--- title: "Lethal Weapon 4: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-4/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-4" critics_score: 49 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Lethal Weapon 4 (1998): what the critics said Critics' score 49 from 9 reviews: 1 positive, 4 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews lean mixed to negative, with only one plainly positive notice among nine. Where there is praise, it clusters in the same two places: Jet Li’s fighting, which several critics call the best thing the fourth film adds, and the easy rapport among the returning cast, whose verbal sparring is credited even by those who dislike everything around it. The action set-pieces are generally granted professional execution, and the freeway chase comes up more than once. The complaints are about the story and the jokes. Most critics find the plot thin or illogical, the humour tired and the running time padded, and there is a recurring sense that the series has run out of steam and its leads are going through the motions. The spread is wide. Variety is the lone enthusiast, calling it buoyant popcorn fare, while the Los Angeles Times declares it creatively bankrupt and Eye for Film says it wastes Li. Two notices are partial, so the picture is less firm than the count suggests. ## Variety — Leonard Klady Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 8 July 1998. Klady finds the film buoyant, entertaining popcorn fare despite its illogical plot and nihilistic violence. He praises the performances, especially Chris Rock’s comic addition, and singles out the freeway chase and duel for their spectacle. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/lethal-weapon-4-1200454483/) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 10 July 1998. The headline presents the film as an action comedy driven by its familiar stars. It singles out the mix of physical mayhem and jokes, but the blocked article leaves the critic’s overall verdict unclear. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/10/movies/film-review-bones-crunch-jokes-fly-must-be-gibson-and-glover.html) ## Time Out — NF Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page labels this a film review, but provides no review text. Its verdict and any specifically praised or criticized element therefore cannot be determined. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/lethal-weapon-4-1) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 2.5/4. 10 July 1998. Ebert finds the film entertaining but overly reliant on the series’ familiar formula. He singles out the chemistry among the returning characters as its chief strength. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/lethal-weapon-4-1998) ## Radio Times — John Ferguson Rating 3/5. Ferguson says the fourth film is a slight improvement over the third, though it still feels like the cast is going through the motions. He praises Jet Li’s fighting skills as the most notable new addition. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ei8t4l/lethal-weapon-4/) ## Empire — Andrew Collins Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic finds the sequel entertaining but the weakest entry in the series, with a disappointing sense that the franchise has run out of steam. The returning leads’ verbal sparring is praised, while the action is faulted for straining to feel original. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lethal-weapon-4-review/) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 2/5. 18 September 1998. The review finds the sequel overlong, unfunny, and a poor fit for its aging heroes. It praises the action set-pieces and Jet Li’s villain, while faulting the humor and story. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/lethal-weapon-4-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 10 July 1998. Turan condemns the film as creatively bankrupt and lacking a worthwhile plot. He credits the action sequences with professional execution and Jet Li’s martial arts with adding welcome intensity. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jul-10-ca-2255-story.html) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic finds the film a disappointing, padded buddy movie with a weak thriller plot. Jet Li’s martial arts skills are singled out for praise, though the review says the film wastes his potential. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/lethal-weapon-4-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-4.md