Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F - A Blast from the Past?

The 80s are back, folks! Eddie Murphy, the original Beverly Hills Cop, has donned the iconic Detroit police Det. Axel Foley once again after a three-decade hiatus. But is this latest installment, “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.”, a nostalgic dream come true or a tired rehashing of a classic franchise?

A blast from the 80s

For those who grew up with the franchise, it’s hard not to feel a surge of excitement seeing Axel Foley back in action. But beneath the flashy car chases and witty one-liners lies a disappointingly formulaic and crude script that relies on vulgarity and graphic violence to make its point.

The story follows Axel as he travels to Beverly Hills to help his estranged daughter, Jane (Taylour Paige), a feisty defense attorney who’s caught up in a web of corruption within the LAPD. Along the way, Axel teams up with the charming but rough-around-the-edges Det. Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who just so happens to be Jane’s ex-boyfriend. Talk about a tangled web!

As the bullets fly and the jokes land, it’s clear that the filmmakers are relying on the franchise’s goodwill to carry the movie. But beneath the surface lies a messy subplot about Axel’s complicated relationship with his daughter, which adds an interesting layer of emotional depth to the story.

Axel and Jane’s complicated past

However, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this is a missed opportunity to explore deeper themes and go beyond the tired tropes of the action-comedy genre. The dialogue is peppered with profanities, and the film’s tone veers wildly between slapstick humor and serious drama. It’s a jarring ride, to say the least.

The dark underbelly of the LAPD

In the end, “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” feels like a relic of a bygone era, relying on nostalgia rather than innovation to carry the day. While die-hard fans of the franchise may find some joy in the familiarity of it all, others may find themselves yawning at the too-familiar tropes and cringing at the gratuitous language and violence.

A blast from the past

Is this the end of the road for Axel Foley? Only time will tell. But for now, it’s clear that the Beverly Hills Cop franchise needs a serious reboot if it wants to stay relevant in today’s cinematic landscape.