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Lethal Weapon (1987)
Lethal Weapon (1987) poster
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3.7

Lethal Weapon (1987)

Adventure, Action, Comedy, Thriller, Crime • 1h 50m

Overview

Buttoned-down veteran LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh is partnered with unhinged cop Martin Riggs, who — distraught after his wife's death — has a death wish and takes unnecessary risks with criminals at every turn. The odd couple embark on their first homicide investigation as partners, involving a young woman known to Murtaugh with ties to a drug and prostitution ring.

Director: Richard Donner

Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mitchell Ryan, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Jackie Swanson, Damon Hines, Ebonie Smith, Bill Kalmenson, Lycia Naff, Patrick Cameron, Don Gordon, Jimmie F. Skaggs, Jason Ronard, Blackie Dammett, Gail Bowman, Robert Fol, Selma Archerd, Richard B. Whitaker, Mary Ellen Trainor, Steve Kahan, Jack Thibeau, Grand L. Bush, Ed O'Ross, Gustav Vintas, Paul Tuerpe, Chad Hayes, Chris D., Sven-Ole Thorsen, Peter DuPont, Gilles Kohler, Cedric Adams, Jim J. Poslof, Al Leong, Michael Shaner, Natalie Zimmerman, Deborah Dismukes, Cheryl Baker, Terri Lynn Doss, Sharon K. Brecke, Donald Gooden, Alphonse Philippe Mouzon, Shaun Hunter, Everitt Wayne Collins Jr., Lenny Juliano, Henry Brown, Brian Strohm, Teresa Kadotani, Frank Reinhard, John O'Neill, Tom Noga, Larry Clardy, Renée Estevez, Bob Harks, Conrad Hurtt, Mic Rodgers, Joan Severance, Chris Tashima, Norman D. Wilson

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Best Audio Release

WB 4K Blu-ray has original stereo and sounds better than US LaserDisc and about the same as earlier Japan LaserDisc.
WB 4K Blu-ray Atmos has worse fidelity than the stereo as expected.

Additional Info

4K Blu-ray is missing featurettes from the old Blu-ray

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Featured Lists

Length

110 mins

Type

Movie

Alternative Titles

Lethal Weapon 1

Last Updated

9 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Best Audio Release

WB 4K Blu-ray has original stereo and sounds better than US LaserDisc and about the same as earlier Japan LaserDisc.
WB 4K Blu-ray Atmos has worse fidelity than the stereo as expected.

Additional Info

4K Blu-ray is missing featurettes from the old Blu-ray

Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Featured Lists
Length
110 mins
Type
Movie
Alternative Titles
Lethal Weapon 1
Last Updated
9 months ago
Contributors

Featured in Perfect Release

See more →
The Sound of Music poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

The Fifth Element poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray vs 2017 Sony 4K Blu-ray (20th annivesary) vs 2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray (Luc Besson Box Set). The first two have totally different texture.

  • StudioCanal: More natural looking. Better defined grain. The white balance is rather yellow/orange. Some say it is closer to the original theatrical release.

  • 2017 Sony: More vibrant and impactful. The white balance is rather neutral. While color noise and grain can look busy because it had been sharpened and had micro-contrast boosted.

  • 2025 Sony: Supposedly an improved version of the 2017 release? Shows around 20mbps-higher overall video bitrate. caps

Best Audio:

2025 Sony US 4K Blu-ray has the original 5.1.

The Atmos on the Sony release is reportedly better than StudioCanal's.

Additional Info:

Disc info of the box set discs. This film have recieved multiple encode/versions in different regions over the years. The 2017 Germany4K Blu-ray is encoded differently than the 2017 Sony but not better. Also, the same can be said to 2024 France Gaumont 4K Blu-ray while comparing to the 2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray omits all the extras from previous releases, being barebones.

Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray vs 2017 Sony 4K Blu-ray (20th annivesary) vs 2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray (Luc Besson Box Set). The first two have totally different texture.

  • StudioCanal: More natural looking. Better defined grain. The white balance is rather yellow/orange. Some say it is closer to the original theatrical release.

  • 2017 Sony: More vibrant and impactful. The white balance is rather neutral. While color noise and grain can look busy because it had been sharpened and had micro-contrast boosted.

  • 2025 Sony: Supposedly an improved version of the 2017 release? Shows around 20mbps-higher overall video bitrate. caps

Best Audio:

2025 Sony US 4K Blu-ray has the original 5.1.

The Atmos on the Sony release is reportedly better than StudioCanal's.

Additional Info:

Disc info of the box set discs. This film have recieved multiple encode/versions in different regions over the years. The 2017 Germany4K Blu-ray is encoded differently than the 2017 Sony but not better. Also, the same can be said to 2024 France Gaumont 4K Blu-ray while comparing to the 2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray omits all the extras from previous releases, being barebones.

