Lethal Weapon (1987)

Lethal Weapon (1987), an  American buddy cop film, was directed and co-produced by Richard Donner, written by Shane Black, and also co-produced by Joel Silver. After the recent loss of his wife, Martin Riggs, a former Special Forces soldier and narcotics Sergeant in the LAPD, has become erratic and suicidal. The captain of the police department believes Riggs is pretending to be mentally unstable in order to retire with a large pension. As a result, he assigns Riggs to work with Roger Murtaugh, an experienced Homicide Sergeant who is also a war veteran. Initially, Murtaugh is skeptical of Riggs’s mental state but eventually becomes convinced that he truly needs help. Meanwhile, Murtaugh receives a call from Michael Hunsaker, an old friend from their time serving in Vietnam. Hunsaker claims that his daughter Amanda needs assistance but unfortunately she takes her own life before they have the chance to meet.

The results of her autopsy reveal that she was fatally poisoned through the consumption of contaminated drugs, suggesting a possible murder. Riggs and Murtaugh make an attempt to interview her pimp, but are violently attacked upon discovering drugs on the premises, causing Riggs to take action in order to save Murtaugh’s life by killing the pimp. Their only remaining lead is Dixie, a prostitute who witnessed Amanda’s death and whom they suspect may have been the one to poison her. As they approach Dixie’s home, it suddenly explodes and her body is later found among the ruins. Among the debris, Riggs discovers components of a mercury switch explosive, a type commonly used by CIA mercenaries during his time in Vietnam. The suspect is identified by local children who noticed he had an elite special forces tattoo resembling that of Riggs.