Question: Even with Diplomatic Immunity surely the cops aren't just going to stand back and let their colleagues die? is Diplomatic Immunity REALLY that infallible?
wizard_of_gore
19th Mar 2009
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
Answer: It all depends on the level of immunity and who the person is. If the Diplomat commits a serious crime, there are a few courses of actions. They can ask the Diplomat to leave the country, they can ask the foreign country's government to recall the Diplomat, they can expel the Diplomat, or they can request the government of the Diplomat's country to waive Diplomatic Immunity. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2018-DipConImm_v5_Web.pdf.
1st Feb 2008
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
Question: I've seen this movie many times, however I noticed something different when I was it on TV in the UK recently. In the cargo hold, Riggs is dodging in and out of cover behind shipping containers and shooting bad guys. In the TV version I saw, as Riggs breaks his cover and walks forward shooting we hear a voice-over from Riggs, repeating the names of those victims killed by the South Africans ending with Rika and Vicki. I have never noticed this before in any of the DVD / VHS releases. I checked my DVD and no voice-over. Am I going mad?
Answer: Prior to the 2010 Blu-Ray release; this scene was always heavily edited in the UK (in both the theatrical and all home video releases - including so the 'Director's Cut') thanks to the BBFC, to remove a lot of the violence. The voice over was still there but severely truncated as the corresponding footage had been removed. Some TV airings from 2000 onwards however used the original 'uncut' (i.e. No BBFC cuts) versions, which featured the violent footage and voice over in full. It's possible the version you saw on TV was the uncut version, while your VHS and DVD copies were the cut versions. Another indicator of which version you were watching is the scene right after Riggs emerges from the water having freed himself from his straitjacket and discovered Rika's body. If this scene was followed by Riggs climbing aboard the dock and taking out 2 South Africans in a violent rampage, you were watching the uncut version. If it cut straight to Riggs on the dock, 're-locating' his shoulder on the car (with noticeable soundtrack skip) ; you were watching the cut BBFC version.
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Chosen answer: Not in this case. This movie is notable for taking extreme liberties with the concept of diplomatic immunity. For one thing, the character was the head of a consulate, and would have had the much more limited 'consular immunity'. Generally, diplomatic immunity covers things like parking tickets, but even in cases of car injury and death, diplomats are not prosecuted in the host country, but can be expelled. In any case, diplomats cannot simply commit brazen crimes and get away with it.
wizard_of_gore ★