Are 30 years of thought enough for a good idea? That’s what some fans will be asking themselves about Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F., which continues Eddie Murphy’s famous action franchise after three decades. How good is the late sequel? The criticism is divided. The film has been available on Netflix since July 3, 2024.
Beverly Hills Cop 4 reviews: Is the sequel “riveting” or “desperate”?
To be clear: Beverly Hills Cop 4 has a total of above-average positive reviews This is suggested by looking at sites like Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic, where the film received a review rating of 67 and 55 percent.
Watch the latest trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. here:
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F – Trailer (German) HD
But there are big differences between individual reactions. According to Collider, “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. perfectly captures the fun of the first two films“. USA Today calls the film “irresistibly captivating“The film is funny, action-packed, heart-rending, said Looper. It delivers everything you could have hoped for.
The positive voices also note how old-fashioned the film’s humor is: “It’s absolutely your father’s Beverly Hills Cop“, explains The Telegraph. “And for all his brazen one-sided stupidity I wanted to hug him at the end.”
But there are also many negative reactions. The Observer diagnoses the sequel “Exhaustion of all kinds” and one “Lack of ideas“, the New York Times describes it as “limp, desperate action comedy“, which lacks energy.
All critics agree on one thing
But one aspect excites almost all critics equally: Eddie Murphy shows a absolute top performance. The film is a return to Murphy’s high standards, according to IGN . According to Collider, a joyful Murphy is the driving force of the film. “Murphy is in top form“, says ScreenCrush .
Whether Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. excites or bores is ultimately up to each fan. We consider it to be the best film in the Beverly Hills Cop series since part 1. It is noticeable that the audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic is significantly higher than the critics’ rating, with 79 and 7.2 points respectively.
The film’s predecessors, especially Beverly Hills Cop III, were also sometimes very negatively reviewed. Apparently Eddie Murphy is the winner of people’s hearts again, just like he was 30 and 40 years ago.