In Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, it has been 40 years since Detective Axel Foley traveled to Beverly Hills to hunt down a murderer. In that time, Axel has had further work-related jaunts to the Hills, including one in 1987 and another in 1994, but for the most part he has been working hard in his home city of Detroit.
Working hard and becoming estranged from his daughter, Jane Saunders. Jane works as a criminal defence lawyer in Beverly Hills, and she and Axel have a strained relationship.
However, when Axel receives a call from his old pal, Billy Rosewood, informing him that Jane’s life is in danger, he hops on the first plane to the Hills. Here he attempts to help Jane, and give their father-daughter relationship a much needed jolt.
Directed by Mark Molloy, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F stars Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, and Kevin Bacon. The movie is the fourth entry in the Beverly Hills Cop movie series, and if you are a Netflix subscriber you can stream the film from today.
And chances are, if you’re a fan of the series, you will want to stream Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, because it’s an enjoyable action comedy. It’s too long, and it relies a little too heavily on nostalgic callbacks to the original film (the soundtrack, cast, the final shoot-out, etc) but it’s mostly fun.
Perhaps most important of all, Murphy is on fine form as Axel, re-energised after the lacklustre Beverly Hills Cop III. He’s switched on, engaged, great to watch, and has a good relationship with all the cast, especially Taylour Paige, who plays daughter, Jane.
Highlights of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F include a humorous sequence involving pepper spray, a chucklesome scene with a realtor, and a spot of fun with a car valet. The movie also includes the always welcome return of Bronson Pinchot as Serge.
This is Pinchot’s third appearance as the outrageously camp former art (and arms) dealer, and he brings a nice touch of wit and sparkle midway through the movie. His screen time is limited, but his presence is well placed and he adds a touch of energy when needed.
Where the movie is less successful is in the pacing and the general stitching together of the picture. Similar to Part II, the whole thing feels quite patchwork at times, as though it is built around set pieces and scraps of ideas, rather than a completely polished script.
The film’s chief villain can also be spotted a mile off. In fact, as soon as you see their name amongst the credits, you’ll know instantly who it is.
However, less successful parts aside, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F still delivers. It can’t hit the heights of the ‘80s glory days, and it’s not quite up there with the recent and fairly similar themed Bad Boys movies, but it’s a good fit for Netflix.
While Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is unable to recapture the magic of the original film, it’s much better than Part III, and sits somewhere around the Part II mark. Sure, it could be quicker, it could be slicker, and certainly should be shorter, but after all these years it could have been a complete dumpster fire and it’s not.
Despite the ageing cast who look like they’ve been dragged out of retirement, and the fairly generic storyline and villain, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is likeable. For the most part, the film delivers enough action and laughs, and Murphy is committed.
If this film does well on Netflix (and I imagine it will), another entry could follow. This certainly doesn’t feel like the end of the road for Axel Foley, so perhaps a final hurrah will come in time.
__
__
Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment