Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is film #4 in the long-running Eddie Murphy series.
It’s out on Netflix just in time for the Fourth of July.
The Beverly Hills Cop film series is older than Eddie Murphy’s relationship, any of his ten children, and probably most of the viewers watching the latest installment.
But when watching a new action comedy at home, it’s so easy to miss things. What exactly happened?
‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ Summary: Here’s The Story
After a decades-spanning hiatus, the Beverly Hills Cop franchise returns, with Eddie Murphy once again starring as the comedic lead. Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Beverly Hills Cop 4 has technically been in development since the mid-1990s. In other words, it spent that time in “development hell.” On the plus side, at least it dodged the bullet of being directed by Brett Ratner.
Axel F gets its start when the titular detective returns to Beverly Hills because his daughter, Jane, is in danger. She’s a defense attorney who’s representing an alleged cop killer. In a stunning dose of realism, the big bad is a member of law enforcement.
Kevin Bacon clearly enjoyed leaning into his villainous role as BHPD Captain Grant. He (the character, not the beloved actor) turns out to be in league with a cartel.
Speaking of delightful actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt appears as Detective Bobby Abbott. He is Jane’s ex, which creates some obvious tension with Jane and with her father.
Judge Reinhold (fun fact: that’s just his name; he does not sit upon the bench) reprises his role as Axel’s PI buddy, Billy. It’s a smaller role, but it might have been odd to film it without him.
Obviously, there’s ample action. Helicopters, shootouts, and plenty of laughs along the way.
‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ Ending, Explained
So what happened to Billy? After he got Jane to investigate Captain Grant and then called Axel to town, Billy vanished. The cartel had caught him snooping and kidnapped him. Eventually, Axel and Bobby spring him from a warehouse.
But the big bad isn’t in the warehouse, but a mansion. He’s been holding Jane a prisoner (classic bad guy stuff) and is planning to kill her to hide his crimes (also classic bad guy stuff).
The eventual shootout sees the protagonists killing off cartel members and the (extra) corrupt police.
Grant exercises his privileges as a primary antagonist by wounding Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F‘s titular protagonist.
Meanwhile, Bobby is the one who kills Grant. This may feel a little like the passing of the proverbial torch. 30 years have passed in real time and in the films, and the film makes that clear.
As a plus, Jane can prove that her client, the alleged cop-killer, is innocent. They now have proof of what Grant was up to — and that his minions had framed Sam (her client). That’s tidy!
Film #4 brings new nuance to the franchise
Axel Foley has new depth to him. Yes, even action comedies can do that.
Jane holds him accountable for how his fixation on his job alienated his family, and how he didn’t try as hard as he could have to remain in communication with her.
For a film with so many opportunities for laughter, it ends in a tearful moment — with Axel owning up to his mistakes. He and Jane seem to be square by the end of it, but it’s an emotional scene.
Will there be a Beverly Hills Cop 5?
According to Eddie Murphy, there are already discussions of a fifth installment. However, it takes a lot to make a movie happen.
After all, Beverly Hills Cop 4 took 30 years before becoming a reality. Let’s hope that the sequel doesn’t take that long.
‘Beverly Hills Cop’ 4 Ending, Explained: Was It Worth 30 Year Wait? was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.