Netflix Hits #1 With Eddie Murphy Beverly Hills Cop Return

The latest entry in the movie series whose theme song became the anthem of the ‘80s, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F follows Axel Foley (Murphy) on his shenanigan-filled adventure as he works with his old pals, John Taggart and Billy Rosewood, to uncover a conspiracy.

Namely, Axel’s daughter Jane, now a grownup lawyer, is menaced by a conspiracy of corrupt cops led by the suit-wearing Captain Grant, portrayed by the franchise newcomer Kevin Bacon. It’s up to Axel and the previously retired and then unretired bunch of old-school cops to stop the conspiracy.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is everything you’d expect from a Beverly Hills Cop movie, and perhaps a bit less than what we used to. Sure, Axel F gets involved in all sorts of chases and whacky situations, including the old-but-gold scenes where he talks fast and pranks various people in his way, like the unhelpful doormen of security guards, tricking them into letting him in.

It’s still hilarious to see Eddie Murphy do his “white people” voice, which is what made him famous as a comedian, but the joke is already used so many times that it’s practically stale by now.

Basically, it falls into the same pitfalls as Coming 2 America, where you have Murphy, a mature man, playing a subversive anarchist comic, which is something he can no longer do. Don’t get us wrong, he’s still a fantastic actor, but following the disaster known as The Adventures of Pluto Nash, he might want to stick to other forms of comedy or even drama, provided that he has the right script.

Sadly, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F plays too hard on its old jokes directed at nostalgic diehard fans, and while that works for some, it most definitely doesn’t for others.

In the end, time always tells; quality releases tend to stay on the Most Watched list for weeks following their release, such as Red Notice, The Witcher, Bird Box, and One Piece—all spent several weeks among the Top 10. That doesn’t really apply to nostalgia-aiming money grabs, which obviously reach the top of the list before they come crashing down harder than a tidal wave hitting the shore once people recognize their quality or lack thereof.

We’re not saying that’s the case with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, but earnings and ratings are a good indicator of quality.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F received positive reviews, sitting somewhere between the horrible Beverly Hills Cop III and the incredibly charming, energetic, and entertaining first two films. Those interested in watching Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the movie just recently dropped on Netflix, where it currently dominates the streamer’s list of most watched releases.