In Beverly Hills Cop II, a few years have passed since Detective Axel Foley’s investigation in Beverly Hills, and he is back in Detroit working on a case involving credit card fraud. Meanwhile, Axel’s friends in Beverly Hills, Captain Bogomil, Detective Rosewood, and Sergeant Taggart, are tied up with a case of their own – a series of high-value robberies known as the Alphabet Crimes.
One afternoon, while driving home Bogomil is lured into a trap by one of the criminals involved in the Alphabet Crimes. He is gunned down in broad daylight and left for dead.
Back in Detroit, Axel sees a news report about Bogomil and is understandably concerned. He heads off to Beverly Hills to help Rosewood and Taggart track down Bogomil’s would-be assassin, while the Captain recuperates in hospital.
Directed by Tony Scott, Beverly Hills Cop II stars Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Ronny Cox, Paul Reiser, Brigitte Nielsen, Dean Stockwell, Gil Hill, and Gilbert Gottfried. The movie is an action comedy and the second entry in the Beverly Hills Cop movie series.
As with its predecessor, Beverly Hills Cop II benefits from a cracking performance from lead star Murphy, a good soundtrack, and a solid mix of action and laughs. There’s plenty of fun to be had with the film, and fans of the original will find this one enjoyable.
However, Beverly Hills Cop II isn’t as slick or as tight as the first entry and suffers a touch from sequel-itis. Yes, it’s great to see Axel back in Beverly Hills, but at times this follow-up feels more like a rinse and repeat of the original, and certainly not as fresh.
Where Beverly Hills Cop II struggles a bit is in the story and pacing. Both are off this time around and it is noticeable.
The original movie didn’t have the strongest narrative, but it worked fine because it was a good introduction to the characters, and the picture moved rather swiftly. Beverly Hills Cop II is somewhat clunky by comparison and plays out more like a collection of set pieces and ideas taped together.
The script is serviceable, just not as good. The characters are still likeable, but at times they appear to be going through the motions.
As a result, the film doesn’t flow quite as well. It’s fine in places, but it’s more patchwork fun than smooth sailing, which is a shame.
On the plus side, Brigitte Nielsen is fab as gun-wielding assassin, Karla Fry; Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, and Ronny Cox all make welcome returns; and the action sequences are all good stuff.
The late director, Tony Scott knew how to direct action sequences and this is evident in Beverly Hills Cop II. The finale is entertaining, and fans of an all-out shoot-out will be pleased.
While Beverly Hills Cop II is a by-the-numbers ‘80s sequel, and not up there with the original, it has enjoyable moments and there is fun to be had. Murphy proves to be the key player, and the relationship between Foley, Rosewood, and Taggart is worth coming back for.
As for everything else? It’s peaks and troughs, but perfectly fine if all you want is a bit of easy-to-watch escapism.
Should you wish to watch Beverly Hills Cop II, the film is currently available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K, as part of a Beverly Hills Cop collection. The movie is also available on digital platforms, and is currently streaming on Netflix.
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