Summary
Eddie Murphy might be a fan ofBeverly Hills Cop’sfirst sequel now, but his initial review wasn’t nearly so kind. Murphy’s rise to stardom during the 1980s was meteoric, as he quickly went fromSaturday Night Liveto fronting hits like48 HRSandTrading Places. Of course, theBeverly Hills Copmoviesare arguably his biggest claim to fame. The first three entries followed Murphy’s Detroit detective Axel Foley as he investigated various crimes in Beverly Hills, using a mix of smarts and a natural ability to improvise his way out of trouble.
The franchise has remained essentially dormant for 30 years, outside afailedBeverly Hills CopTV pilotthat didn’t go to series. This would have followed Axel’s son Aaron (Brandon T. Jackson) on his own misadventures in Beverly Hills, with Murphy making a guest appearance. A fourth film spent decades in development hell, but thankfully,early word onNetflix’s upcomingBeverly Hills Cop: Axel Fhas been very positive, and is said to be a return to form for the series.
Eddie Murphy Just Changed His Mind About Beverly Hills Cop 2
The star once labeled the 1987 Beverly Hills Cop sequel “Mediocre”
Axel Fmay prove to be the most acclaimed of the sequels, an honor that previously went toBeverly Hills Cop 2. This 1987 follow-up was helmed by the late, great Tony Scott (Top Gun), who pumped up the action and wacky humor. It’s a fun romp that’s at its best when it’s a hangout movie between Axel, Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Aston). The sequel was another hit for its leading man and in a recent interview onLate Night with Seth Meyers, Murphy stated that “the first two Beverly Hills Cops are really good.”
This contradicts a 1989 interview that Murphy gave toRolling Stone, where he was almost eyewateringly honest about his career up to that point. When asked about concerns he shouldn’t have reprised his star-making role as Axel,Murphy agreed with assessments aboutBeverly Hills Cop 2’squality and mixed reception.
Beverly Hills Cop 2 was probably the most successful mediocre picture in history. It made $250 million worldwide, and it was a half-assed movie. Cop 2 was basically a rehash of Cop I, but it wasn’t as spontaneous and funny.
Murphy went on to label his fantasy comedyThe Golden Childas a “piece of s***” that nevertheless made a ton of money. Murphy was such a huge star during the 1980s that his presence inanymovie was all but guaranteed to make it a hit. To his mind, makingBeverly Hills Cop 2was a no-brainer financially, but Murphy felt the sequel just copied/pasted the formula of the original without adding much in the way of innovation.
Every Major Character & Actor Returning For Beverly Hills Cop 4
The trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F shows Eddie Murphy and the titular Axel Foley returning. It also shows glimpses of other series regulars.
$316,300,000
83%
$276,665,036
46%
$119,180,938
11%
N/A
Murphy dubbingBeverly Hills Cop 2 as"really good" is a definite turnaround. The original film is surprisingly grounded and small-scale by modern standards, but Tony Scott gave his sequel a bigger scope. He lavished it with stylish visuals and gave his leading man every opportunity to improvise outlandish comic scenarios. Storywise,Beverly Hills Cop 2makes little sense, to the point that a visit to the Playboy Mansion and a Hugh Hefner cameo is awkwardly crowbarred into the middle act.
It’s loud and excessive, and could even be called a relic from another era. Even so,Beverly Hills Cop 2is a blast with the right mindset. Few directors make their movies look as stylish as Scott could, the chemistry between the three leads is crackling, Brigitte Nielsen makes for a memorable villainess and the sequel even introduced Axel’s beloved Detroit Lions jacket. It is a rehash of the original that basically plays the greatest hits from Axel’s debut, but the good outweighs the bad.
Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop 2 Reappraisal Explains His Franchise Return
Beverly Hills Cop 3 makes Beverly Hills Cop 2 look like Beverly Hills Cop 1
It was Eddie Murphy’s dislike for the third movie that ensured Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F spent so long in development hell, since the star refused to sign on for another sequel without a solid script.
Murphy made his “mediocre” comments aboutBeverly Hills Cop 2over 30 years ago, so he’s had plenty of time to warm to the film.Murphy may be kinder about the first sequel now in light ofBeverly Hills Cop 3’sreception, a film he labeled “atrocious” during an appearance onInside the Actor’s Studio. It was his dislike for the third chapter that ensuredBeverly Hills Cop 4spent so long in development hell, since the star refused to sign on for another sequel without a solid script.
Maybe Murphy’s nostalgia for the first twoBeverly Hills Copsexplains his return forAxel F. After all, he owes a lot to Axel Foley, and the second adventure has seeped into popular culture almost as much as the first installment. The star has likely encountered a lot of love from fans towards the 1987 sequel too. Murphy is even open to a potentialBeverly Hills Cop 5now, but if that does happen, hopefully, it won’t take another 30 years of development.
Source:Rolling Stone,Late Night with Seth Meyers,The Numbers,Rotten Tomatoes, Inside the Actor’s Studio
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop is an action-comedy movie franchise that stars Eddie Murphy as a Detroit cop named Axel Foley who heads to Beverly Hills, California, to investigate the death of his best friend. Foley, a street-smart and intense officer, is constantly observed and (sometimes) reigned in with the help of Billy Rosewood and John Taggart, two other detectives from his department.
