𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝟓 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓)

🔫 Lethal Weapon 5 (2025) – Old Guns, New Battles, Same Explosive Chemistry

Director: Mel Gibson
Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Chris Rock, Michelle Rodriguez, Jacob Elordi
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

It’s been over 25 years since Lethal Weapon 4 closed the case on one of Hollywood’s most beloved action duos. Now, in Lethal Weapon 5 (2025), director Mel Gibson brings back Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh for one last ride — older, scarred, but still crazy enough to take on the world together.

The result? A film that’s both an adrenaline-charged throwback and a surprisingly emotional farewell — proof that some partnerships never lose their fire, no matter how many decades (or bullets) pass.

💣 Plot: One Last Case, One Final Reckoning

The movie opens in Los Angeles — a city that’s changed, but not necessarily for the better.
Riggs (Mel Gibson) is now semi-retired, living on a small ranch by the coast, still haunted by loss but trying to find peace. Murtaugh (Danny Glover) has officially retired from the force, spending his days fishing and trying to enjoy a quiet life with his grandkids.

But when a string of assassinations hits the LAPD — targeting retired officers — both men are dragged back into the chaos. Their former captain (Chris Rock, reprising his role from Lethal Weapon 4) pleads with them to help solve what looks like an inside job.

The trail leads to a powerful crime syndicate with military ties and political protection — led by the cold, calculating Veronica Kane (Michelle Rodriguez), a former CIA operative with her own vendetta against the system. To make matters worse, she’s partnered with a brilliant but ruthless hacker (Jacob Elordi), who’s turned the city’s digital infrastructure into a weapon.

As Riggs and Murtaugh dive deeper, they uncover a plot that hits uncomfortably close to home — forcing them to confront corruption inside the very system they once defended.

🔥 Old-School Action Meets Modern Chaos

Gibson directs with a raw, kinetic style that blends the grit of the 80s with the sleek intensity of modern thrillers.
Explosions, car chases, and hand-to-hand fights are shot practically — no overblown CGI here — and the stunts feel real.

The action peaks in a breathtaking freeway shootout at sunset, reminiscent of the original films but elevated with modern precision. There’s also a brilliant sequence set inside a half-demolished skyscraper where Riggs and Murtaugh improvise weapons out of power tools and debris — classic Lethal Weapon creativity, brutal and funny at the same time.

🤜 Chemistry That Never Gets Old

The heart of the film, as always, is the partnership.

Gibson and Glover still have that perfect opposites-attract energy — Riggs, impulsive and reckless; Murtaugh, cautious and exasperated but secretly thrilled by the chaos. Their banter hits just as hard as the punches.
Lines like:

“I told you I was too old for this.”
“Yeah, but you still look great dodging bullets.”
remind audiences why these two became legends.

There’s also a poignant undercurrent this time. They’re not just partners — they’re brothers, bound by decades of pain and loyalty. When they argue, it’s about legacy and mortality, not just police work. When they laugh, it feels earned — the laughter of men who’ve seen everything and still choose to keep going.

🧠 Themes: Legacy, Loyalty, and the Cost of Duty

Lethal Weapon 5 isn’t just an action film — it’s about the weight of time.
What happens when heroes outlive their era? When the rules change, but their code doesn’t?

Riggs still fights like he has nothing to lose — but this time, he’s trying to prove he can still matter. Murtaugh faces a different struggle: guilt for the lives they couldn’t save and fear that their kind of justice no longer belongs in today’s world.

It’s these questions that give the movie its soul. Beneath the gunfire and sarcasm, there’s a genuine reflection on what it means to grow old in a world that’s moved on.

🎶 Music, Tone, and Style

Composer Harold Faltermeyer returns with a new version of the classic blues-rock Lethal Weapon theme — guitars, saxophones, and modern synths all fused into one nostalgic pulse.
The film’s tone strikes the perfect balance: equal parts hard-hitting action, gallows humor, and emotional weight.

Visually, Gibson uses warmer tones and gritty textures, grounding the film in realism while still embracing moments of explosive spectacle.

💥 Supporting Cast

Michelle Rodriguez is phenomenal as Veronica Kane — not a cartoon villain, but a wounded soldier who believes the system betrayed her. She’s the perfect foil for Riggs: equally broken, equally dangerous.
Chris Rock brings levity and heart, grounding the story with humor and empathy.
Jacob Elordi, as the young hacker, represents the new generation — brilliant but morally detached, contrasting sharply with the old-school integrity of Riggs and Murtaugh.

🎯 The Finale: A Goodbye That Hits Hard

Without spoiling too much — the final act is pure, emotional fireworks.
Riggs and Murtaugh face their enemies head-on in a storm-soaked shipyard, echoing the intensity of the first film’s finale. The final minutes are both tragic and triumphant — a reminder that even legends must face the end.

Gibson directs the closing moments with restraint and respect. There’s a sense of finality — but also peace. The partnership that began in 1987 ends not with explosions, but with two old friends sharing a quiet moment under the rain.

⭐ Verdict

Lethal Weapon 5 (2025) is the rare legacy sequel that earns its existence. It’s nostalgic but never lazy, emotional without being sentimental, and packed with the kind of raw action Hollywood rarely makes anymore.

It’s a farewell to two icons — and to an era of buddy-cop movies defined by grit, laughter, and loyalty.

⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
Verdict: Explosive, heartfelt, and surprisingly profound — a final chapter worthy of the badge.