Director: Tony Scott
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Jürgen Prochnow, Ronny Cox
Have I Seen It Before: Maybe pieces of it? Probably not a great sign that I can’t honestly differentiate cable airings of either of the first two films from each other.
Did I Like It: That sameness can be somewhat of charming in a film series I already love (I’m awkwardly looking in your direction, Back to the Future (1985)), but here going through the same beats and the same lines (I don’t know why I’m mainly thinking of Paul Reiser’s “This is not my… (blank)”, but I am) means that the whole affair is an exercise in everything that is bad about a sequel*.
In fact, there only seems to be two main difference between this and the first Beverly Hills Cop (1984). The only real difference seems to be is that you can see it in Murphy’s eyes. He’s not happy to be here like he was in the original. This feels like the beginning of a long slow descent for Murphy into frightfully unfunny family films. He only lights up when he meets Hugh Hefner, in a moment that seems to have been built solely to fuel a trailer. Murphy isn’t helped by Tony Scott, primarily not a comedy director, although he does do what Tony Scott does well enough.
If the film were smarter, and fresher, you’d think there would be plenty of room for Tony Scott to do his Tony Scott thing. But no, the Tony Scott-ness takes all the air out of the room and what we’re left with is a pretty okay action movie.
*I will admit I am saying all of this having as yet watched Beverly Hills Cop III (1994).
**I will admit I am saying all of this having as yet watched Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024) (dumb title). Maybe he gets better?