Beverly Hills Cop II dials up the action and dials down the colour temperature for a stylish sequel

If the 80s taught us anything, it’s that sequels aren’t for reinventing the format – they’re for more of the same, only bigger. In the hands of Tony Scott, Beverly Hills Cop II is an amber-hued, neon-streaked, action-packed romp that doubles down on the charm and chaos of its predecessor, making it a quintessential feature of the late eighties’ cinematic landscape.

Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) returns to Beverly Hills when his friend and mentor, Captain Bogomil (Ronny Cox), is gunned down in broad daylight and the investigation stalls. Teaming up once again with detectives Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Ashton), Foley inserts himself into the ongoing “Alphabet Crimes” case, an investigation into a series of meticulously planned robberies marked by alphabetic clues left at the crime scenes. As the trio navigates a politically charged police department under the baleful eye of the abrasive Chief Harold Lutz (Allen Garfield), Axels unorthodox and provocative approach rubs up the bad guys and the Beverly Hills PD in equal measure.

Eddie Murphy’s performance as Axel Foley is, as you’d expect, the driving force of the film and he’s at the height of his powers here, effortlessly reprising the energy, invention and wit of the first movie. His masterful blend of scripted and improvised dialogue injects a lively unpredictability that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. Murphy’s ability to balance comedic timing with moments of genuine tension ensures Foley remains a magnetic lead character, demanding your attention in every scene, and richly rewarding that focus. Tony Scott’s directorial flair brings a distinctive style to the sequel, adding a kinetic flashiness that mitigates for the plot’s somewhat familiar beats.

Coming off the back of his smash hit Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II sees Scott in exuberant mood, employing a vibrant visual palate, dynamic camera angles, and a high-energy aesthetic that gives the movie a more stylized and glossy, high-energy approach that contrasts with the grittier feel of the original. If the first movie channelled a Detroit aesthetic, its sequel is pure Beverly Hills with its use of sunset shots, orange filters, and energetically percussive action sequences providing a fresh backdrop for Eddie Murphy’s freewheeling style even if sometimes it strays a little too far, such as the infamous dog montage where, as Axel drives through Beverly Hills, the audience is treated to shots of wealthy residents and their dogs, abruptly interrupted by a shot of two bulldogs mating, followed by Axel’s amused reaction.

There’s a brashness in the casting, too, with Brigitte Neilsen offering that most eighties of cinema tropes, the iconic sidekick to the main villain, a sinister and scenery chewing Jürgen Prochnow and while it doesn’t stray much from the original’s plot template it at least doesn’t, unlike the later sequels, needlessly bring back one-note comedy characters like Serge, although a similar role is played by Gilbert Gottfried.

Beverly Hills Cop II might not have the benefit of breaking the mould the way the first film did but what it does is fill that mould with a high-energy, stylish approach that makes it a standout 80s action-comedy. Eddie Murphy’s energised performance, Tony Scott’s vibrant direction, and the film’s latter-day nostalgic charm make it more than a worthwhile watch. As a sequel, it succeeds in delivering more of what audiences loved about the original, carving out its place as a classic in its own right.