Alexander B. Collett, Richard Donner, Michael Klastorin, Jennie Lew Tugend, Steve Perry, Joel Silver
Screenplay:
Jeffrey Boam, Robert Mark Kamen
Cameraman:
Jan de Bont
Composer:
Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton, David Sanborn, Elton John
Cast:
Mel Gibson (as Martin Riggs), Danny Glover (as Roger Murtaugh), Joe Pesci (as Leo Getz), Rene Russo (as Lorna Cole), Stuart Wilson (as Jack Travis),...
L.A.P.D. Sergeants Riggs and Murtaugh respond to a bomb threat. Riggs convinces Murtaugh - who is working his last week before retirement - to enter the building before the bomb squad arrives, claiming that he can defuse the bomb himself, and that the bomb squad is always late. They have an argument about which wire to cut. He convinces Murtaugh that they should cut the blue wire using the toilet bomb incident that occurred three years ago as an example, but instead he cuts the red wire. When he cuts the red wire, however, the bomb's timer accelerates, and the partners barely escape before the bomb detonates and destroys the building. To add insult to injury, the bomb squad arrives a few seconds later. Although they save a cat, the partners are demoted to patrol officers.
During their first patrol, Riggs and Murtaugh foil a routine armored car robbery; surprisingly, the robbers are found to have pistols loaded with armor-piercing bullets which Murtaugh refers to as "Cop Killers". They order one of the robbers brought in for interrogation, but arrive to find someone has infiltrated the police station and killed him. A hidden camera shows the killer to be former LAPD Lieutenant Jack Edward Travis, legendary for both his brutality and his corruption. Riggs and Murtaugh are eager to investigate, but they are shunted to the side by Internal Affairs Sergeant Lorna Cole.
Riggs and Murtaugh are promoted back to detective's rank. Leo Getz - who is now a real estate agent trying to sell the Murtaugh home - recognizes Travis from the video, as a man he once did a favor for: box seats at ice hockey games. The three track Travis to a Los Angeles Kings game, but Travis gets away after shooting Leo on the ice (but not seriously wounding him, contrary to what he believes). At the hospital, Riggs and Murtaugh convince the medical staff to keep Leo in for two days for a faked rectal exam, knowing this will keep him out of their way.
On a lunch break during their investigation, Riggs observes a group of gang members making a drug deal nearby. Initially attempting a solo arrest, Riggs is hit from behind by a gangster with a piece of wood, leaving him unable to defend himself when another one opens fire with an automatic MAC-10. Arriving late, Murtaugh returns fire, killing the gang member - who is revealed to be a fifteen-year-old boy named Darryl, a friend of Murtaugh's son. Murtaugh becomes racked with guilt and hides from both Riggs and his family.