Yesterday, the Netflix streaming service premiered the film “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley” starring Eddie Murphy.
This is the fourth film in the franchise, the previous part of which was released back in 1994 (30 years ago!).
We have already managed to watch the new film and want to share our impressions, as well as understand why and for whom this film was made.
The franchise is 40 years old, why did they write out the grandfather from retirement
What is the movie about: Axel Foley, a Detroit detective, returns to Beverly Hills after 30 years to expose corruption in the police department. His daughter also becomes embroiled in the case, defending a client accused of murdering a police officer. Along with old friends, Axel faces a corrupt police captain and a drug cartel kingpin.
In 1984, the first film about the savvy and charismatic Detroit detective, Axel Foley, hit the screens. The plot brought him into the rich and powerful world of Beverly Hills, where he used his street smarts and wit to solve crimes.
The film was full of healthy humor, often poking fun at the cultural differences between Detroit and Beverly Hills, adding an element of satire and social criticism. The sequel, released three years later, also pleased with an interesting plot and excellent humor.
But the third part of the franchise, according to Eddie Murphy himself, was a failure. The film was heavily criticized for its weak plot and unsuccessful script. Much of it seemed ridiculous, and the humor was considered weak and unoriginal.
However, Netflix decided to dust off Axel Foley and let him out on the streets of Beverly Hills again. The streaming service acquired the rights to produce the fourth film in the cult series in 2019. It would seem that there was plenty of time to write a good, kind script, but it turned out very weak.
The story that bores the racer
Unlike the third part, the new story tries to be more down-to-earth and serious, but it still suffers from a weak and organized script, offering nothing new or original. And this is probably the main problem of the film.
The script of the fourth part suffers from over-organizationAlmost all plot twists can be easily predicted long before they happen. This includes the organization of the antagonist, whose evil intentions are clear from the start. The lack of unexpected twists makes for a very boring viewing experience.
Instead of writing new ideas and original elements, the filmmakers use the same tricks and plot devices as in the first two parts. For example, returning to Axel’s old methods (I won’t spoil it), but it doesn’t have the same effect as before, because we’ve seen it all before.
The humor also doesn’t reach the level of the first two films. Despite attempts to use Eddie’s signature style and his sketches from some stand-up comedy, the jokes are too long-winded and unoriginal. Unlike the third part, where the humor was too stupid and ridiculous, the new part tries to be more serious, but loses the comic spark of the originals.
Although to give credit, the vibe of the modern Los Angeles director showed maximum irony. A great demonstration of the modern world for rich people.
The characters are too flat
Axel still tries to be as quick-witted and witty as in the previous films. However, it seems that his energy and comic effect are not what they used to be. In the fourth part, his character seems too tired. Emotionally, physically, and visually. At the same time, in the Russian dubbing, the character has a very young voice. After all, Eddie Murphy is 63 years old, we must give credit to the old man and choose a more suitable voice.
Axel’s old friends also return to their roles, some even getting promoted to police captain. But these characters don’t have much of an impact on the plot and are clearly added for nostalgia’s sakeAnd who and when were they interesting, when the main star was always Eddie?
As for the newcomers, their interactions with old acquaintances are slowly forced and unnatural. In other words, the script characters are poorly written, they are short, brief, unoriginal.
The action isn’t great either
The original films offered action-packed, action-packed scenes that were memorable. The fourth installment lacks the same energy and surprises that came before. After all, it’s 2024, and you can’t surprise viewers with chases involving municipal vehicles.
The film’s budget is rumored to be around $150 million, but where exactly the money went is unclear. Netflix, I suspect you are being robbed.
The fight and shootout scenes also don’t provide the necessary adrenaline and sense of risk for the characters. It seems that Hollywood wasn’t on strike for screenwriters, but for all the fight choreographers as well.
The visual effects in the film didn’t make any special impression. They were just comply with Russian standardsbut don’t stand out from other action movies. Sterility in all its glory. And what could we expect from Netflix?
You won’t miss anything if you miss this movie.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley is primarily aimed at fans of the original trilogy and those nostalgic for the 80s and 90s. But they shouldn’t expect the same kind of experience as the first two films. The film is more focused on nostalgia and bringing back old magic than on creating something new and exciting. Yes, Glen Frey’s “The Heat Is On” and Harold Faltermeyer’s famous synth theme are also in place. Where would we be without them?
If you’re looking for something innovative and exciting, you’ll likely be disappointed with this film.
All fans of Eddie Murphy’s talent should definitely watch it. On all yet good. But maybe he should be retired?
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
