BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F -- Passable Legacy Sequel Feels Mostly Tepid

Review by Sean Boelman

(L to R) Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

A fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop series has been in and out of development for decades. Now, 40 years after the release of the original movie and 30 since its most recent entry, Netflix is releasing the legacy sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. The result is about as good (or bad) as one would expect from a straight-to-streaming continuation of a once-bustling franchise — that is to say, it’s entirely inoffensive and totally palatable, if not particularly impressive.

The film follows Axel Foley as he leaves Detroit yet again to go to Beverly Hills when his (adult) daughter’s life is threatened. Along the way, he causes hijinks as he uncovers a conspiracy in the 90210. It’s an incredibly generic, predictable story — anyone with any cinematic knowledge would be able to guess the “twist” just by looking at the cast list — but if you’re willing to be satisfied by the bare minimum of another adventure with Murphy’s detective, this sequel is passable. 

Unfortunately, stars like Tom Cruise and Will Smith have spoiled legacy sequels for the rest of Hollywood. Although Eddie Murphy is only a few years older than either, he feels decades older in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Although it might be a quote from Lethal Weapon, you’d think Murphy’s detective would be shouting, “I’m too old for this shit!”

The action set pieces in the movie are sorely lacking any sense of adrenaline and excitement. Excusing it due to Murphy’s age can only go so far when others in their sixties — and older — have done much more exhilarating things in recent action flicks. And while it might be possible to forgive them for not being exhilarating, they also aren’t particularly effective at setting up slapstick humor situations.

(L to R) Joseph Gordon Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix © 2024.

There are still some funny moments to be found in Axel F. Some of the funniest jokes are tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at the franchise, or even Murphy himself. However, these witty moments are only enough to get a passive chuckle out of the viewer. It never ascends to the laugh-out-loud level of the original, feeling more like a nostalgic imitation than an actual successor to the comedy classic.

The rest of the returning cast is also mostly underwhelming. Judge Reinhold is barely in the film, and when he is present, it feels like he’s sleepwalking through his role. Other familiar faces tend to pop up in a “Hey, remember this guy?” way rather than meaningfully progressing the plot forward.

Of course, as with any legacy sequel, there’s some new blood added to the mix. The best addition is Taylour Page, who surprisingly holds her own against the comedic veteran she shares the screen with. Page brings a spunky, almost defiant personality to the role that, while a bit on the conventional side, plays well to the role she is being asked to perform. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon aren’t bad, but it constantly feels like they are just happy to be there. Granted, as much of this may be due to how poorly written both of their characters are as to their unimpassioned performances.

Yet, for all of its problems, it’s hard not to get at least a little swept away in the nostalgia of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. It’s not exactly a good movie, and it’s nowhere near as good as the original. However, it is just — and only just — reminiscent enough of the 1984 movie’s success to be worth the time for fans of the franchise. 

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F streams on Netflix beginning July 3.

Rating: 3/5