Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
The Limits of Nostalgia and the Weight of 80s Tropes
Eddie Murphy remains charismatic, but the "sound and fury" of the plot often falls flat.
Official Synopsis
Detective Axel Foley is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she and Foley team up with a new partner and old pals Billy Rosewood and Taggart to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy within the department.
Directed by Mark Molloy, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is equal parts fun and predictably tired. While it’s a joy to see Eddie Murphy reprise his most famous role alongside legacy characters, the hijinks quickly defy believability. Axel Foley remains the same blunt instrument he was in the 80s—shooting first and asking questions later—even when his age suggests he should be moving toward more elegant crime solving rather than dodging automatic rifle fire on Wilshire Blvd.
"There was an opportunity here to maybe change the tone up a bit... Instead, what we get is Foley chasing perps in a semi through heavy traffic... which likely stakes his claim as the unluckiest street detective in cinematic history."— Ray Manukay
🎬 Cast & Crew
- Director: Mark Molloy
- Starring: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige
- Legacy Cast: Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser
- Platform: Netflix
The Vision
The filmmakers seem trapped by the franchise's roots, doubling down on the reckless "cowboy" mentality that defined the original trilogy. While Murphy himself has noted that at 63 he "shouldn't be hanging off car hoods anymore," the production doesn't trust the audience to enjoy a slower, more suspense-driven mystery. The film is at its best when it slows down to let Murphy’s comedic affability shine, yet it too often retreats into loud, violent spectacles that eventually feel strangely boring.
🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts
- Decades in the Making: A fourth Beverly Hills Cop film had been in various stages of development since the mid-90s, with directors like Brett Ratner and Adil El Arbi previously attached.
- Practical Pedigree: Director Mark Molloy insisted on using as many practical stunts as possible to capture the tangible feel of 80s action cinema.
- The "Axel F" Theme: Harold Faltermeyer’s iconic synth theme was updated by composer Lorne Balfe, who integrated it with a more modern orchestral soundscape.
✅ Pros
- Eddie Murphy remains effortlessly charismatic and funny.
- Great to see the original "legacy" cast back together.
- Genuine laughs when the dialogue is allowed to breathe.
❌ Cons
- Plot gets too loud, violent, and repetitive.
- Foley's reckless behavior defies modern believability.
- Missed opportunity to evolve the character’s methodology.
My Review
Nostalgia has its limits in the latest chapter of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise. Axel F is equal parts fun, but also predictably tired. There is enjoyment seeing Eddie Murphy reprise his most famous role with legacy characters, yet the action and hijinks get out of hand quickly in the story. Age is just a number, but the trouble his character gets into defies believability even by action movie standards. There is a moment where the mischievous Foley admits he is just too tired to con his way into getting what he wants, which is a relief that even Axel realizes it is sometimes easier to just pay the bill.
As audience members, we kinda wish Foley would feel the same way about the chaos he creates. Why not let the law solve problems instead of playing the reckless cowboy? One would think after all these years he would be more savvy and creative with his problem-solving, but he is still that same blunt instrument shooting first and asking questions later. This is admittedly a very 1980s mentality at the roots of the franchise, but it leaves us wanting a more elegant crime-solving prism considering the age of the participants. Instead, we get Foley dodging automatic rifle fire on Wilshire Blvd, likely staking his claim as the unluckiest street detective in cinematic history.
The film is not a total loss, as Murphy remains as charismatic as ever. There are some legitimate laughs when he plays with dialogue and bounces off side characters, but the plot eventually gets too loud and violent. This makes the experience feel annoying and strangely boring after a while. Axel F is at its best when the story trusts itself to slow down and depend on Murphy being his comedic, affable self. Unfortunately, the filmmakers bring a pointless sound and fury that signifies very little, resulting in a solid achievement for completionists but a missed opportunity for a truly special achievement in the genre.
🏆 Final Verdict
A functional nostalgia trip that works best as a "hangout movie" but falters as an action-thriller. Murphy is the anchor, but the sound and fury surrounding him signify very little.
View original review on Letterboxd
No comments:
Post a Comment