Beverly Hills Cop - Axel F movie review: Reviving a dormant franchise with nostalgia, fast-talking comedy and old-fashioned action

Beverly Hills Cop - Axel F movie review

Film: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Kevin Bacon, Paul Reiser, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton
Director: Mark Molloy
Rating: 3/5
Runtime: 118 min

The 1984 release, Beverly Hills Cop was a landmark film because it helped establish Eddie Murphy as a bankable star, had a peppy pop song-laden soundtrack, and still has the power to draw you into its narrative exploits. This fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop series starring Eddie Murphy, comes 40 years after his first outing. The third sequel was released in 1994 so it was about time for the series to be resurrected. Most of the characters from the original movie are back in action. And of course they are aged and much slower on the action but that hasn't stopped them from doing what they do best. Taggart, Rosewood, an unrecognizable Jeffrey and Serge are all there.

Axel F is a continuation of sorts to the third movie. The style is the same and the remixed music including songs like ‘The Heat is on', ‘Hot in the city', ‘Neutron dance','family affair', ‘Oh here we go,' ‘ Shakedown', playing in the background gets you tripping on sheer nostalgia. Composer Lorne Balfe manages to get the tone and tenor of the past in tune with the present. Her musical nod to Harold Faltermeyer (the original's composer) is faultless. This one is not entirely an action film either, there's plenty of humor in it. And Eddie Murphy hasn't lost any of his glib-talking, voluble charm.

This film indulges in nostalgic callbacks, has several scenes encapsulating the spirit of the original and yet has something new to offer. It's a fluid attempt to adapt to the expectations of a contemporary audience and is therefore quite creditable.

Axel Foley (Murphy), a seasoned Detroit cop with no respect for Public property, indulges in a high-octane chase through the city streets, smashing vehicles, barricades and everything else that stands in his way. He is older, maybe wiser even, but hasn't let go of his hell-raising, bend-the-rules, tear-up-the-streets, ways. His single focus is to catch the criminals by hook or by crook. And he is the bane of every Police Chief he has worked under. His boss, former partner Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser), who has risen from the ranks to that of Deputy Chief, is clearly at a loss as to how to deal with him.

He also has family issues. He hasn't communicated with his estranged daughter, a Defence attorney, Jane Saunders(Taylour Paige)who lives in Beverly Hills, in the last 5 years. The writers obviously have invented a reunion between the two - but for that to happen Axel has to get together with former colleagues and ‘out' the ‘rotten apple' from the police force.

So, the narrative transports us back to Beverly Hills, where Jane finds herself in peril due to her involvement in a case concerning corrupt cops. Axel also renews his friendships with Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton). Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon, add freshness to that nostalgia reviving dynamic. The narrative also includes some interesting moments having Axel get in touch with a High-profile friend to help run a check on the drug cartels hideout, and a terrific scene with Luis Guzman stirring up menace, as the uncle of the prisoner that Jane is representing.

Murphy's scenes with Taylour Paige also add depth to the narrative. We get to see an Axel who has paid a heavy personal price for his professional single-mindedness.

The action sequences are well-executed, and the minimal use of CGI here is quite refreshing. Director Mark Molloy shores up his winning formula by allowing Murphy plenty of room for improvisation. Murphy as Axel F shows off his magical craft during and in between shootouts and chases. This is not just a legacy franchise entrant it's also an entertaining film and a testament to Murphy's prowess as an actor!