Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Review



*Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F* wasn't crafted by an algorithm, but you could be forgiven for thinking it was. Co-written by Will Beall, known for *Bad Boys: Ride or Die*, and Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, writers of *The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent*, this attempt to revive a 30-year-old franchise goes out of its way to incorporate all the familiar elements from the original trilogy.

Within the first minute of the movie, released exclusively on Netflix, the iconic saxophone blasts of Glenn Frey's "The Heat Is On" from the original *Beverly Hills Cop* are heard. These are followed by Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” from *Beverly Hills Cop II* and the Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance,” echoing the first installment. The opening montage features Eddie Murphy, still grinning wide as Detroit detective Axel Foley, cruising around Detroit, with scenes of everyday life flashing by, a clear nod to the original franchise's intro.

The film's first major set piece — an attempted robbery at a Detroit Red Wings game that Axel tries to thwart — lands Axel in hot water with his superiors. Paul Reiser returns as Axel’s former partner, Jeffrey, now chief. Axel soon learns that two people he cares about are in danger in L.A.: his estranged daughter, Jane (Taylour Paige), a criminal defense attorney, and Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), Axel’s old buddy, both entangled in exposing corrupt cops. Faster than you can say Harold Faltermeyer, Axel heads back to Beverly Hills to solve a case well outside his Michigan jurisdiction.

The plot is the same formulaic structure used in the previous films. While *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F* is undeniably formulaic, this has always been a staple of the franchise. What made the first two films successful was their delivery of Murphy’s charm as a total ham, willing to use a parade of goofy voices for laughs. *Axel F* captures this essence and reminds us how fun it can be to watch a *Beverly Hills Cop* movie.

Despite its reliance on the familiar, *Axel F* is a good time. It's breezy and doesn’t take itself too seriously, even when the dialogue occasionally feels like it was generated by ChatGPT. “Goddamn it, Foley,” says John Taggart (John Ashton), now the chief of the Beverly Hills Police Department, “Here we go again.” *Goddamn It, Foley, Here We Go Again* would have been an apt title for this movie.

Murphy could likely play Axel in his sleep, but he genuinely seems to enjoy doing Axel Foley things again, like assuming false identities to gather intel. For instance, he introduces himself as “Axel Foley, producer of the new Liam Neeson revenge thriller, *Impound*” to an aspiring actor working at an impound lot. He vamps for the camera, sings along with Mary J. Blige, and unleashes his trademark smile often.

Axel and Jane’s storyline, while contrived, is delivered with enough heart to make their relationship believable. Paige and Murphy infuse their scenes with genuine emotion, making their conflicts feel real.

Returning actors ride comfortably on nostalgia, with Paul Reiser, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, and Bronson Pinchot reprising their roles. New additions, like Taylour Paige, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a Beverly Hills officer, Kevin Bacon as a slick cop, and Luis Guzmán in a memorable cameo, fit in seamlessly and deliver solid performances.

Director Mark Malloy, in his feature debut, maintains a brisk pace and stages car chases reminiscent of '80s and '90s action films, a nod to the series’ roots. While not groundbreaking, *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F* doesn’t aim to be. It’s a retread that surpasses many of Hollywood’s recent retreads, providing another enjoyable adult action-comedy in a summer that already boasts hits like *The Fall Guy* and *Hit Man*.

As Taggart says in another predictable line: “Jesus Christ, some things never change.” *Axel F* embraces this sentiment, banking on Netflix subscribers' nostalgia.

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