Before there was Mike Lowry and Marcus Brunnett, there was Axel Foley. The Beverly Hills Cop franchise, the brainchild of the late Don Simpson and future Bad Boys producer Jerry Bruckheimer, set a standard for action comedies 40 years ago that nothing has matched to date. Not even the abysmal Beverly Hills Cop III could sour that, as the demands for more of arguably the quintessential Eddie Murphy character carried on for another 30 years after that misfire hit screens. Finally, Murphy and Bruckheimer teamed up again to answer the prayers, pleas, etc., and brought back our favorite “vacationing” Detroit detective one more time.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F picks up in real-time with Foley still policing in Detroit, but he’s also now a father with an estranged relationship with his Beverly Hills attorney daughter, Jane (Taylour Paige). This Cali trip is sparked by Jane receiving death threats as she gets closer to cracking a criminal conspiracy. He must overcome their differences and the corrupt syndicate to save her. If there was ever a need to epitomize absence making the heart grow fonder, Axel F meets it because reuniting with a character after three decades never felt so good.
The last time Murphy was involved with a legacy sequel was Coming 2 America, and it disappointed because it felt forced, contrived, and utterly ridiculous with its awful story. Axel F is the antithesis of that problematic situation mainly because the writing is light years better. The script, penned by Bad Boys: Ride or Die scribe Will Beall, Tom Gormican, and Kevin Etten, has an organic connection to the franchise’s previous entries. It’s believable that Foley had a child and a failed marriage since we last saw him.
The script also brings a fresh approach to the humor that separates the Beverly Hills Cop franchise from other action comedy series. Similar to the two most recent Bad Boys films, the comedy comes from Foley’s natural transition from a wild young cop to an older detective who’s now truly in a world where the actions of a younger him no longer work. There’s also a surprising amount of heart in Axel F that works exceptionally well with the story.
It could go without saying at this point, but he’s so good that it needs to be said – Murphy makes Axel F special. His performance instantly takes you back to wherever and whenever you saw the first Beverly Hills Cop film. The comedic timing shows no effects from the time away, and Murphy is flawless there. It’s like watching Bad Boys Lowry and Burnett in one person, and it’s clear Foley’s DNA is all over them.
However, this turn as Foley feels different but in a good way. Those dramatic chops he flexed in Dreamgirls and My Name Is Dolemite fit like a glove in Axel F in the heavier moments regarding his parenting errors and efforts to right them.
The supporting cast of Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt don’t match what Murphy does, but they are excellent at complimenting it, specifically Paige. Paige doesn’t show the comedic prowess to get laughs, but her ability to be the straight person for Murphy to feed off was just as crucial to making Axel F work.
Axel F is by far the best Beverly Hills Cop film since the 1984 film that sprung Murphy into superstardom. The secret to its sauce is how natural everything feels. The script doesn’t take reaches that aren’t organically available and leans into the fact that Foley is aging and far from perfect. That natural vibe extends into Murphy’s performance, which has some maturity to it when needed but otherwise is still the same loose canon we’ve loved for 40-plus years. Regardless if you wanted another Beverly Hills Cop movie for nostalgia or an update, Axel F is for sure a must-see.
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