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Lethal Weapon

(1987, Rated PG-13, Action/adventure, Starring Gary Busey, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Mismatched cops spar in violent '80s action hit.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Brute force always wins out here.
  • Violence:

    On-screen shootings, suicide, torture.
  • Sex:

    Female nudity, talk of prostitution.
  • Language:

    Plenty of cursing.
  • Consumerism:

    This is part of a series. Also, the movie features TV programs – Family Feud, Warner Brothers cartoons, The 3 Stooges.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, reference to marijuana, all portrayed in a negative light.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Lethal Weapon

Parents need to know that this film contains graphic violence. Though the tone of this movie is mostly serious, it treats the deaths of villains and innocent civilians in a very casual manner, as if killing bad guys is simply part of the job of being a cop. The only violence that seems to have a psychic toll is the harm done to young, attractive women. Sex is portrayed only in the context of prostitution and murder.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the violence here. Do you think there is a message here amongst the carnage -- or is this simply an action film and not meant to be taken seriously? Another topic to explore is the film brought the archetypal "buddy picture" to the forefront of Hollywood cinema. Families may want to compare and contrast the ways in which this theme is presented in more recent films such as Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon, and Men in Black. How do these films use race as a comedic device?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

    This is the best cop movie ever made!!

    This is my favorite cop movie. It's also a buddy movie. It does have several sequences of nudity. The violence is also pretty strong. Some strong language. When all is said and done, it's okay for teens.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

    Great Movie, Not For Kids

    I love this movie, but I'm pretty sure it's actually rated "R" and not "PG-13". I think it is one of the finest action/cop buddy movie around, but certainly not for kids. There is no way that a child could comprehend the anguish that is felt by a man who has lost his wife and wants to kill himself, or the loss of an adult child to a murder. This movie is very well acted and exciting, but needs to be watched by adults only.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Missouri
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0

    One of the best cop movies ever!

    Lethal Weapon is a thrilling, edge of your seat joy ride. If you love Cop buddy movies, this is the grand daddy of them all.

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