10 Best Roger Murtaugh Quotes In The Lethal Weapon Movies

Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon movies rank among the most popular classics in the history of action cinema. The franchise helped to define the tropes of the “buddy cop” subgenre with a bickering pair of mismatched lawmen. Danny Glover’s Roger Murtaugh, a veteran detective on the brink of retirement, is one of the most beloved action movie heroes of all time.

While Murtaugh’s partner Martin Riggs is just as iconic, he’s not quite as quotable. Murtaugh has countless memorable lines – including his repeated catchphrase, “I’m too old for this s***!”

10 When Riggs Becomes Lethal

“I Guess We Need To Register You As A Lethal Weapon.”

It’s always exciting when a character says the title of a movie in the movie itself. The title of Lethal Weapon is just a generic exciting-sounding two-word action movie title like Point Break or Execution Decision – it doesn’t need to be analyzed too much.

But when Murtaugh gets to know Riggs in the first movie, he provides some real context for the title. In Murtaugh’s view, Riggs is such a proficient fighter that he needs to be registered as a “lethal weapon.”

9 When There’s A Bomb In The Bathroom

“I’m Gonna Die On A Toilet, Aren’t I?”

The success of the Lethal Weapon franchise rests on its ability to blend high-octane thrills with goofy, lighthearted humor. One of the greatest set-pieces in Lethal Weapon 2 nails this combo. Murtaugh goes to his bathroom, sits on the toilet, and suddenly realizes it’s rigged to explode.

Before too long, there are cops and firefighters and a bomb squad swarming around Murtaugh’s house – all while he’s still on the can. When Murtaugh asks Riggs if he’s going to “die on a toilet,” Riggs sweetly assures him, “Guys like you don’t die on toilets.”

8 When The Lawn Needs To Be Cleaned

“Get That S*** Off My Lawn!”

The climactic action sequence in the first Lethal Weapon movie is a brutal fight between Riggs and Mr. Joshua on the lawn in front of Murtaugh’s house. Murtaugh is one of the many spectators watching the fight.

When it’s finally over, with Riggs emerging victorious and Joshua left hopelessly defeated on the lawn, Murtaugh bluntly tells his partner to “get that s*** off my lawn!”

7 When Riggs Is Dying

“You Got That, Riggs? You’re Not Dead Until I Tell You.”

When Lethal Weapon was successful enough to earn a sequel, franchise creator Shane Black was brought back to write the script for Lethal Weapon 2. But the producers ended up drastically changing his script. According to WhatCulture, Black’s original ending was much darker, but it was replaced with a more uplifting one in which Riggs survives, leaving the door open for another sequel.

After Murtaugh dispatches the villain with a badass one-liner about his revoked immunity, he joins a fatally wounded Riggs and tells him he’s not allowed to die until he says so: “You got that, Riggs!? You’re not dead until I tell you!” Glover’s heartfelt delivery of the monologue is beautiful.

6 When He’s Being Interrogated

“Go Spit!”

When Riggs and Murtaugh are captured by the bad guys, they’re subjected to a bunch of torture techniques that the villains learned in the military in the hopes of gathering useful intel.

Fortunately, from their own wartime experiences, Riggs and Murtaugh are well-versed in withstanding torture. They both refuse to give up information during a brutal interrogation. Murtaugh tells his interrogator to “go spit!”

5 When He’s Never Heard Of Albacore

“Alba-What!?”

One of the hilarious things about Murtaugh is that, no matter what, he’s always doing something wrong. In one movie, he eats a tuna sandwich, much to the chagrin of his family. His kids tell him he’s not allowed to eat tuna.

His wife explains that they’re boycotting tuna because the fishermen kill the dolphins that get caught in their fishing nets, so they’re only eating albacore. An exasperated Murtaugh, who’s never heard of the most sustainable species of tuna, says, “Alba-what!?”

4 When He Saves The Cat

“Only Me, You, And This Cat Are Dumb Enough To Be In Here.”

For the opening scene of Lethal Weapon 3, the filmmakers took advantage of a building that was being demolished. The sequence sees Riggs and Murtaugh trying and failing to defuse a bomb before the bomb squad arrives, causing the entire building to explode.

The only living things still in the building are Riggs, Murtaugh, and a cat they found. When Riggs realizes he can’t defuse the bomb, he tells Murtaugh to “grab the cat” and runs. This is a hilariously literal example of the “save the cat” screenwriting technique taught by Blake Snyder.

3 When Riggs Pulls Rank

“I Was Driving Before You Were An Itch In Your Daddy’s Pants!”

An age gap is a common conflict in mismatched buddy cop duos. Tommy Lee Jones is the aging curmudgeon opposite Will Smith’s young hotshot in the Men in Black franchise. Riggs and Murtaugh originated this trope in Lethal Weapon.

While Riggs is a renegade detective, Murtaugh has been doing the job a lot longer. Murtaugh doesn’t waste an opportunity to point out that he was a fully grown adult when Riggs was just “an itch in your daddy’s pants.”

2 When Diplomatic Immunity Is Revoked

“It’s Just Been Revoked.”

Lethal Weapon 2 has one of the most inventive setups for a villain in action movie history. Arjen Rudd has diplomatic immunity, so all of his shady activities in America are technically legal.

In the finale, when Murtaugh has a gun pointed at Rudd, he reminds him he has diplomatic immunity. Murtaugh shoots him dead and quips, “It’s just been revoked.” It’s a truly glorious action movie sign-off.

1 When He’s Feeling Old

“I’m Too Old For This S***!”

Murtaugh repeats his catchphrase about being “too old for this s***” in every Lethal Weapon movie. In every single one, he’s looking forward to his imminent retirement before getting roped into another deadly investigation with his partner.

An episode of How I Met Your Mother, aptly titled “Murtaugh,” pointed out that Murtaugh kept doing “this s***” for four movies. He was always on the brink of retirement, but he never actually retired.

About The Author

Ben Sherlock
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Ben Sherlock is a writer, comedian, independent filmmaker, and Burt Reynolds enthusiast. He writes lists for Screen Rant and features and reviews for Game Rant. He’s currently in pre-production on his first feature (and has been for a while, because filmmaking is expensive). You can catch him performing standup at odd pubs around the UK that will give him stage time. Previously, he wrote for Taste of Cinema, Comic Book Resources, and BabbleTop.

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