In late years , we ’ve raise wonted to seeing the bountiful - screen Cuban sandwich of the ’ 80s and ’ 90s come back older and less invulnerable than before . Such a vogue is the inevitable end consequence of Hollywood becoming progressively reliant on its existing franchises . While some movie , likeTop Gun : Maverickand Ryan Coogler’sCreed , have manage to bring darling flick characters back to bully results , though , others — like last year’sIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny — have failed to add anything truly new to their quality ’ narrative and previous adventures . Many of these legacy subsequence have feel as old-hat as the halfway - aged heroes they refuse to allow retire , and that very well could have been the event withBeverly Hills Cop : Axel F.

The new , fourth installment in one of Hollywood ’s best - ever action - comedy franchises has been in development for years with everyone from Brett Ratner toBad Boys : Ride or Diedirectors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah tie to it at one point or another . By the time Netflix and commercial-grade director Mark Molloy had become involve , it seemed like the labor had already become overworked and saddle with the baggage of all the years that preceded its output . It is , therefore , one of the braggart surprisal of the year so far thatBeverly Hills Cop : Axel Fis anythingbutstale or overladen . The film is , instead , just as much fun as you ’d desire and lighter on its fundament than it should be .

Beverly Hills Cop : Axel Ffinds its eponymous booster , Axel Foley ( Eddie Murphy ) , still causing trouble on the streets of Detroit by routinely choose down criminals in the loud , most destructive style potential . He has n’t lost his rage for high - f number pursuits or gunfight in the time since we last saw him , but the forced retreat of his longtime boss and protector within the Detroit Police Department , Jeffrey Friedman ( a return Paul Reiser ) , make it clear that the humans is n’t the same as it was 30 year ago . That reality is only made clearer , if not needfully to Murphy ’s unregenerate Axel , when he ’s squeeze to reelect to Beverly Hills to aid his estranged , grown - up girl , Jane ( Taylour Paige ) , uncover the obscure truth of a severe case call for the death of an undercover fuzz .

The confederacy at the heart and soul of Jane ’s case is n’t particularly complex , but Will Beall , Tom Gormican , and Kevin Etten ’s screenplay wisely does n’t thread outAxel F‘s mysteries longer than it should . rather , the film trust on some good sure-enough - fashioned police force incompetence to justify its 115 minute runtime and , in doing so , gives Murphy ’s rule - breaking crusader the chance to tolerate out even further from most of his scene mate . These include a few intimate faces , like Billy Rosewood ( Judge Reinhold ) , now a private investigator , and John Taggart ( John Ashton ) , who has risen up the social status to become the chief of the Beverly Hills Police Department when we adjoin him again . Tagging along for the ride are also a number of new allies and foe for Axel to contend with , include Bobby Abbott ( Joseph Gordon - Levitt ) , a Beverly Hills police tec and Jane ’s former boyfriend , and Cade Grant ( Kevin Bacon ) , a cocky L.A. police captain .

Murphy has electric chemistry with all of his co - stars , which makes otherwise forgettable characters like Gordon - Levitt ’s Bobby pop off the silver screen more . He and Paige , in particular , get the chance to trade more than a few memorable antic and dig during their drive around Los Angeles together . Their comedic banter makes it easy to abide some of the expounding - hard personal credit line they ’re forced to change , as well as the ham - fisted , therapy - driven present moment of emotional negotiation that drag down what should be far mussy arguing . Thankfully , Beall , Gormican , and Etten ’s script also keeps the photographic film proceed at such a snappy pace that Axel and Jane ’s disruptive story does n’t ever stop it from take a hop swiftly from one band piece and hare - brained investigative strategy to another .

For Molloy , Beverly Hills Cop : Axel Fmarks his characteristic directorial debut , but you ’d never know that watching the film . He does n’t backpack well-nigh as much panache or attitude into the subsequence as Martin Brest and Tony Scott did inBeverly Hills CopandBeverly Hills Cop II , respectively , but he does n’t cut unneeded corner or let the weighing machine ofAxel F‘s set small-arm overwhelm him , either . He show to be well - suited for the picture ’s blockbuster plate — constructing action sequences that are n’t just well legible but have a practical quality that makes determine them unfold a thrillingly fun experience almost every time . That ’s particularly honest of the movie ’s opening set art object , a chaotic pursuit through Detroit at night , and a following through the glamourous streets of Beverly Hills that feature one unforgettably funny excision to a reverse shot .

As telling as Molloy ’s direction and the contributions of its supporting cast members are , Beverly Hills Cop : Axel Fis ultimately , like the franchise ’s first three installments , a display case for Eddie Murphy . The performing artist , one of America ’s dandy comedic voice , slither so seamlessly back into the character of Axel Foley here that it feels like he never stopped playing him in the first post . Not all of the dramatic beats thatAxel Ftries to hit in its final third fully land , but Murphy is so effortlessly coolheaded and charismatic that he lifts the entire film up from starting line to finale . Molloy and co. , meanwhile , do n’t pass up the chance to spotlight their leading man — pelt several of its activity and drive - along sequences with gags and trick that feel like they could have ( and very well may have ) come directly from Murphy himself .

It ’d be a stretch to callBeverly Hills Cop : Axel Fa young classic of its literary genre . It does n’t have enough of an aesthetical or narrative personality to rise above either of its dealership ’s beloved first two submission , but it does sit well below them . It was made with such visible passion and excitement by those involve in it , and that fact alone makesAxel Fa more impactful and infectiously fun flick than so many of the needlessly expensive blockbusters that Netflix specifically has produced over the past five years . That may seem like faint praise give the other motion-picture show in that category , but do n’t let that dissuade you from givingBeverly Hills Cop : Axel Fa chance . It ’s the rare legacy continuation that does n’t feel like a waste product of your time .

Beverly Hills Cop : Axel Fis streaming now on Netflix .