Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is far better than it has any right to be

Some things never change – and thankfully, Axel Foley’s wisecracking charm is one of those timeless delights. Eddie Murphy’s return in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F – a source of trepidation following Beverly Hills Cop III – feels like cleaning out your closet and finding, tucked away at the back, a vintage Detroit Lions letterman jacket. Slipping it on, you’ll be pleased to find that it – like the character of Axel Foley for Eddie Murphy – still fits like a glove.

Axel Foley, the irrepressible Detroit detective, is back in Beverly Hills, but this time it’s personal – or at least more personal than the last time? Actually, looking back, for Axel it’s always been personal. Suck it, Jaws. This time it’s his estranged daughter, Jane Saunders (Taylour Paige), a high-powered defence attorney, is embroiled in a case that puts her life in danger. Enter Foley, whose mission to protect his daughter unravels a conspiracy thicker than LA smog. He’s not alone, of course. Reuniting with old pals John Taggart (John Ashton) and Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), and joined by the eager and earnest Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Foley dives headfirst into a web of corruption that leads to the heart of the Beverly Hills PD itself.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F restores the balance between action and comedy that went so awry in the third film and, much like Foley himself, is always on the move, always ready with a quip. Murphy slips back into the role effortlessly; his charisma undimmed by the years and seems genuinely reengaged with the character and the material this time around. Murphy and Paige strike up a great familial chemistry, while Murphy’s interactions with Gordon Levitt provides some of the film’s most humorous moments as each come to terms with the others presence in Jane’s life. Of course, the introduction of both Taylour Paide as Foley’s daughter and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as her ex-boyfriend are more than just story additions, they’re a tacit acknowledgment that time marches on and while Murphy’s mouth remains as quick as ever, at the age of 63 it’s fair to say he’s not as spry as he used to be (that goes double for Judge Reinhold and John Aston) so someone needs to shoulder a bit more of the action this time around.

Those action sequences are pretty darn good too. From a snowplough chase through the streets of Detroit to a hilarious and heart-stopping helicopter escape, they feel organic to the story and director Mark Molloy’s does a great job of bringing them to life. The film’s energy never wanes, buoyed by a soundtrack that nods to its ’80s roots while injecting a fresh beat in a way that’s far more successful than the 90s update that unscored the underwhelming trip to Wally’s Wonderland.

The plot is, of course, fairly predictable, sticking close to the series’ winning formula and the identity of the ultimate villain won’t be a surprise to anyone. Some of the jokes, though nostalgic, feel just a tad dated, and there’s a sense that when in doubt, the film leans a little too heavily on its legacy to carry it over. It’s also a shame that Billy Rosewood, the only character to have appeared in all four movies apart from Murphy himself, is relegated to a background role, almost more of a plot device than a supporting player. It is nice to see Paul Reiser back as Jeffrey Friedman.

Compared to its predecessor, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is a real return to form, capturing the spirit of the first two films with a deft hand and balancing honouring its roots with embracing the passage of time and the changes it brings.While it may not hit the heights of Beverly Hills Cop II (obviously nothing could compare to the original), it not only makes up for the disappointment of the previous chapter but, three decades after it stumbled, it proves beyond any doubt that Axel Foley is far from ready to “get the fuck out of here” yet.