Lethal Weapon IV (1998)

After mixed reviews of its predecessor Richard Donner needed to make some changes. Unfortunately he was nowhere near understanding what was wrong with the last one and thought he could fix this movie by inserting more stressful screamers and more fires (hardly 10 minutes go by without something burning).

God, I hate Chris Rock. What an insufferable comedian. And matched with Pesci's Leo Getz the nuisance is total. The crude, good (funny) humor is utterly lost in the incessant yelling and whining of the least funny pair on-screen since... Hm. Someone and Ben Affleck, I reckon.

Gibson and Glover seem more forced this time around and Glover is mostly screaming "Riggs" incessantly. The exciting Russo from the predecessor has become the pregnant parody-Russo. It really is depressing how they managed to kill that character off in a single film. But I suppose it goes to show that it is much easier to destroy than to create. Kim Chan as Uncle Benny provides a much more subtle (though somewhat racially insensitive - making it funnier) and genuinely amusing character. Gibson is still funny too, pestering both Russo and Glover in his most charming and playful way.

Furthermore, you know you're out fishing when Jet Li brings something extra with his acting. But his stoic manner combined with an explosive effect works wonders here. Oh, and the absolute minimum of lines he has (hardly any English) helps too.

As I mentioned, Donner chose to abandon all reality (and reason) for the last of the series, so naturally we get two big set pieces within 10 minutes. Only the first provide entertainment, but the second is the only relevant one. Generally, they just bring out bigger guns than earlier, making it increasingly less realistic scene by scene. Exciting? Yes. Immensely stupid? Most certainly so.

The ending that should have been is good, but the ending they provide is tripe of the absolute worst sort. Fitting. At its best this is an entertaining sequel, but it's so rarely at its best, and so incredibly bad at its worst, that it just doesn't add up.

4/10