by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Few people had a hold on the movie-going public like Eddie Murphy in the 1980s. He’s one of the funniest actors ever, with several iconic movies and characters on his resume. Between his ‘80s run and his family movie era in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Murphy has a unique talent that transcended Hollywood. No one leaped Saturday Night Live or standup comedy quite like Murphy, nor will we have someone like that ever again. And none of his movies spawned a series like Beverly Hills Cop. I saw the first one when I was six years old (a grossly inappropriate age to watch the original), and I can’t recall ever watching the other two, so it was high time to complete the trilogy. In honor of Murphy’s return to Axel Foley, let’s sort through all the original movies.
Some spoilers ahead!
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
The Oscar-nominated writing duo behind Beverly Hills Cop is only part of the reason the movie works. On the surface, the franchise’s progenitor is a simple, funny cop procedural. But Murphy elevates it to a whole new level. Almost manic at times, Murphy’s frizz, comedic chops, and star power make him the perfect leading man. This is as personal as it gets for Axel, as he looks to avenge his childhood friend, Mikey (James Russo). The supporting cast is another reason Beverly Hills Cop is as timely as it comes. With such memorable characters as Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), Taggart (John Ashton), Bogomil (Ronny Cox), and Serge (Bronson Pinchot), Beverly Hills Cop lets everyone cook with their sharp wit, while also sporting an excellent detective story. Victor (Steven Berkoff), and by extension, Zack (Jonathan Banks), are a terrifying duo that are as cruel as they come. Murphy shines the most, though, with the fish-out-of-water story of a hard-nosed Detroit cop who finds his way to Beverly Hills.
Rating: High Side of Liked It
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
Like the original, Axel is brought back to Beverly Hills on a personal vendetta regarding Bogomil. This time, though, he gets involved in a dangerous investigation involving the Alphabet crime spree in Southern California. Rosewood and Taggart return, but they change men and police officers after they meet Axel. Beverly Hills Cop II picks up right where we left off, but ups the stakes to where no one is safe. Murphy is still exceedingly funny, and the jokes and riffing with co-stars are still on point. Brigitte Nielsen is a strong addition to the cast as Karla, and she’s brutal. Although I concede this feels like a retread of the same tropes that were in the original, I still found Beverly Hills Cop II enjoyable.
Rating: Liked It
Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
If you were to tell me that the third movie would involve Axel Foley at an amusement park for the majority of the movie, I would have laughed in your face. However, the real problem with Beverly Hills Cop III is that Murphy isn’t his usual frantic self. It feels like a paycheck movie, and is as aimless as they come. There’s some nostalgia for me with this movie, because it was filmed at a Six Flags park. Unfortunately, with no Taggart or Bogomil, and a pretty subpar investigation, Beverly Hills Cop III is a bad way to end a strong trilogy. I know that cop movies can eventually get stale, but when Murphy stops trying, it’s time to hang ‘em up and call it a day. All of the new characters are as generic and forgettable as they come, but thankfully, a return of Serge makes everything a little more palatable. Credit where credit is due: This is a much better shot movie, and it at least attempts to capitalize on more action scenes. Beverly Hills Cop III is just lazy, a deathstroke for a movie franchise that has simply lost its steam.
Score: Low Side of It Was Just Okay
Franchise ranking
- Beverly Hills Cop
- Beverly Hills Cop 2
- Beverly Hills Cop 3
Each film capitalizes on what Murphy does best: talk and riff with his co-stars. He is in a bit of a renaissance right now, and his partnership with Netflix has been fruitful with Dolemite is My Name. However, with Coming 2 America, we see the risk of bringing an old franchise back from the dead. The Beverly Hills Cop series has been dormant for too long, but I’m wondering if the advent of the internet is going to help or hurt Axel’s status as an outstanding detective. Moreover, the cop movie genre is as stale as ever. I’m crossing my fingers that Axel F is a fun return to form, and that Beverly Hills Cop can go back to respectability.
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