patsy Kensit, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Steve Kahan, Mark Rolston, Jenette Goldstein, Dean Norris, Grand L Bush.

In the sequel to 1987’s buddy cop action romp, sees Riggs and Murtaugh (Gibson and Glover) on the case of some South African bad guys led by the ruthless Rudd (Ackland). When they start to get in over their heads, they are forced to babysit the money launderer of some bad guys, who is about to testify against them in court – it just so happens the bad guy is Rudd.

With the action starting off from literally the opening moments of the film, and not letting up much until the closing moments, it is action packed. The “toilet bomb” situation is the series high, and it is also quite emotive, when it shows how far the characters have built their friendship in a few short years.

The antagonists are more threatening here too, with the stakes lifted from the previous installment. There are some quite tense moments where characters are put into peril, including the main two stars. With this, it feels like a superior film to its predecessor.

Some minor flaws are from the screenplay, in the way the narrative arc shifts focus too quickly, such as the ‘Alfonse’ moment taking place immediately after the toilet bomb scene. The script has aged a little as well, as The Apartheid is a major theme throughout – which is obviously strengthened antagonism between them and good guy Glover.

I was surprised about how much I enjoyed this, I always knew it was a good film, but I forgot that it was a somewhat better film than the first. This would go on to have 2 more sequels (and as I write this review in Jan 2023 – there will apparently be a fifth installment soon!)

3.5/5