The general rule of thumbs for action sequels is to have the same, plus more. And for the most part, Lethal Weapon 2 follows that formula. The action is bigger (more helicopters!), the villain is harder to take down, and everything is all around more punchy. The humor is raised several notches, specifically with the inclusion of Joe Pesci as the wacky sidekick, and an action scene taking place entirely on a toilet (which actually works far better than it should, both as action and comedy).

The one thing that falls to the wayside is the sense of danger and unease the first film had. In the original, you really weren't certain that Riggs (Mel Gibson) was going to make it to the end of the film alive. He was so damn crazy that he dared perps to shoot him, and would jump off buildings to stop a suicide. And he's crazy in this one, but it's not suicidal crazy. It's just funny crazy. A good example is a sequence where Riggs bets several other officers that he can't get out of a straight jacket in under five minutes. With just under a minute left, and all the officers jeering, Riggs reveals he can dislocate his shoulder at will, and does so with a sickening pop, using that to remove the jacket. And while intentionally dislocating your shoulder isn't exactly a normal thing to do, it's a lot more sane than holding a cocked, loaded gun to your head like Riggs was wont to do in the first film.

Okay, so Riggs isn't quite so off the deep end anymore. But that's okay, because the action definitely is. But in a good way. Right from the opening, the action in this film is fast and heavy. Car chases, helicopter gunfights, and explosions, explosions, explosions. The action in this film tops the first one by a good margin, and the results are thrilling. Also built on from the first film is the relationship Murtaugh (Danny Glover) and Riggs. While Murtaugh came to trust and maybe even like Riggs by the end of the first film, here they're inseparable. Murtaugh's wife does laundry for Riggs, and Riggs cooks for Murtaugh's family. They do have the odd shouting match now and then, but there are no fundamental disagreements between the two this time around. And while the tension helped drive the first film, this time the trust between the two men is central to the movie working.

However, not everything in the film is rosy. There's already evidence of the series repeating itself, with a home invasion sequence on Murtaugh's family that feels too reminiscent of his daughter's kidnapping in the first, and the villains in the film are nowhere near as interesting and distinctive as Busey and company, even if the diplomatic immunity angle is a nice touch. Even this early on, we see the signs of the series' eventual decline, but in this case, Lethal Weapon 2 is so exciting and funny that they overcome the flaws.

The HD DVD:

The Image:
The first Lethal Weapon looked a little disappointing on HD DVD. Granted, it was a film from 1987, but I've seen older movies look better. So it's nice to know that Lethal Weapon 2 sports a better transfer. Everything about the film is more rock solid, with colors coming across clearly and fine details evident. Again, this is 1989 cinematography, so everything does look a little washed out, but that's how the movie looks. Overall, I was impressed with the transfer in comparison to the previous film.

Disclaimer: The pictures in this review were taken from Warner Bros. official Lethal Weapon 2 website and do not reflect the image quality of the HD DVD transfer.

The Audio:
A big action blockbuster is nothing without the soundtrack to sell the effects, and the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix included here does an admirable job. Gunfire cracks, explosions rock, metal screeches against metal in a very satisfying way. Of course, this isn't going to compare against recent action flicks like Batman Begins or Pirates of the Caribbean, but it works while the movie is playing. Also included is a French 2.0 track.

The Supplements:
This version of Lethal Weapon 2 is the theatrical cut, so the first extra is a collection of deleted scenes, most of which made their way into the director's cut of the film. There is still a debate over whether or not the inclusion of those scenes make the film better or worse, so for those of you who love the theatrical cut, this is the disc for you!

We also get a vintage special effects featurette that is quite rudimentary, although it does end on a fairly funny line from Richard Donner. Still, nothing to write home about. Last on the disc is the theatrical trailer. None of the extras are in high definition.

The Conclusion:
Lethal Weapon 2 may follow the action sequel formula to a T, but since it's only the first sequel, it works. The action in the film is top-notch, and the added humor works to the benefit of the proceedings. The transfer on this disc looks much better than the first movie's, as well. For fans of the series, this is a no-brainer. Even if you only have a passing interest in the Lethal Weapon movies, this is still one worth catching. Recommended.

Daniel Hirshleifer is the High Definition Editor for DVD Talk.