Lethal Weapon – Wreck The Halls

By starrymag | December 18, 2017

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

Liam Taylor (Juan Riedinger) gets his truck pulled over. The cop (Ian Stanley) searches the back of the truck and finds that his hands are covered in gasoline. Liam flicks a lit cigarette into the truck and shuts the door, driving away in the cop’s car as the truck explodes. Martin Riggs (Clayne Crawford) and Molly Hendricks (Kristen Gutoskie) take Ben (Duncan Joiner) Christmas tree shopping, and Ben looks at a tiny tree with barely any branches. Riggs asks if he’s okay, and Molly explains that Christmas is always hard for him because his father, Jake, not joining them every year disappoints him. Riggs convinces Ben that he’ll get more presents if he chooses a bigger tree, and a costumed elf (Erin McIntosh) offers to take the family’s picture. Molly insists they should take one despite Riggs’ hesitation, and the three pose for the picture.

 

As they prepare for their Hawaiian vacation, Trish Murtaugh (Keesha Sharp) urges Roger Murtaugh (Damon Wayans) to get into a vacation mindset. Murtaugh tells Riana Murtaugh (Chandler Kinney) that he’s not paying for two carryon bags. Jim McNiele (Andrew Patrick Ralston) arrives with Robbie (Mavrick Moreno) and Roger Murtaugh, Jr. (Dante Brown) teases Riana about her boyfriend. As McNeile talks to Trish about Robbie’s sunscreen, Murtaugh searches for the ringing phone. Trish finds the phone and Murtaugh talks to Diego Cabrera (Eddie Ramos), who asks to meet. Diego insists that he’s not in trouble, and Murtaugh tells him that he’s about to go on vacation. A car drives by and Diego tells him not to worry, despite looking terrified. Murtaugh says goodbye to Trish, promising that he’ll be in Hawaii tomorrow morning.

 

Sonya Bailey (Michelle Mitchenor) is surprised to find that Riggs is doing paperwork, but sees that his description of the incident is very simplistic. Murtaugh doesn’t want to worry about it, insisting that he’s in the vacation mindset. Brooks Avery (Kevin Rahm) tells them that they have a case, and Murtaugh is thrilled that it’s on the way to the airport. However, Murtaugh is horrified to see that Diego is the victim. Uni (Todd Anthony) comments that Diego was an idiot drug dealer and Murtaugh shoves him into a wall before storming off.

 

Bernard Scorsese (Johnathan Fernandez) finds no trace of cocaine in Diego’s system despite finding some in his backpack, and Murtaugh gets upset with him not outright saying that he was clean. Murtaugh insists that Diego was on the right track, and Avery tells him that he will assign a team to investigate the murder.  However, Murtaugh insists he be on the case, and Sonya shows them evidence that another set of prints on the cocaine belonged to Jasper (Jesse La Flair). Sonya tells them that Jasper worked at the same club as Diego, and Avery warns Murtaugh to be careful among the future governors.

 

At the club, Riggs stashes his pockets with candy for Ben. Arthur (Chuck McCollum) asks what they’re doing, and Murtaugh tells them they are investigating a homicide. Grant Davenport (Martin Donovan) introduces himself, and expresses his condolences for Diego’s death. Riggs asks where they can find Jasper, and Davenport leads them to the employee locker room. After telling Davenport to get the locker master key, Murtaugh breaks open Jasper’s locker to find the murder weapon and cocaine inside. Jasper comes in and demands to know why they’re in his locker. He denies that the gun is his, but runs at the mention of the cocaine.

 

They chase him through the club and corner him on the roof. Jasper jumps onto the fire escape on the next building. Murtaugh yells at Riggs for not jumping after him, and Riggs insists that he doesn’t want to die. As Murtaugh insists that nobody is dying, the fire escape breaks and Jasper falls to his death. At the station, Avery congratulates them on solving the case, but Murtaugh isn’t convinced that Jasper is the killer. Avery encourages him to go be with his family, but Murtaugh notices Diego’s personal property on his desk.  Murtaugh looks at Diego’s pictures on his phone, and Riggs tells him to have a good vacation as he leaves the office.

 

On his way out, Diego’s phone gets a text from Crystal (Chelsea Tavares), who asks him to meet her at the South Pole, which Murtaugh realizes is a strip club. Riggs drives Ben home from Christmas shopping, and makes conversation with him. He tells Ben stories about Jake, and tells Ben that Jake was a good man. Ben doesn’t believe him, but Riggs tells him that Jake saved his life.

 

Murtaugh arrives at the club and asks the bouncer (Toby Wilson) for Crystal. He takes a seat, and gets a video call from Trish. Murtaugh answers the call and tries to hide his location. Trish tells him about the hotel, and Murtaugh tells her that he’s working on a case. She calls him out for not being at the airport, and he lies that he’s at a buffet. All a sudden an announcer introduces a dancer, and Murtaugh denies being at a strip club. Crystal approaches him and mentions that he asked for her, and Trish confronts him. Murtaugh insists that he’s on a case and tells her he loves her before hanging up.

