So Different, yet so Similar.

Lethal Weapon deals with a lot what King talks about in Heroes in Hard Times. Everything from the conflict between the characters, the destruction of an oppressive upper class villain and even the troubled and hard past of a one of the characters is in this movie. Riggs, who was played by Mel Gibson, has had a troubled past that was the cornerstone of his character. Riggs, because of his wife’s death, is crazy and has to find a reason to live every morning. He is different from Murtaugh, who has his family to live for and there for it is both a reason for him to live and a weakness at the same time. At first, what fun is two cops that instantly get along? The fact that it takes Murtaugh and Riggs some time to get along is essential to the Buddy Cop genre. Riggs is the single, good looking, rugged American gritty cop who lives alone in his trailer, while Murtaugh is the family man who has everything to live for. Murtaugh often gets fed up with Riggs’ recklessness, because Murtaugh knows he has a family to care for. Riggs has no family and now no wife, so he is often on the edge, not caring whether he lives or dies. So these two contrasting in personality, but similar in class role, must team up and destroy and evil mercenary and a rouge rich white General.