The Silence of the Lambs poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Audio:

1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Audio:

1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

The Titfield Thunderbolt poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

The old discs use a significantly worse transfer with faded colors, color fringing and a strong green tint throughout.

Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

The old discs use a significantly worse transfer with faded colors, color fringing and a strong green tint throughout.

Thank You, Life poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Indicator 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Indicator 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Indicator 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The older Studio Canal disc has incorrect pitch - 0.7 semitones lower than it should be. As their PAL DVD release was pitched correctly despite running at 25 FPS, it's likely they just took that master and slowed it down without accounting for that.

Best English-Friendly:

Indicator 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Indicator 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Indicator 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The older Studio Canal disc has incorrect pitch - 0.7 semitones lower than it should be. As their PAL DVD release was pitched correctly despite running at 25 FPS, it's likely they just took that master and slowed it down without accounting for that.

Sanjuro poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray

Sanjuro poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray

Fargo poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray scheduled for November 2026 release

Best Audio:

All the same

Fargo poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray scheduled for November 2026 release

Best Audio:

All the same

Little Odessa poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Little Odessa poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Salem's Lot poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Raging Bull poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K announced for 2026

Best Video:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has slightly better compression than Criterion 4K Blu-ray.

The master in DV looks all but identical to the Criterion’s HDR grade. Detail-wise, FiM’s encode looks like it uncovered a tiny bit of extra high-frequency information that got filtered on the Criterion. See nicolas review

Best Audio:

1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1993 MGM LaserDisc/2002 R2 MGM DVD are the best. See blah-ray https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2018/01/raging-bull-1980.html

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

Best English-Friendly:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K announced for 2026

Best Video:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has slightly better compression than Criterion 4K Blu-ray.

The master in DV looks all but identical to the Criterion’s HDR grade. Detail-wise, FiM’s encode looks like it uncovered a tiny bit of extra high-frequency information that got filtered on the Criterion. See nicolas review

Best Audio:

1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1993 MGM LaserDisc/2002 R2 MGM DVD are the best. See blah-ray https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2018/01/raging-bull-1980.html

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

More from Richard Donner

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Superman poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: WB 4K Blu-ray (2025 re-release)
Expanded and TV cuts: 2017 Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

Theatrical: WB 4K Blu-ray (2025 re-release fixed a glitch in the previous discs)
Expanded and TV cuts: 2017 Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Audio:

WB 4K Blu-ray (2025 re-release includes lossless 5.1 and better 2.0 compared to previous editions)

Additional Info:

The 70mm mix in 5.1 was lossy on the 4K 2018 pressing, missing from the 2023 pressing for some reason, and then put back on the 2025 pressing in lossless.

Superman poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: WB 4K Blu-ray (2025 re-release)
Expanded and TV cuts: 2017 Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

Theatrical: WB 4K Blu-ray (2025 re-release fixed a glitch in the previous discs)
Expanded and TV cuts: 2017 Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Audio:

WB 4K Blu-ray (2025 re-release includes lossless 5.1 and better 2.0 compared to previous editions)

Additional Info:

The 70mm mix in 5.1 was lossy on the 4K 2018 pressing, missing from the 2023 pressing for some reason, and then put back on the 2025 pressing in lossless.

The Goonies poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1992 Warner Bros LaserDisc

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1992 Warner Bros LaserDisc

Scrooged poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1989 Paramount Home Video LaserDisc [LV 32054]

Scrooged poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1989 Paramount Home Video LaserDisc [LV 32054]

Ladyhawke poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Ladyhawke poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

More from Warner Bros

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Friday poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Friday poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Dumb and Dumber poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Strangers on a Train poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1987 WB LaserDisc

Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1987 WB LaserDisc

Jewel Robbery poster
DVD
Best English-Friendly:

WB Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume 4 DVD

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive Blu-ray in Oct

Best Video:

WB Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume 4 DVD

Best English-Friendly:

WB Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume 4 DVD

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive Blu-ray in Oct

Best Video:

WB Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume 4 DVD

The Unbearable Lightness of Being poster
HD Streaming
Best English-Friendly:

HD Streaming on iTunes or WB DVD

Best Video:

HD Streaming on iTunes or WB DVD

Additional Info:

MGM DVD has a 5.1 remix

Best English-Friendly:

HD Streaming on iTunes or WB DVD

Best Video:

HD Streaming on iTunes or WB DVD

Additional Info:

MGM DVD has a 5.1 remix

Practical Magic poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Flipped poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Flipped poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Lust for Life poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Anchors Aweigh poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Anchors Aweigh poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

The Prisoner of Zenda poster
DVD
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros DVD

Best Video:

Warner Bros DVD

Additional Info:

New restoration is completed

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros DVD

Best Video:

Warner Bros DVD

Additional Info:

New restoration is completed

Edit History

3 edits
Lethal Weapon (1987) backdrop