I think it’s safe to say that legacy sequels, for the most part, are cash grabs, banking on the nostalgia of an entire generation who grew up with the original. More often than not, these sequels are lazy and uninspired that you end up wishing they just left it untouched. But every so often you get great ones like Top Gun: Maverick that bring in something fresh while still feeling familiar. And then there’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, a sequel that’s comfortable enough to simply indulge in nostalgic callbacks to the original three films. Mark Molloy, in his feature directorial debut, revives a franchise after almost 30 years by happily playing the greatest hits.

The film opens with the familiar saxophone riffs of The Heat Is On, the Glenn Frey song heavily featured in the original Beverly Hills Cop. It’s the first to be played from a playlist of ’80s hits that defined this franchise’s soundtrack. Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) puts on a wide-smile as he goes on his way to thwart a robbery attempt in a Detroit Red Wings hockey game. In typical Foley fashion, it ends up in a destructively wild chase scene across the city. Back at the station, Foley’s former partner Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser) is now the Chief of Police, and reveals that he’s handed in his retirement papers, and so should Foley.

But retirement is not in the cards for him yet, as he’s drawn back to Beverly Hills once more after learning that his estranged daughter Jane (Taylour Page) is in danger over a case involving corrupt cops. When he arrives in LA, he finds out his friend Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) went missing, and Foley soon discovers that both of their cases may be connected. Of course, this means the return of another familiar face in the form of John Taggart (John Ashton), who is now the Chief of BHPD.

It’s no surprise that Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F follows the same formulaic plot structure that the previous films employed, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s like a time machine to ’80s filmmaking; the visual style, action set pieces, storytelling, and villain are reminiscent of so many films from that decade. These movies are also vehicles for Eddie Murphy to showcase his goofy charm that shot him into superstardom in the first place. Murphy could’ve easily phoned it in for a quick paycheck (which how a lot of actors can be in legacy sequels), but it’s clear that he’s genuinely having fun himself too. The same can be said for the returning actors in reprising their roles, although they don’t get as much screen time as Murphy.

In addition to Jane, joining the cast are newcomers Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a detective in the BHPD and also Jane’s ex-boyfriend, and Cade Grant (Kevin Bacon), a department captain who runs the narcotics task force. With Rosewood missing for the good chunk of the film, Abbott becomes Foley’s partner, and Gordon-Levitt plays his character as the straight man well enough opposite Murphy’s playful Foley. Bacon comes off slick as Grant, but the movie never even tries to hide the fact that he’s clearly the bad guy. Lastly, Paige is good as Jane, carrying much of the film’s emotional weight, even if the rift between her and Foley is largely contrived.

While Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F offers more of the same, it carries that same charm as the original that a lot of legacy sequels lack, and ultimately gives off that warm feeling of seeing old friends once again. It’s a shame that Axel F went straight to streaming instead of releasing in theaters. Given the box office success of the recently released Bad Boys: Ride or Die, another legacy sequel whose co-writer Will Beall also co-wrote this film, there’s no doubt that a beloved ’80s franchise like Beverly Hills Cop would’ve made a fortune. It’s not perfect by any means, but I had a pretty damn good time.

Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.