Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that although Lethal Weapon (which stars Mel Gibson in one of his signature roles) is considered an iconic action comedy, it has a lot of graphic violence. And, despite the comic moments, the tone is often quite 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; there is female nudity (bare breasts) and a naked male backside. There is frequent profanity, including "f--k." Characters are shown smoking cigarettes and drinking beer throughout the movie. One of the main characters is shown intoxicated as he holds a gun to his head. Early in the film, a woman is shown snorting cocaine and swallowing pills before falling to her death from an upper floor in a high-rise. A character is hung from a ceiling and tortured with electric shock; jumper cables are pressed against his body. Another character is tortured by having salt rubbed into his wounds.
Sexual
Content
Early in the film, a woman is topless as she snorts cocaine and swallows pills before falling off a balcony from a high-rise building. On a video, three naked women take a shower together, and their breasts are shown. A naked man gets out of bed, and his buttocks are exposed. One of the main characters picks up a prostitute; as she makes "good time" implications, he wants to take her back to his apartment so they can watch TV together.
Violence
Extreme violence throughout. A woman commits suicide by falling from a high floor in a high-rise building. One of the main characters openly discusses suicide with those around him and even shows his new cop partner the bullet he intends to use; this character is shown putting a gun to his forehead and then into his mouth. The two main characters -- police officers -- are sent to stop a sniper who is shown shooting at young kids. Frequent gun battles and fistfights throughout the film. A character is hung from a ceiling and tortured with electric shock; jumper cables are pressed against his body. Another character is tortured by having salt rubbed into his wounds. A house is shown blowing up. A carjacking is shown.
Language
Frequent profanity: "Ff-k," "s--t," "a--hole," "goddamn," "fag," "hell."
Social
Behavior
An argument could be made that this movie promotes teamwork, but that message is likely to get lost in all the violence, sex, and the formulaic plot structure.
Consumerism
The movie features TV programs including Family Feud, Warner Bros. cartoons, and The Three Stooges.
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Characters are shown smoking cigarettes and drinking beer throughout the movie. One of the main characters is shown intoxicated as he holds a gun to his head. Early in the film, a woman is shown snorting cocaine and swallowing pills before falling to her death from an upper floor in a high-rise. A teenage daughter is grounded because she was caught by her father smoking pot; during the movie, she argues with him about why it's OK for him to drink but not OK for her to smoke pot.