 

Murtaugh asks Crystal about Diego, and informs her that he was killed. She admits that she knew that someone would get to him, but notices a man watching them before telling him that she can’t talk to him. The bouncer tells Murtaugh to leave, and asks for a warrant when Murtaugh tries to explain the situation. Trish calls Riggs and asks if they’re on a case. Riggs denies it, but then says that they are once she tells him that Murtaugh is at a strip club. She tells him to get Murtaugh on a plane, and he agrees.

 

Riggs finds Murtaugh waiting outside, who explains the situation. After telling Murtaugh to stay with Ben, Riggs goes inside and asks for Crystal. He goes to the backroom and finds Crystal being yelled at by two thugs (Justin A. Williams and Efka Kvaraciejus), Riggs pretends to stumble in drunk and requests a dance with Crystal. One of the thugs puts a gun to his head, and he jokes before dodging the bullet. Murtaugh hides Ben in the truck before going to help Riggs. The other thug puts a gun to Crystal’s head, but she grabs a heated curling iron to attack him. Murtaugh arrives and shoots two other thugs, but lowers his weapon once he sees Riggs. Murtaugh sees McNeile at the club, but he insists that he’s just there for the ribs.

 

In the interrogation room, Crystal tells Murtaugh that Diego refused to deal with drugs and only went to the club when running errands for his boss, Davenport. She tells him that Diego was worried about the fallout of one of Davenport’s trucks blowing up. Molly calls out Riggs for taking Ben to a strip club, and Riggs mentions that he also talked to him about Jake. She yells at him for telling him that, and Riggs tells her that Jake was a hero to him. Molly tells him that she wants him to come to Christmas dinner, but not if he’s going to bring up Jake. Liam calls his boss to tell him that he identified the cops from the strip club.

 

At the country club, Riggs and Murtaugh approach Davenport and confront him about his truck being blown up with the smuggled drugs inside. Davenport plays off the accusation as a joke to the crowd, and pulls them aside to offer them a bribe to stay quiet. He warns them that they are in trouble, but Murtaugh accuses him of murdering Diego. Riggs suggests that they interview everyone at the club, but Davenport threatens his family. He denies that he has any, but Davenport implies that he knows about his family. Davenport comments on Murtaugh’s love of charity cases, and hopes that Riggs fares better than Diego. Murtaugh grabs Davenport and dunks his head into the eggnog bowl before they leave.

 

Outside, Murtaugh asks Riggs about his family, and Riggs tells him that his father, Nathan Riggs (Rex Linn) was connected to the drug smuggling group. He tells him about Jake saving his life, and Murtaugh suggests that he should go visit Molly because he should be happy. Murtaugh hears intruders come into his house, but finds that it’s just McNeile. He yells at him, but McNeile tries to explain that he was at the strip club because his wife left him. Murtaugh tries to get him out of the house, but people start shooting at them from outside.

 

A motorcycle hits Riggs’ car and several men on motorcycles shoot at him. Riggs ducks below and answers Murtaugh’s call. They both tell each other that they are under attack, and Murtaugh makes Riggs tell him that he’ll see him soon. Murtaugh barricades the front door and sticks two bottles of left behind sunscreen into the microwave. He hides McNeile in his closet, and Riggs shoots one of the gunmen. Noticing that he is nearly out of bullets, he calls Molly and tells her that he’s going to be late. She hears the gunfire and asks what’s going on. He tells her to tell Ben Merry Christmas and hangs up.

 

Murtaugh hides in his bathtub and calls Trish. He apologizes and explains that Diego was murdered. Trish tells him that he shouldn’t be alone, but Murtaugh tells her to stay in Hawaii. He hears the gunmen break into the house and says goodbye. The microwave starts sparking and the gunmen investigate, causing the explosion to take out two of them. To Riggs surprise, one of the gunmen gets a call and tells the others to leave. Riggs gets a text from an unknown number wishing him a Merry Christmas. Murtaugh surveys the damage and extinguishes the fire. He concludes that there’s no structural damage until Riggs drives his truck into the house. Riggs stumbles out and Murtaugh yells at him. While they argue, McNeile notices Liam reach for his gun. He alerts them and Riggs and Murtaugh shoot Liam.

 

The next morning, Murtaugh tells Sonya what he needs fixed as Riggs’ truck is towed out of the house. Sonya asks if he thinks the city is going to pay for repairs, and Murtaugh argues that a federal employee caused the damage. Scorsese admires Murtaugh’s house, and asks why he never invites them over. Sonya tells him that she’s been over, and Scorsese is surprised. Trish calls out to Murtaugh, and he is surprised that the entire family has come home. She admits that she was worried about him. Trish asks what happened to their house, and Murtaugh tells her that he had Riggs over.

 

Riggs watches Davenport get released, and Davenport boasts that there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him. Riggs promises that he will find sufficient evidence someday, and tells him they shut down his smuggling trucks. Davenport taunts him about his connection to the smugglers. Murtaugh apologizes to Trish for ruining their vacation, but she is glad they’re together. Riana and Roger, Jr. burst into their room insisting that they can’t stay in their rooms. Trish demands Murtaugh join them and everyone lies on the bed as a family. Riggs gives Ben his present, and Ben thanks him. Molly sends Ben to bed and gives Riggs a copy of the photo they took at the tree lot. Riggs isn’t thrilled with the picture, but Molly promises to break out the mistletoe once Ben is asleep. An unknown number calls Riggs and he wishes his father, who is alive and in prison, a Merry Christmas.